The following plans are offered during the annual open enrollment in February:
COBRA
Under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), the University offers employees and their dependents who are covered by health and/or dental insurance a temporary extension of coverage at group rates plus a small administrative fee. If a "qualifying event" results in the loss of your group medical coverage, you may elect to be covered under COBRA for a period of up to 18 to 36 months, depending on the qualifying reason. Such events include the resignation, termination or death of an employee, or a reduction in an employee's hours. Eligible dependents may independently elect coverage if a qualifying event would cause a loss of coverage. Cost of this continued coverage is the responsibility of the individual. Specific details are available from the Office of Human Resources.
Dental Insurance
Dental Insurance Coverage in the Point Loma dental plan is effective on the first day of the month following employment at Point Loma. The University pays 90 percent of the "Employee Only" or 65 percent of dependent coverage.
Rates Effective March 1, 2008
The Point Loma Nazarene University Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC) is a campus laboratory school. It has the unique opportunity of serving the community, meeting the needs of children and their parents, and at the same time serving as the locale for observations, demonstration teaching, and experience for students preparing for careers in work with children. The program is planned to encourage the social, emotional, cognitive, physical, and spiritual growth of children and to give guidance and support to parents in achieving a more effective and fulfilled parenthood.
Regular full-time faculty and staff members qualify for a 33.3 percent discount for each child enrolled in the Early Childhood Center . Part-time faculty teaching a minimum of 16 units per academic year (Fall and Spring) and regular part-time staff members working a minimum of 20 hours per week qualify for a discount on a pro rata basis. Applications for the discount are available in the Office of Human Resources.
Although there is normally a lengthy waiting list for enrollment, every attempt will be made to give priority to children of faculty and staff. However, due to the lengthy waiting list the following enrollment procedures should be followed:
- Notify the ECLC at the first point of interest
- Reconfirm interest once a year in the fall by October 1
- Submit deposit and enrollment application by February 1
Early Childhood Learning Center
Employee Assistance Program
Balancing the demands of work and family life has always been a complex task. As demands increase, as they often do, we can experience difficulty in maintaining this balancing act. A variety of personal concerns may surface, such as conflicts within our family or marriage, aging parents, grief, loneliness, or other personal problems.
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is designed to assist eligible employees, as well as their family members, who may be experiencing personal or work concerns. Point Loma has contracted with Horizon Health to provide this service. The EAP is a confidential and free resource that is available to assist you and any member of your immediate family in finding solutions to personal and/or professional concerns. The EAP offers consultation, support, information, and behavioral health assessment/referral services, as well as short-term counseling. The EAP also provides legal consultation and financial planning referrals. When you and/or any of your family members need EAP assistance, please contact Horizon Health directly at 1-800-342-8111. Access is not through the Office of Human Resources. If you require additional information regarding the program, you may contact the Office of Human Resources.
Horizon Health - Integrated Insights
Flexible Benefits Plan
The Flexible Benefits Plan enables all participants in the health and/or dental plans to significantly reduce the cost of their insurance by paying the premiums on a pre-tax basis. This means the premiums are deducted from gross wages before taxes are computed. Consequently, participants pay less taxes and net take-home pay increases. Participation in the pre-tax portion of the plan is mandatory for any one wishing to be covered by a Point Loma health and/or dental plan.
Dependent Care and Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts
The Flexible Benefits Plan includes two optional benefits: a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account and Health Care Flexible Spending Account. These accounts enable participants to pay up to $5000 a year of dependent care expenses and up to $3000 of eligible unreimbursed health care expenses on a pre-tax basis. Employees who are employed at Point Loma by November 1 may participate in the Health Care account the following March 1. Eligibility for the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account is effective the first day of the month following employment at Point Loma.
The Flexible Benefits Plan includes two optional benefits: a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account and Health Care Flexible Spending Account. These accounts enable participants to pay up to $5000 a year of dependent care expenses and up to $3000 of eligible unreimbursed health care expenses on a pre-tax basis. Employees who are employed at Point Loma by November 1 may participate in the Health Care account the following March 1. Eligibility for the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account is effective the first day of the month following employment at Point Loma.
The Flexible Benefits Plan enables participants to reduce the cost of health and dental premiums, and dependent care/unreimbursed health care expenses, by 25 to 45 percent, depending on their tax bracket. Both portions of the Flexible Benefits Plan are governed by the Plan documents. Details regarding the Plan can be obtained through the Office of Human Resources.
Plan Administrator:
Health Insurance
Group health insurance coverage is effective on the first day of the month following employment at Point Loma. Therefore, enrollment must be within 30 days of date of hire or the opportunity to enroll is lost until the next open enrollment period in February unless there is a qualifying event within your family (e.g., such as a spouse losing coverage eligibility).
Point Loma offers two HMO health plans: Kaiser Permanente and Health Net; plus a PPO plan through Health Net. The University pays 90 percent of the HMO "Employee Only" or 65 percent of the HMO dependent coverage. Employees have the option to "buy-up" to the PPO coverage. Premiums are subject to change annually on March 1. Specifics of the coverage are available in the Office of Human Resources.
Rates Effective March 1, 2008
Health Net
HMO
PPO
Member Services:
800-522-0088 (English)
800-331-1777 (Spanish)
Kaiser Permanente
Jury Duty
Point Loma Nazarene University encourages its staff and faculty to fulfill their civic responsibility. Faculty are requested to postpone their jury duty service to a time when classes are not in session. Since this same flexibility is not available to staff members, PLNU has established the following jury duty policy that applies to staff and administrators:
All staff and administrators should attend jury duty in accordance with their legal obligations. However, full-time staff and administrators, who have completed one year of service at PLNU, will be granted a leave of absence with pay to serve one period of jury duty each three years, for a maximum of seven days. Part-time staff, who have completed one year of service, will be eligible on a prorated basis. Staff and administrators who are required to serve beyond this period will be placed on leave without pay unless they elect to charge additional time to vacation or personal days.
Paid leave benefits shall be reduced by the amount of jury-duty pay (other than mileage reimbursement) which exceeds $15.00 per day.
Procedure :
Witness Duty
If you are required by law to appear in court as a witness, you may take unpaid time off. You must provide your supervisor with a copy of your subpoena immediately upon receipt. If you wish, you may elect to charge this time to your accrued personal days or vacation time.
Life Insurance
The University provides up to $75,000 of group term life insurance coverage which is effective on the first day of the month following employment at Point Loma. Although the entire premium is paid by Point Loma, the participant is taxed on the value of coverage exceeding the IRS maximum of $50,000 for employer-provided life insurance. An employee may opt to increase the amount of coverage by an additional $50,000 to $100,000. Each supplemental unit of $50,000 coverage is available at a cost to the employee of $10.00 per month. Evidence of insurability may be required by Provident Life Insurance.
Benefit eligible faculty and staff are eligible to purchase long term care (LTC) insurance the first of the month following date of hire and have 60 days in which to elect coverage. Employees who elect coverage during this initial period are assured a guaranteed issue of up to $6000/month of LTC insurance without completing a medical questionnaire. After this intial enrollment period employees may apply for coverage during the annual open enrollment but must be approved/denied through the medical underwriting process. Cost is based on age and selected plan options.
Point Loma will pay the premium for a basic ($2000/month) LTC policy for full-time contract faculty and staff and administrators who work a minimum of 32 hours/week after they have been employed for ten consecutive years.
For additional information and rates:
www.pointlomaLTC.com
Eldercare and Family Caregiving Information
Long-Term Disability
The University provides long-term disability insurance to regular staff and administrators who work a minimum of 32 hours per week and to full-time contract faculty after two years of continuous employment. This protection is provided at no cost to the employee and is planned to protect against serious loss of income in the event of a prolonged illness or injury. A waiver of the two-year eligibility period is available if the employee was covered by another long-term total disability insurance policy immediately prior to employment at Point Loma.
Retirement
To assist you in your retirement planning, the University offers a retirement plan through TIAA-CREF (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association/College Retirement Equities Fund). Participation in this plan makes it possible for you to accumulate a lifetime monthly benefit for retirement. Regular faculty, staff and administrators who work at least 1000 hours per year (approximately 20 hours per week or teach 16 units per academic year) and have completed two years of continuous service are eligible to participate in the plan. A waiver of the eligibility period is provided for employees who were employed full-time for two continuous years at a church or educational (K-12, higher education) institution within the five year period immediately prior to employment at Point Loma. Point Loma contributes a 3% base contribution with no required employee contribution. In addition, Point Loma makes a 100% matching contribution - up to 5% of an employee's voluntary contribution. The total possible contribution by Point Loma is 8%.
You may elect to contribute additional funds into a Tax Deferred Annuity (TDA) available through TIAA-CREF and Fidelity. Faculty, staff and administrators who have not completed the eligibility period may elect to make voluntary contributions to a tax-deferred annuity. The University does not contribute to the TDA plan.
All retirement plans are governed by the specific plan documents. Details are available in the Office of Human Resources.
State Disability Insurance (SDI)
Under the State of California Unemployment Insurance Code, employees are required to purchase State Disability Insurance. This is done through mandatory wage deductions. This program may provide partial compensation for wages lost while you cannot work because of illness or an injury that is not work related. If you are absent from work for a week or longer, please contact the Office of Human Resources for assistance in applying for these benefits. The University will supplement the benefits you get from SDI according to the staff or faculty paid leave policy, up to 100 percent of your base pay.
Tuition Remission
Regular full-time faculty, staff and administrators are eligible to receive full tuition remission for themselves at Point Loma Nazarene University for six undergraduate units or fifty percent tuition remission for six graduate units each semester, beginning the semester after completion of the 90-day orientation period. Regular part-time staff working a minimum of 20 hours per week, and adjunct faculty teaching a minimum of 16 units per academic year, can participate on a pro rata basis. In accordance with the Tuition Remission policy, courses are to be taken outside of the work schedule and are subject to approval by the supervisor.
Admission into a course is on a space-available basis. Participants may not register until the first day of classes and may be asked to withdraw if space is required to accommodate regular students.
Beginning the semester following the completion of two years of continuous active employment, the spouse and legal children of a regular full-time faculty, staff and administrators are eligible for full undergraduate tuition remission. The children of eligible part-time employees may participate on a pro rata basis.
Tuition remission is subject to taxation according to the Internal Revenue Service regulations in effect at the time the benefit is utilized. The Tuition Remission policy contains the full details which govern the administration of this benefit. The policy and application form are available in the Office of Human Resources.
Tuition Exchange Program
Point Loma Nazarene University participates in the Tuition Waiver Exchange Program sponsored through the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). This program enables the dependents of regular full-time faculty, staff and administrators of participating Council institutions to attend other participating Council institutions tuition-free for up to four years.
Participating Council institutions typically limit the number of Tuition Waiver Exchange Program students they approve and may base their approval on timing of application, academic ability, and personal qualities.
Travel Accident Insurance
The University provides business travel accident insurance, at no cost to eligible faculty, staff and administrators. In the event of death (or dismemberment) while traveling on behalf of the University, a specified benefit would be paid to you (for dismemberment) or your beneficiary. Coverage applies from the time the trip starts until it is completed. Specifics of the coverage are governed by insurance plan documents and are available in the Office of Human Resources.
Unemployment Insurance
The University provides, at no cost to its employees, unemployment insurance coverage. This insurance is intended to provide partial income replacement for employees who are laid off by the University. The cost of this benefit is not a State of California expense. It is totally paid by Point Loma. The University reimburses the California Employment Development Department (EDD) for all benefits paid to previous Point Loma employees.
Although vision exams are covered by both Health Net HMO and Kaiser, the university offers a voluntary vision plan through VSP.
In the event you suffer a minor injury or illness, please go to the campus Wellness Center. If after examination it is determined that more than first aid is needed, you will be sent to Shelter Island Medical Clinic at 1370 Rosecrans Street. If the injury or illness is severe or life threatening, contact PLNU's Public Safety.
Workers' Compensation coverage is provided at no cost to the employee. All employees are covered: regular, temporary, on-call, interns, and student employees. This insurance covers the cost of medical treatment and partial compensation benefits in the event of an illness or injury that is work related. Basic report forms must be completed and returned to the Office of Human Resources within 24 hours of any incident. Therefore, immediately after your injury, or if the injury is severe, as soon as possible after treatment, come to the Office of Human Resources to complete an injury report. Claims for injuries that require more than first aid treatment will be submitted to Cypress Insurance Company, PO Box 7008, Pasadena, CA 91109.
Even if you did not require treatment, you must file a report of the injury with the Office of Human Resources. Having documentation of the injury on file will facilitate the filing of a Workers' Compensation claim should there be any complications from the injury at a later time. This information will also enable the University to review the circumstances surrounding the injury and act where possible to remove or lessen the risk of future related injuries.
You are reminded that California law prohibits false or fraudulent claims:
Any person who makes or causes to be made any knowingly false or fraudulent material statement or material misrepresentation for the purpose of obtaining or denying workers' compensation benefits or payments is guilty of a felony.