EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
The employees of the Tuscaloosa City Schools are offered various benefit options as employees of the State. There are additional vendors who provide benefit options to our employees. The information and websites below provide an overview of the benefit options through various agencies, companies, and vendors. The contacts and/or websites for vendors, insurance companies, PEEHIP, and retirement are maintained by the various agencies.
• HEALTH INSURANCE
The Public Education Employee Health Insurance Program (PEEHIP)
PEEHIP offers insurance administered by Blue Cross/Blue Shield to Board employees. The family coverage costs $851 per month, of which the state pays $717 per month, which leaves a cost of $134 per month for the employee. Single coverage costs $719 per month, of which the state pays $717, which leaves a cost of $2 per month for the employee.
PEEHIP provides major medical coverage, inpatient and outpatient hospital coverage, prepaid prescription drug coverage, and supplemental accidental coverage.
If a member’s spouse is employed with an Alabama System offering PEEHIP insurance they are eligible to share the state allocations, by doing so there is no cost for family medical coverage. Visit the website for more details. http://www.bcbsal.org/
VIVA Health Plan (HMO)
Employees who are considered full-time receive an allocation of $717 per month to apply toward any of the health insurance options listed. VIVA Health Insurance is $134 per month for family coverage and $2 per month for single coverage.
Visit the website for more details. http://www.vivahealth.com/
New-Southland Insurance Company
Southland National Insurance at no cost to regular full-time employees offers dental, vision, cancer, and indemnity policies if hospital insurance is not elected
If you choose to enroll in hospital insurance, the supplemental coverage for dental, vision, cancer, and indemnity is available for $38 per month per supplement for single or family coverage. Visit the website for more details. http://www.southlandnational.com/
Dental Insurance
The Board provides a dental insurance policy at no cost to the employee, with Blue Cross/Blue Shield. There is no option to add family coverage with this policy.
Term Life Insurance
Eligible employees are automatically enrolled in term life insurance through the Alabama Retirement System. A $15,000.00 term life benefit is available to the beneficiary of a deceased member in active status.
American Fidelity Assurance Company
All employees are eligible to participate in this plan, which offers a pre-tax cafeteria (Section 125 Plan) plan that is administered for the purchase of hospital and supplemental insurance. Dollars contributed under a Section 125 Plan are exempt from FICA, FUTA, federal income and most state and local taxes.
For more details contact Beau Wilson @ (205)790-4766 or beau.wilson@af-group.com
All of the above costs are subject to change from year to year.
•
TEACHER / EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT
Teachers' Retirement System of Alabama (TRS)
All full time employees are eligible and required to participate in the Teacher Retirement System of Alabama. Employees contribute five (5) percent of their salary or wages each month. The Board also contributes a percentage to the retirement account on a monthly basis. Ten years of creditable service are required for an employee to become vested or eligible for benefits.
The Retirement System’s Deferred Compensation (RSA-1) plan allows an employee to defer $13,000 yearly of his/her taxable compensation for members under 50 years of age, and $16,000 for members over 50 years of age. The monthly deferred contributions may be changed as desired.
Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP)
This voluntary plan will allow members of TRS to defer receipt of their retirement allowance and continue employment for a specific period. At the end of DROP participation, the member may withdraw from active service and receive a retirement benefit based on years of service credit at the time of enrollment in DROP plus a lump-sum payment of the amount in their DROP account. Participation in DROP must be in one-year increments for a minimum of three (3) years, but no more than five (5) years. Voluntary termination in the first three (3) years of DROP participation will result in a penalty, but there is no penalty for involuntary termination such as dismissal, disability, and involuntary transfer of his or her spouse, or death of the participant. To be eligible to participate in DROP, the member must meet the requirements listed below.
1. Have at least 25 years of creditable service exclusive of sick leave (members cannot convert sick leave into creditable service to become DROP eligible).
2. Be at least 55 years of age.
Visit the website for more details. http://www.rsa.state.al.us/
•
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The Board provides employees and their family members access to EAP without discussion or intervention. EAP provides free assessment, short-term counseling, and referral service to assist with problems including stress, finances, marital and relational, parent-child, substance abuse, and extended family. These services are offered at no cost to the employee. For assistance please call 1-800-962-5313 or 205-759-7890.
•
NATIONAL BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS
All teachers certified by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards shall receive a $10,000 supplement.
•
EMPLOYEE LEAVE
Vacation Day
All 245-day employees shall earn up to one (1) day per month during the period of September through June. Each eligible employee may accumulate up to 30 days of vacation days per year; however, only 20 days shall be carried over per year.
Professional Leave
Professional employees may request professional leave days for development purposes. These requests must be approved by the Principal and the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction. A limited number of professional leave days are available at the individual school.
Personal Leave
Certified and Professional employees earn (5) personal leave days each year. The first (2) are at no cost to the employee, the remaining (3) are at the cost of a substitute which is $55.00 a day. Support personnel with less than (10) years of service earn (2) personal leave days, and support personnel with (10) or more years of service earn (3) personal leave days. Unused personal leave days may be converted to sick days, or the employee has the option to be reimbursed for the first (2) days.
Sick Leave
Employees earn one day of sick leave for each month they are on contract. You may accrue unlimited sick days. Sick leave can be accrued and credited for retirement purposes.
Sick Leave Bank
All full time employees are eligible to join the Sick Leave Bank. Members of the Sick Leave Bank donate (2) days to show membership. Up to (15) days may be borrowed once the member’s accrued sick leave has been exhausted. These days must be paid back within two years from the loan date.
Catastrophic Sick Leave
Employees who are members of the Sick Leave Bank, and meet specific qualifications are eligible to donate and/or receive donated sick days from other members. The donated days do not have to be paid back.
Family Medical Leave
Employees who meet certain qualifications may be eligible for up to (12) weeks of unpaid leave for themselves, or to care for a family member. Members will earn the insurance allocation during this leave.
Go back |
