Benefits And Retirement

HR Leader                          Sandi Smith Anderson,    Director, Human Resources                  850-599-3441

Functional Leader             Shauna Robinson,     Assistant Director, Human Resources        850-599-3441
 

Areas of Responsibility:

Retirement

• FRS Pension Plan
• FRS Investment Plan
• Optional Retirement Plan
• Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP)
• Tax Sheltered Annuities
• Roth 403(b)
• Deferred Compensation

Insurance

• State Administered
  • Health
  • Life
  • Flexible Spending Accunts
  • Supplemental Plans (Dental, Visin, Hspital, Cancer, etc.)
• FAMU Administered
  • Life
  • Lng/Shrt Term Disability
  • Pre-Paid Legal Services

Other

• Sick Leave Pool
• Florida Prepaid College Fund
• Miscellaneous Payroll Deductions (Meal Plans, Union Dues, etc.)
• Maintains Desk Procedures, Website, University Regulations and Internal Operating Procedures for Program area

BENEFITS AND PERKS FOR FACULTY & STAFF

Resources For Living (RFL)

Florida A&M University’s Resources For Living (RFL) provider is AETNA Resources for Living.  RFL provides a 24-hour help line that is available to offer counseling services to faculty, staff (salaried/non- Other Personal Services employees) and their immediate family members, who live in their household (as defined by State Health Insurance Programs) who may need assistance with life, family and financial challenges.
RFL offers free, short-term counseling services for personal or work- related issues. Total confidentiality is provided to those who call RFL for consultation.

Child Care

Educational Research Center for Child Development

Credit Union

As a benefit and convenience to employees, the University provides payroll deduction for the FAMU Federal Credit Union. Employees may utilize payroll deductions for various types of services including checking, savings, and loans.

Direct Deposit of Salary Warrants

Employees are required, as a condition of employment, to have their net salary warrant electronically deposited into their accounts at a financial institution of their choice. Employees who were hired after July 1, 1996 must comply with this law within the first 30 days of employment. Employees, who are unable to establish an account or who can provide proof of a hardship, may request an exemption through the University Personnel Office. OPS employees may also participate in this program.

Flextime Work Schedule

A flextime work schedule may be approved for USPS employees, who have standard work hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., to have the flexibility of reporting to work as early as 7:30 a.m. and departing as late as 6:00 p.m. All employees must be present at their jobs during the period 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., unless on an approved leave.

Florida Prepaid College Fund

The Florida Prepaid College Fund Program allows you to pay for college tuition, fees and housing at a guaranteed fixed rate. The program offers convenient monthly installments, that will never increase, or a single lump-sum payment plan. The Program offers three different tuition options: a four-year university plan; a two- year community college plan; and the 2 2 plan, covering two years at a community college and two years at a state university.

USPS employees who attain permanent status are also granted one personal holiday in each fiscal year. The Personal holiday must be used prior to June 30 of each fiscal year or it will be forfeited.

Insurance

Florida A&M University offers employees coverage in a variety of individual and family group insurance plans. Plans offered include health, life, dental, accidental/disability, cancer/cancer intensive care, supplemental hospitalization, vision care, and personal accident coverage. Some insurance Plans are offered on a pre-taxed basis and are partially funded by the State of Florida.

Retirement

FAMU Retirees Club

Employees of Florida A&M University are offered several retirement plan options. These plans include the following:

Florida Retirement System (FRS) – this plan is available to all eligible State of Florida employees. Vesting requirements (eligibility for benefits) are met after six (6) years of employment under the FRS.

Optional Retirement Plan (ORP ) – this plan is available only to Faculty and Administrative and Professional Employees (A&P). These employees are compulsory members of the Optional Retirement Program unless they elect membership in the FRS or fail to select a provider company within 90 days of eligibility.  Vesting requirements (eligibility for benefits) are immediate under the ORP.

Phased Retirement – this is a State University System administered program for eligible FRS , Faculty employees. This program is administered by the Division of Academic Affairs and offers employees a flexible work schedule over a specified period of time.

Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) – this program is administered by the State of Florida to eligible FRS employees.  DROP allows participants the opportunity to retire and to begin accumulating retirement benefits without terminating employment. Participation is limited to 60 months.

Sick Leave Pool

The University Sick Leave Pool allows for the pooling of eligible employees' sick leave credits into a central pool. Pool members who have been approved for sick leave pool hours due to illness, accident or injury that requires the member to be absent from work 10 or more consecutive days after exhaustion of all leave balances may use these hours. IMM 305

Tax Sheltered Annuities

University employees are eligible to participate in tax-sheltered programs, which permit the employee to reduce current taxable income by deferring a chosen amount of income. Participants pay no income tax on the money contributed to the Plan and are not taxed on their contributions or earnings until they begin taking distributions from their account.

Unemployment Compensation

The Florida Unemployment Compensation Law covers all employees. Unemployment insurance provides temporary income to offset wages lost to employees who are laid off or separated from employment through no fault of their own may.

Vacation and Sick Days

On an annual basis, salaried full time employees earn, paid sick and/or vacation days as indicated below:

Sick / Vacation

Executive Service 16.25 /30

Faculty (12 Mos.) 13 /22

Faculty (9/10 Mos.) 13/ 0

A&P 13/ 22

USPS 13/13 (1-5 years)*

16 (6-10 years)*

20 (10 years)*

*Accrual is based on the years of employment

Part-time employees accrue their leave proportionate to the percentage of their appointment. IMM 300

Workers' Compensation

Effective January 1, 2014, AmeriSys is authorized to handle all medical case management services.  This includes cases managed by CorVel and Optacomp.  All medical treatment must be authorized by AmeriSys prior to an employee receiving treatment with the exception of medical emergencies. Employees contacting AmeriSys will speak directly with an intake nurse case manager, who will complete the initial first report of injury and direct the employee to the nearest medical facility to receive treatment, if necessary.  Employees may be asked for a location code when the injury is called in – FAMU’s location code is 0102. 

All employees should familiarize themselves with the steps to take in the event of a work-related injury:

Injury Requiring Immediate Emergency Medical Treatment:

In the event of a medical emergency, the employee should be transported via Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to the nearest medical facility. The injured employee's supervisor or departmental representative must contact AmeriSys at (1-800) 455-2079 immediately.

Injury Requiring Non-Emergency Medical Treatment:

In the event that an injury does not require Emergency Medical Services, but does require some degree of medical treatment, the injured employee must immediately notify his or her supervisor and then contact AmeriSys at (1-800) 455-2079 to report the injury. AmeriSys will direct the injured employee to the appropriate medical facility to receive treatment.

Injury Requiring No Medical Treatment:

In the event that an injury does not require any medical treatment, the injured employee must immediately notify his or her supervisor and then contact AmeriSys at (1-800) 455-2079 to report the injury. All injuries must be reported to AmeriSys, regardless if medical treatment is sought.

Following Injury Notification:

Following treatment or notification to AmeriSys, the University requires the injured worker to complete the FAMU First Report of Injury form located on the HR-webpage under forms. AmeriSys will provide copies of all medical information directly to the Office of Human Resources.  The Injured employee should provide a copy of the medical information to their immediate supervisor.

The Office of Human Resources will work with the Department and injured employee in the event the injury prevents the employee from returning to work, or causes specific functional limitations.

If you have any additional questions regarding workers' compensation procedures, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (850) 599-3611.