1. Overview

   This policy outlines health and welfare benefits the university makes available to eligible faculty and staff. Benefits are detailed in the benefits plan documents or insurance vendor contracts. In instances where a university policy or a university provided summary conflicts with an official plan document or contract, the official plan document or contract takes precedence. Ohio university reserves the right to change benefit plans and premiums.

2. Eligibility

   Benefits eligible faculty and staff include:

   1. Full time and part time employees, excluding temporary and intermittent appointments, with:

      1. An employment period of greater than one hundred twenty days and an FTE level of 0.75 or greater, or

      2. Part-time employees who were enrolled in benefits as of June 30, 2015.

   2. "Tenure Track," "Instructional," "Visiting Professor", and clinical faculty as defined by the "Faculty Handbook."

   3. Any faculty member or employee who qualifies for a benefit due to state or federal law (e.g., health care coverage, workers compensation, or unemployment compensation). Criteria are described on the university human resources web site.

3. Health and welfare benefits

   The university will make available to eligible faculty and staff the following types of health and welfare benefits:

   1. Health insurance

   2. Dental insurance

   3. Vision insurance

   4. Medical and daycare flexible spending accounts

   5. Short and long term disability insurance

   6. Life insurance

   7. Voluntary supplemental life insurance

4. Premiums

   The university may charge premiums to faculty and staff for any benefit. Premiums for benefits may vary based on salary and full time equivalency (FTE) level, and are subject to change.

5. Enrollment

   Eligible employees may enroll in benefits upon hire or during the annual open enrollment period. Enrollment changes may also be made due to a qualifying event as defined by the plan document or law.

6. Waiving benefits

   Faculty and staff may waive the following benefits:

   1. Health insurance

   2. Vision insurance

   3. Dental insurance

   4. Medical and daycare flexible spending accounts

   5. Short term disability insurance

   6. Voluntary supplemental life insurance

   Proof of other insurance may be required. If a benefit is waived, re-enrollment is available only during the annual open enrollment period or due to a qualifying event.

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. Deans and Vice Presidents

2. Faculty Senate

3. Administrative Senate

4. Chief Financial and Administrative Officers

Forms, References, and History

1. Forms

   There are no forms that are specific to this policy, but many of the individual policies linked below do require the use of specific forms.

2. References

   The following items are relevant to this policy:

   1. The Faculty Handbook is available online, linked through the Faculty Senate website.

   2. Legally obligated eligibility is documented online, linked through UHR's benefits page.

   3. Policy 03.007, "Guest and Temporary Housing."

   4. Policy 40.013, "Domestic Partner Benefits."

   5. Policy 40.015, "Educational Benefits for Ohio University Employees."

   6. Policy 40.016, "Educational Benefits for Qualified Dependents."

   7. Policy 40.023, "Organ Donation Leave."

   8. Policy 40.025, "Jury Duty and Court Leave."

   9. Policy 40.027, "Personal Leave for Administrative Employees."

   10. Policy 40.029, "Sick and Bereavement Leave for Faculty and Administrative Appointees."

   11. Policy 40.032, "Workers' Compensation and Occupational Health Management."

   12. Policy 40.037, "Rehiring of Retired Administrative and Classified Employees."

   13. Policy 40.053, "Flextime and Flexplace Scheduling."

   14. Policy 40.054, "Family and Medical Leave."

   15. Policy 40.057, "Research Appointments."

   16. Policy 40.075, "Adoption Benefits."

   17. Policy 41.001, "Vacation and Winter Closure Time for Administrative and Classified Employees."

   18. Policy 41.007, "Twelve-Month Pay Option."

   19. Policy 41.090, "Retirement Separation."

   20. Policy 41.111, "Relocation Expenses."

   21. Policy 41.125, "Holidays."

   22. Policy 41.127, "Military Leave."

   23. Policy 41.128, "Leaves of Absence for Presidential Appointees."

   24. Policy 41.130, "Employee Assistance Program."

3. History

   Draft versions of this policy that were circulated for review, their cover memos, their forms, and Reviewers' comments on them are available on the password-protected Review site.

   Prior versions of this policy were approved on:

   1. September 17, 2021 (Non-substantive updates to policy Reviewers and References due to the establishment of the AFSCME 3200 Contract). 

   2. April 13, 2021 (re-formatted) 

   3. June 8, 2015

   4. July 1, 1992

   5. November 20, 1989

   6. January 22, 1988

   7. March 31, 1977

   8. May 17, 1976