4.4.9 Benefits

1. Holidays 
   
   For regular staff the following are University holidays (usually the Friday preceding any such holiday which falls on Saturday and the Monday following any such holiday which falls on Sunday):

Please refer to the holidays table. 

1. Two (2) floating holidays scheduled during the Christmas break, plus up to two (2) additional floating holidays scheduled during the Christmas - New Year's break, if the university is officially closed. A staff member is not eligible for holiday pay if the holiday occurs during an unpaid leave of absence or if the holiday falls during a suspension without pay or if the holiday occurs during a time when they are not on pay status.

2. Vacation
 

1. Continuous Appointments Accrual.  Staff on continuing appointments for the full year accrue vacation at the rate of five days per calendar quarter of completed service. Vacation for staff working on less than 12 month appointments is limited by the special requirements of their appointment and/or academic calendar and is not accrued. Vacation for full year staff working less than full time but more than one-half time will be prorated to reflect the particular appointment. A prorated number of days for a partial quarter of service will be computed when necessary.

2. Employment Contracts Accrual. Vacation for staff on employment contracts will be specified in the employment contract.

3. Use of Vacation Time. Approval for the use of accrued vacation is the responsibility of the supervisors. Vacation time may not be charged until it is earned. Staff with earned vacation terminating their employment will be eligible for their accrued vacation not to exceed 20 days, provided at least four weeks notice of their intent to leave is received. If four weeks' notice is not provided, employees will be subject to the payout provisions of BOT 4.4.3.  Staff who are laid off are eligible for up to 20 days of accrued vacation in addition to the length of notice as indicated in Section 4.4.5. Up to 25 days of accrued vacation may be carried from one calendar year into the next.
 

3. Salary Continuation

The University will provide to the extent described below a salary continuation program for full time staff which is designed to provide salary protection in the event of personal circumstances which do not allow a staff member to continued work. This program is intended only as a form of insurance and is subject to careful scrutiny of each appointing officer. The appointing officer may require proof that any absence at any time is appropriate. Salary continuation may be approved only for the following reasons:

A. Staff member's child birth, illness, injury, hospitalization, and appointments pertaining to health. In cases of injuries compensable under worker's compensation or no fault auto insurance, salary continuation may be used to the extent that the payments fail to equal the staff member's regular base earnings.

B. Staff member's child, stepchild, foster child, spouse, parent, or household member's illness, injury, hospitalization and appointments pertaining to health (limited to a reasonable amount).

C. The death of a staff member's child, stepchild, foster child, spouse, brother, brother-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandparent-in-law, or household member.

D. Attendance at a funeral other than above (maximum one day).

E. Inclement weather causing unusually hazardous conditions which necessitates the closing of the University.

All full time staff will be allowed compensation at their regular base rate of pay for an absence that falls under paragraph "A" above for the entire absence period not to exceed six months from the date of illness, injury or hospitalization. No salary continuation as such will be accrued or reported although each appointing officer will be responsible for the equitable application of the policy. Salary continuation for staff on employment contracts may be modified by the employment contract.
 

4. Professional Development Leave. Professional development leave is provided as an opportunity for staff to withdraw from the University community to learn new skills and concepts, to reflect on their work at the University, and to prepare for new responsibilities. Application is to be made to the dean or appointing officer or vice president of the division far enough in advance of the expected leave period to allow for arrangements regarding budget and replacement. The applicant should present an outline of the prospective outside income. Final determination shall be made by the President.

Remuneration of such leaves shall be determined on the basis of prospective outside income, length of leave and the available resources. All fringe benefits will be continued at the appropriate levels with the appropriate University contributions.
 

5. Leaves of Absence with Partial Pay.
 

A. Jury Duty. A staff member who loses time from their assigned responsibilities because of jury duty will receive the difference between his/her pay for jury duty and their regular salary.

B. Military Duty. A staff member who loses time from their assigned responsibilities because of military training as a reservist or National Guard or due to civil disturbance, not exceeding four weeks per year, will receive the difference between their military base pay and their regular pay.
 

6. Leaves of Absence Without Pay. A staff member may request a leave of absence without pay for educational, medical or personal reasons for a period of from one to twelve months. Such requests is subject to approval by the appointing officer (if the staff member's position is being held open) or by the Human Resources Office. The staff member's accrued vacation will be protected during the leave period although additional benefits will not accrue. The staff member may continue existing group insurance benefits with the appropriate University contribution. Contributions to the retirement program will not continue during the leave period. In the case of medical leaves, the University may require a physician's statement concerning the staff member's ability to perform their assigned responsibilities either before the departure or just prior to returning to active employment. The Family and Medical Leave Act and the University Family Medical Leave Act Policy will be followed in approving a covered leave of absence.

Absences without pay for a period of less than one month will be considered as lost time and are subject to the approval of the unit head.
 

7. Special Administrative Leave of Absence. Members of the Executive, Administrative and Professional Staff are encouraged to participate in the University's special administrative leave of absence program. This program is designed to provide staff members with an opportunity to be absent from their responsibilities during periods when their activities are normally reduced. Conditions of special administrative leave are the same as those applying to regular unpaid leaves except that arrangements may be made to spread accrued regular pay and/or vacation pay over all or some portion of the leave period. Routine responsibilities of the staff member will be reassigned to other staff during the leave. Such leaves are approved by the appointing officer and the President. All arrangements should be made far enough in advance to ensure adequate staffing.
 

8. Group Life, Medical and Dental Insurance. The University will provide life and dental insurance coverage for all regular staff appointed one-half time or more, medical insurance coverage for regular staff appointed three-quarter time or more, and medical insurance coverage for regular staff hired prior to July 15, 2016 appointed one-half time or more, and their dependents and household members (as defined in plan documents) to the extent of the group insurance policies in effect providing the staff member's appropriate payments are maintained. The schedule of benefits provided and their cost are described in materials available through the Human Resources Office.
 

9. Group Disability. All regular full time staff are eligible to participate in the total disability benefits program subject to the provisions of the master contract. The benefits provided are described in materials available through the Human Resources Office.
 

10. Retirement.
 

A. University Base Plan. Regular faculty and executive, administrative and professional staff with appointments of one-half time or more will be eligible to participate in the base retirement plan comprised of three investment alternatives:

1) Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA),

2) College Retirement Equities Fund (CREF),

3) Fidelity Investments - institutional retirement plan

Eligible faculty and staff will begin participation immediately upon employment. Participants are fully vested after completion of two years of employment. The University will make a contribution equal to 12% of the participant's base salary. No contribution is required from the faculty or staff member. Participants may elect an allocation of their University contribution among the three investment alternatives once a year. Allocation changes within those alternatives will be allowed as frequently as permitted by that carrier.

The normal retirement age used as a basis for calculating a full benefit is age 65. There is no mandatory retirement age.

A more detailed description of the base retirement plan related to pay out options, availability of funds and allocation changes and transfers within funds is contained in the materials available in the Human Resources Office.

B. Supplemental Retirement Accounts. All regular faculty and staff may elect to have the University provide payment for tax deferred savings plans which qualify for IRS Code Section 403(b) and beginning July 1, 2002 section 457(b) status through companies approved by the University. Faculty and staff can defer in such amounts as permitted by IRS Code Section 403(b) and 457(b). The election of the such a benefit in no way affects the faculty or staff member's mandatory participation in the University's retirement program. The University retains the right to modify or terminate this optional deferral program upon reasonable notice to faculty and staff.

C. Medical Insurance for Retirees. The University will provide a medical insurance plan for official retirees hired before January 1, 2014. An official retiree (including early retirees) for purposes of this benefit, will be defined as any regular University faculty or staff member who is employed by the University at the time of retirement, who is vested in a University sponsored retirement plan and whose years of university service and age total a minimum of 75.

Official retirees will be reimbursed for participation in the plan based on years of service.

Benefits will also be provided to the spouse, dependents, and household members of the retiree based on the same formula, less the dependent charge. The materials describing the program are available through the Human Resources Office. The University retains the right to modify or terminate this plan upon reasonable notice to faculty, staff and retirees.
 

11. Tuition Reduction Programs.

A. Academic Participation for Faculty, Staff and Retirees.

A regular faculty or staff member may, with approval of their supervisor, enroll in Grand Valley State University courses tuition free, one of which may be taken during working hours each fiscal year. Official retirees may enroll with the approval of the Human Resources Office. The materials describing the program are available through the Human Resources Office.

B. Reduced Tuition for Spouses, Eligible Dependents and Household Members of Faculty, Staff and Retirees.
 

12. Flexible Spending Accounts. Staff members may elect once a year to participate in the Flexible Spending Accounts pursuant to the plan established under IRS Code Section 125. The materials describing the program and its options are available through the Human Resources Office. The University retains the right to modify or terminate this program upon reasonable notice to the staff.
 

13. Adoption Assistance. Effective January 1, 2001 all regular full time and part time faculty and staff are eligible for adoption assistance. The benefits provided are described in materials available through the Human Resources Office.