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Benefits at a Glance

Summary of Benefits Available to Faculty & Staff

This is only a summary of the benefits available to faculty and staff of Savannah State University. The provisions of each plan described in this document are governed by the contracts negotiated between SSU and individual insurance companies. All benefits are subject to change at the discretion of the Board of Regents and/or Savannah State University.

Savannah State University's benefit program reflects the belief that our faculty and staff are a vital part of the University. SSU offers its employees a well-balanced benefit program designed to provide protection against today's financial hazards due to sickness or injury as well as the opportunity to accumulate assets toward achieving tomorrow's financial security.

As part of our Section 125 plan, health and dental premiums; retirement, medical reimbursement account, and dependent care deductions are made before taxes are applied, increasing your take-home pay and reducing your taxable income. While the costs of providing benefits are ever increasing, the University ensures that a competitive, cost efficient benefit program is available to its employees. The following information highlights Savannah State University's benefit program.


University System of Georgia Benefits

Explore Your Benefits

 

 

Can I change my coverage during the year?

The health and welfare elections you request during your initial or open enrollment period will remain in effect for the entire plan (calendar) year. You can change the level of coverage or cancel your participation in the plans only if you experience an approved change in family status.

If you experience a family status change, contact OneUSG Connect Benefits to request the change in your benefits. THIS MUST BE DONE WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE CHANGE IN FAMILY STATUS. You will also be required to furnish proof of the change in family status.

Online

Visit the OneUSG Connect - Benefits website at oneusgconnect.usg.edu.  Choose Manage My Benefits to log in and make changes.

Phone

Call the OneUSG Connect - Benefits Call Center at 1-844-5-USGBEN (1-844-587-4236). Expert representatives are available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, Monday - Friday.

Flexible Spending Accounts

Contributions to an Optum Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for healthcare and dependent care expenses aretax-free, allowing you to save money on your federal and state income taxes and Social Security taxes.
  • Healthcare FSA
    If you don’t have access to an HSA, you’re eligible to have a Healthcare FSA to cover healthcare, prescription drug, dental and vision expenses. You can contribute up to $2,750 a year.
  • Dependent Care FSA
    A Dependent Care FSA can help you pay dependent care expenses. These include daycare expenses and summer camps for children under age 13 and care for an elderly parent. You can contribute up to $5,000 a year or $ 2,500 if you’re married and file separate income tax returns.
  • Limited Purpose FSA
    Those enrolled in the Consumer Choice HSA healthcare plan can contribute up to $ 2,750 annually to a Limited Purpose FSA, which can be used for eligible dental and vision expenses only.
Plan carefully! IRS rules require you to forfeit any balance left in your FSAs at the end of the year — the “use it or lose it” rule. You must incur eligible expenses by December 31st, and submit them for reimbursement before March 15th of the next plan year.
FMLA

FMLA Policy

FMLA Leave Request

FMLA Medical Certification For Employee

FMLA Medical Certification for Family Member
FMLA Return to Work
Worker's Compensation

In the event of being injured while at work , the steps below should be followed to ensure proper processing:

  1. Employees should immediately report any work related injury to their supervisor.
  2. The Employee should complete the Employee Report of Injury Form and submit it to their Supervisor.
  3. The supervisor should forward the Report of Injury Form to Human Resources within 24 hours of a work-related injury.
  4. If the employee does not wish to seek medical attention, Human Resources will keep the report on file.
  5. If the employee's work-related injury requires medical attention, the supervisor should file a claim with the Georgia Department of Administrative Services, Workers' Compensation Telephonic Claims Reporting System at 1-877-656-7475.
  6. The supervisor will provide to the employee the phone number for the Managed Care Organization plan (MCO) and the claim number for the injury.
  7. The employee will call the MCO to talk to a case manager who will assist the employee in selecting a physician, scheduling an appointment and obtaining follow-up care.
  8. The supervisor should complete the Accident Investigation Form and within 3 days, submit it to Human Resources.
  9. After seeking medical attention, the employee should submit a physician's note regarding the work status to Human Resources.
  10. Human Resources will inform the supervisor if the employee is unable to return to work or if any light duty accommodations are needed.
  11. If the employee is unable to report to work due to the injury, they must complete a Leave Election Form stating how they choose to be paid while out of work. This form is available in the Office of Human Resources.

NOTE: If an injury is an emergency, we advise you to go to the nearest Emergency Room to see a physician right away. If the employee requires additional care, they must coordinate follow-up care via the MCO.

Failure to follow the instructions given by the Georgia Department of Administrative Services may result in medical treatment not being covered under Workers' Compensation.

Employee Assistance Program
USG has partnered with KEPRO to provide employees and their family members with a comprehensive Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Full-time and part-time employees, family, and household members have access to the program. Services are free and confidential, within the bounds of the law. The EAP is available 24/7/365 and provides the following services. Contact KEPRO at 1-844-243-4440 or go to usg.mylifeexpert.com and use the company code USGcares.
Retirement Benefits

Teachers Retirement System of Georgia Contribution Rates

Effective July 1, 2021: 6% - Employee   19.81% - Employer

Effective July 1, 2022: 6% - Employee   19.98% - Employer

ORP Contribution Rates

Effective July 1, 2021: 6% - Employee   9.24% - Employer

Comparison of TRS and ORP

Teachers Retirement System of Georgia

Optional Retirement Plan

Tax-Deferred Annuities

SSU offers a program which allows you to invest a specific amount of your salary on a pre-tax basis. For additional retirement savings, you may elect to choose to contribute to the 403(b) or 457(b) plan or both, which provide options for deferring pretax (and in some cases after-tax) income for retirement saving. What chiefly distinguishes the plans are how they consider and penalize withdrawals.

Enrollment

To enroll in the 403(b) or 457(b) plans, log on to OneUSGConnect.usg.edu and the USG faculty & Staff Portal. From there you will be able to choose My Retirement@work.

  1. Click Enroll Now on the Retirement@Work home page.
  2. If you want to contribute to one or both voluntary plans, choose how much you’d like to contribute per pay period as a dollar amount, percentage or the maximum contribution amount, and indicate when you want contributions to start.
  3. If you don’t want to contribute to either voluntary plan, you may click on the link in the blue box “Continue to ORP vendor selection without additional contributions.”
  4. Choose if you want to direct all contribution types (e.g., employer and employee pretax and Roth) to the same investment provider(s). Then enter the amount that should go to each provider.
  5. Open an account with the investment provider(s) you selected and choose your investments to complete the enrollment process.
  6. For instructions on how to open an account with TIAA, Fidelty, or AIG/VALIC go to retirement.usg.edu and click on the corresponding provider link under Vendor Information.
Shared Sick Leave

Shared Sick Leave Policy

Shared Sick Leave Enrollment Form

Shared Sick Leave Termination of Membership

Shared Sick Leave Request Form

Shared Sick Leave Medical Certification