University of the Southwest
Summary of Benefits
A summary of most employee benefits is provided below.Please refer to the Staff and Faculty Handbooks for eligibility information andadditional details. Benefit-eligible new employees have the opportunity toenroll in insurance plans within the first fifteen days of employment.
Medical Insurance – Medical insurance is availableat the time of hire for all eligible employees. The effective date of coverageis the first of the month following the date of hire. Coverage is available foremployees and their dependents. If coverage is not taken at the time of hire itmay not be added except during the annual open enrollment prior or within 30days of a valid family status change.
Dental Insurance – Dental insurance is available at the time of hire for all eligibleemployees. The effective date of coverage is the first of the month followingthe date of hire. Coverage is available for employees and their dependents. Ifcoverage is not taken at the time of hire it may not be added except during theannual open enrollment prior or within 30 days of a valid family status change.
Vision Insurance – Vision insurance is availableat the time of hire for all eligible employees. The effective date of coverageis the first of the month following the date of hire. Coverage is available foremployees and their dependents. If coverage is not taken at the time of hire itmay not be added except during the annual open enrollment prior or within 30days of a valid family status change.
Life Insurance – Benefit-eligible employees willreceive a $50,000 Term Life Policy and Accidental Death and DismembermentInsurance at the time of hire, courtesy of the University of the Southwest.
Long-Term and Short-Term Disability –Benefit-eligible employees who suffer a disabling illness, disease, or injury,can apply for continuation of partial compensation through a short-term andlong-term disability plan. The University pays for this coverage. The coveragedoes not include job-related illness, disease, or injury. Such conditions arecovered by Worker’s Compensation Insurance.
Health Care Premium Only Plan – The option ofassigning specific salary amounts under Section 125 of the IRS code which willnot be taxed by federal, state, or FICA taxes is available.
Retirement Plan – All eligible employees are ableto participate in the University 403(b) Retirement Plan with Guidestone. Alleligible employees are able to make voluntary employee contributions uponemployment. The discretionary University of the Southwest contribution willbegin after the employee meets the eligibility requirements.
Tuition Waivers – The University supports theongoing professional and personal development of its employees; therefore,full-time employees are eligible for a 100% tuition waiver of undergraduate andgraduate tuition upon the first day of service. The waiver shall apply totuition only. The tuition waiver benefit is also available to spouses anddependents after the employee has one year of service. The benefit is limitedto the equivalent of full-time student status on a calendar basis (i.e., 18hours graduate and 24 hours undergraduate).
Council for Independent Colleges – University ofthe Southwest is a member of the CIC tuition exchange program. This network ofcolleges and universities is willing to accept a limited number of tuition-freechildren from families of full-time employees of other CIC institutions. Forfurther information go to www.cic.edu
LEAVE BENEFITS
Paid Holidays – See Holiday Schedule.
Vacation – Leave will be earned at the rate of6.667 hours for each month of service for full-time staff employees. Staffmembers employed for ten consecutive years will earn vacation leave at the rateof 10 hours for each month of service. After twenty consecutive years of full-timeservice, employees will earn vacation leave at the rate of 13.333 hours foreach month of service.
Paid Time Off (PTO) – PTO leave is available forfull-time staff at the rate of 8 hours per month. PTO is available for illnessor personal business affairs of the employee.
Sick Leave (Part-time employees) – Staff employeesclassified as part-time will earn one hour of sick leave for every thirty hoursworked.
Paid Parental Leave – University of the Southwestwill provide up to four weeks of paid parental leave to employees following thebirth of an employee’s child or the placement of a child with an employee inconnection with adoption or foster care. The benefit is available to employeesafter one year of service.
Bereavement Leave – Staff will be granted up tofive days paid leave in the event of the death of a spouse, children,children-in-law, parent, parent-in-law, or grandchild and three days paid leavein the event of the death of a grandparent, brother, sister, orbrother/sister-in-law in order to attend the funeral and/or take care of finalarrangements.
Court Leave – Eligible full-time staff will begranted leave with pay to attend court as a juror or witness duty. A copy ofthe subpoena is required.
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – Employees may beeligible for up to twelve weeks of unpaid leave for certain family and medicalreasons, including the employee’s own serious health condition. Please apply inwriting through the Human Resources office.
All employee benefits are subject to change atthe discretion of the University.
Veronica Torrez
575-492-2146
vtorrez@USW.edu
