Part-Time Faculty Benefit Plans

***ALL*** enrollment/change forms must be returned to:

Office of Human Resources
79 Fifth Avenue, 18th floor
New York, NY 10011-3034
212.229.5671 x4942
Fax: 212.229.5884
benefitshelp@newschool.edu

Eligibility Criteria for Health and Dental Care Plans

Please note: The Office of Human Resources will review all applications for the Health Care Plan and/or Dental Care Plan benefits to verify that the eligibility criteria has been met.

Health Care Plan

Employees share in the cost of the Health Care Plan coverage. Employee contributions are withheld from each paycheck on a pre-tax basis. You may include your spouse, your qualified domestic partner (same sex or opposite sex), eligible dependents and/or your qualified domestic partner’s eligible dependents up to age 19 or to age 23 if a full-time student (proof of the child’s full-time student status must be on file with our office).

There is one Health Care Plan offered by the University to Part-Time Faculty - Health Net’s Charter $1,000 POS Plan. This plan is a Point-of-Service plan (POS) which means that employees have the option of receiving care from providers who participate in the Health Net Network or from those who do not participate in the network. The In-Network copayment (the fixed dollar amount that you pay for most services provided by an In-Network provider) is $20. (Please refer to the Summary of Benefits for complete details and applicable copayments.) The Out-of-Network deductible that must be met before services are considered for coverage is $1,000.

The New School plan participants may select providers from Health Net’s Advantage Platinum network. More than 96,000 providers including hospitals participate in this network, Health Net’s largest physician network in the Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania area.

Highlights of Health Net's Charter $1000 POS Plan:

• You and your qualified dependents do not need to select a Primary Care Physician
• You and your qualified dependents do not need a referral to receive care from an In-Network Specialist
• Copayments for prescription drugs are:
  
  Retail Pharmacy (30 day supply)
  $10 for Generic Drugs
  $30 for Brand Name Drugs on the Preferred Drug List without generic equivalent
  $50 for Brand Name Drugs on the Preferred Drug List with a generic equivalent or Brand Name Drugs not on the Preferred Drug List
  
  Mail Order (90 day supply)
  $20 for Generic Drugs
  $60 for Brand Name Drugs on the Preferred Drug List without generic equivalent
  $100 for Brand Name Drugs on the Preferred Drug List with a generic equivalent or Brand Name Drugs not on the Preferred Drug List

• You can go Out-of-Network:
  
  Claims are subject to a $1,000 annual deductible (Family – $2,000). Once the deductible is met, claims are paid at 70% of the "reasonable and customary" allowance under the plan.

The network is Advantage Platinum. Search Health Net's online directory for In-Network providers.

Dental Care Plan

Employees share in the cost of the Dental Care Plan coverage. Employee contributions are withheld from each paycheck on a pre-tax basis. You may include your spouse, your qualified domestic partner (same sex or opposite sex), eligible dependents and/or your qualified domestic partner’s eligible dependents up to age 19 or to age 23 if a full-time student (proof of the child’s full-time student status must be on file with our office).

There is one Dental Care Plan offered by the University to Part-Time Faculty – a Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO) Plan through Delta Dental.

• The DHMO Plan, called DeltaCare USA, only provides coverage for services provided by dentists that participate in the DeltaCare network. No coverage is available for services provided by a dentist that does not participate in the DeltaCare network. You must select an In-Network or Participating Dentist as your Primary Care Dentist.

Highlights of DeltaCare USA DHMO Plan:

• No claim forms to complete
• No benefit coverage if member uses an Out-of-Network or nonparticipating dentist

Search Delta Dental's online directory for a Primary Dentist in the DeltaCare USA Plan.

Retirement Plan - University Contribution

Eligibility
Part-time faculty must work at the university a minimum of two consecutive Academic Years to be considered eligible to participate in the University’s Retirement Plan for Part-Time Faculty.

Effective September 1, 2008, the university’s contribution is equal to 10% of all teaching wages.

The retirement plan is administered by TIAA-CREF.

Additional Benefit Plans

Tax-Deferred Annuity Plan (Voluntary Pre-Tax Contributions)

You are eligible to make contributions on a pre-tax basis towards your retirement into a 403(b) plan. You may elect to contribute a percentage of your pay, a fixed dollar amount from each pay, or you may elect to contribute the maximum allowable amount. Your contributions and earnings grow on a tax-deferred basis.

Regular Contributions
The maximum annual deferral for 2008 is $15,500.

Catch-Up Contributions
The maximum additional amount that may be contributed on a pre-tax basis for calendar year 2008 for individuals who will be age 50 or older by December 31, 2008 is $5,000.

The retirement plan is administered by TIAA-CREF.

Qualified Transportation Expense (QTE) Plan

You may elect to make pre-tax contributions to a "mass transit expense" account and/or to a "workplace parking expense" account.

Mass Transit Expenses
You may elect to contribute up to $115 per month on a pre-tax basis for eligible mass transit commuting expenses.

Parking Expenses
You may elect to contribute up to $220 per month on a pre-tax basis for eligible parking expenses.

Incentives/Conveniences of this program:

• A Benefits Card MasterCard is issued to you. You use this card to pay for the eligible commuting expenses.
• No "use it or lose it" feature. Therefore balances may carry over from one calendar year to the next.
• Reduces your taxable wages.
• In addition, you can elect "post-tax" payroll deductions in excess of the "pre-tax" amounts mentioned above for both mass transit and parking.

This benefit is effective the later of the first of the month following one-month of employment or first of the month following receipt of your enrollment form in the Office of Human Resources.

The Qualified Transportation Expense Benefit Plan is administered by EBPA.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Health Care Flexible Spending Account

A pre-tax Health Care Flexible Spending Account is available to you to help pay for medical and dental expenses not covered by health care and/or dental care insurance plans. The maximum annual amount that you can contribute on a pre-tax basis is $5,000 per calendar/plan year. The minimum annual amount that you can contribute on a pre-tax basis per calendar/plan year is $100. You can receive reimbursement for expenses incurred by you, your spouse and eligible dependents on or after your enrollment in the Health Care Flexible Spending Account is effective.

Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account

The pre-tax Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account is available to you to help pay for eligible out-of-pocket dependent care expenses such as child day care, in-home dependent care, nursery school or adult care dependent expenses. he minimum annual amount that you can contribute on a pre-tax basis per calendar/plan year is $100. The maximum annual amount that you can contribute on a pre-tax basis is $5,000, if single or if married and filing a joint return. The limit is $2,500, if married and filing a separate income tax return. 

Both accounts have a "use it or lose it" feature as required by law. Amounts contributed by you in a calendar year but not claimed for the plan year are forfeited. You have until March 31st of the following calendar year to file a claim. You may elect one or both accounts.

Flexible Spending Accounts for both Health Care and Dependent Care are administered by EBPA.

Tuition Waiver

Tuition waivers for faculty are administered by the Office of Human Resources.

Other Programs

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

This benefit is paid for by the University and is for all employees and close family and friends.

It is provided by an independent organization, the Employee Development Center (EDC), a division of the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. Free consultation is available with a licensed counselor. Participation is confidential.

To schedule an appointment, call 212.935.3030. Outside New York, call 800.327.9092.

YMCA

The McBurney YMCA is located at 125 West 14th Street, between Sixth and Seventh Avenue. The following benefits are only available at this location.

You must show your NewCard and a recent paystub.

• 20% discount on membership
• Initiation fee reduced to $62.50 (through 12/31/08.)

For more information on their program, visit the McBurney YMCA website.

Bank of America at Work^® Program

The Bank of America at Work program is a comprehensive package of banking products and services offered at discount prices, which is made available to you as a New School employee.

It all starts with Direct Deposit (Electronic funds transfer of your net pay). You will be eligible for free checking with direct deposit. In addition, you will be eligible for a variety of banking services, accounts and special discounts once you establish your account at Bank of America.

To enroll in the Bank of America at Work program, visit the nearest Branch or call 800.782.2265.

Free Admission to Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

In recognition of The New School’s support of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), free admission is offered at MoMA for New School employees and two (2) accompanied guests, upon presentation of the employee’s New School ID card. The address for the museum follows:

The Museum of Modern Art
11 West 53rd Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues)
212.708.9400

Visit MoMA's website for more information.

***Please note: Employees must present their current university identification at the Information Desk in the Lobby (no need to wait in the general admission line) for complimentary admission.

Discounted subscription to The New York Times

The New York Times is offering a 60 percent discount ($.35/per day Monday–Saturday, $2.00 on Sunday) for home or office subscriptions to all faculty, staff, and students.

You can purchase a subscription for:

• Monday to Sunday;
• Saturday and Sunday only; or,
• Sunday only

To take advantage of the special discount to the Times or to change a current subscription, contact the Customer Service Department of The New York Times at 888.NYT.COLL (888.698.2655), to order a single subscription or a classroom subscription of up to eight copies for required reading in the classroom.

To order a classroom subscription of eight or more copies for required reading in the classroom, contact the education program's customer service center at 800.631.1222.

Liberty Mutual Home and Auto Insurance

Liberty Mutual offers home insurance for renters, condominium owners, and homeowners, as well as, auto insurance. Rates for these insurance programs are specific to each individual’s coverage. Therefore, you should call Liberty Mutual directly to be given rates over the phone, which will include the New School group discount of up to 10%. If you elect this coverage, you will be billed for it directly by Liberty Mutual, via an invoice to your home. You may enroll or cancel this coverage at any time.

If you would like to learn more about or enroll in Liberty Mutual’s Home or Auto Insurance products, please contact Ryan Fortier at 212.398.2480, ext. 50500 or 888.821.2205, ext.50500.

Liberty Mutual Home and Auto Insurance

Long Term Care Insurance is underwritten by Long Term Care Associates, LLC. You must contact the vendor’s representative to complete an enrollment form, choose your coverage and discuss costs. You may enroll or cancel this coverage at any time.

If you would like to learn more about Long Term Care Insurance, please contact Randi Oster at 203.331.1818 x139.

Where You Can Find a List of Your Current Benefits Coverage

Sign on to MyNewSchool to find a list of your current benefits coverage.
After signing on, follow the steps below to access your current Benefits Statement:

• Click on “Employee” in the Where Do I…? box on the right side of the page
• Click on “Benefits Information” in the Self Service/ALVIN box on the left side of the page
• Click on “Benefits Statement”
• Click on “Select”