Health Benefits

Health care benefits are overseen by PEBTF (Pennsylvania Employees Benefit Trust Fund).

Employees are eligible to enroll in health care coverage from their first day of employment. There is a 90 day waiting period to enroll in supplemental benefits (dental/vision/hearing) and/or to enroll dependents into eligible plans.

Medical Benefits

During the first 90 days of employment, employees can enroll in any of the following plans for single coverage only. Eligible dependents can be added to any plan on the 91st day of employment.

  • PPO (Preferred Provider Organization)
    • Choice PPO – Aetna
    • Basic PPO – Highmark
  • HMO (Health Maintenance Organization)
    • Custom HMO – Aetna or Geisinger

Flu Shot Information

  • ESU provides assistance with Flu Shot Opportunities

Prescription Benefits

  • Prescription Coverage
  • During first 90 days, employee can opt to enroll, at an additional bi-weekly buy-up cost:
    • Single: $77.66
    • Dependents: $192.66

Supplemental Benefits

Employees are eligible to enroll after 90 days of employment.


Annual Spouse Attestation

Each year, employees must verify their spouse/domestic partner eligibility to stay covered under their insurance plan. If their spouse/domestic partner has obtained employment, and can obtain their own insurance, spouse/domestic partner will be removed from employee’s coverage.

Complete the relevant Spouse/Domestic Partner Health Care Enrollment Attestation form:

For these forms on how to enroll or re-enroll your spouse/domestic partner please email HR at askhr@esu.edu for the documents.


Life Events

A major life event allows employee to make a change in health insurance, without having to wait for Open Enrollment. Major life events include marriage, divorce, birth, adoption, death.

The employee will need to provide proof of verification to Human Resources within 60 days of the major life event, in order to make a change.

Get Healthy

In an effort to encourage employees to “Get Healthy”, PEBTF offers confidential wellness screenings which provide information about their health.  These screenings, referred to as Know Your Numbers, will allow employees to save money on their health insurance premiums.  New hires will have 45 days to complete the screening.

  • To participate in the Get Healthy Program for the plan year July 1 – June 30, employees must complete screening by December 31 of the prior year.
  • Employees that do not participate in the Get Healthy Wellness screening, will pay an additional 2.5% of biweekly salary.

Schedule a Wellness Screening or view results from a screening.

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

There are two types of Flexible Spending Accounts: Healthcare FSA and Dependent Care FSA.

This benefit is a convenient way to set aside money on a pre-tax basis for eligible medical, dental, vision and dependent care expenses. Employees can sign up within 30 days of hire, or during open enrollment period. Once enrolled, the employee will be covered for one calendar year.

Detailed information, including lists of eligible and ineligible expenses can be found in the Flexible Spending Account Handbook. For the handbook please email us at askhr@esu.edu.

Life, Accidental Insurance & Long-Term Disability

ESU offers paid basic group life through MetLife for all permanent, full-time employees. Coverage amounts vary by employee group.

Voluntary Insurance programs are overseen by CIGNA. These benefits financially help families in case of an employee’s death, or if employee suffers a serious injury due to a covered accident. The following voluntary insurances offered are:

MetLife

At no cost to employee:

Cigna

Employee pays bi-weekly premiums:

Beneficiary Changes

To update/change beneficiaries for VGLIP and/or AD&D, complete and return the Beneficiary Designation Form to your Human Resource Business partner. To access the form contact HR at askhr@esu.edu or call (570) 422-3422.

Retirement

Retirement Plans are offered to ensure an employee begins to save and invest money for retirement. When an employee is first hired, it is required that they select a retirement plan. Once a decision has been made, the employee cannot change their plan.

The retirement plans offered to employees are:

  • SERS (State Employees’ Retirement System)
    • A5 Hybrid
    • A6 Hybrid
    • Straight Investment
  • ARP (Alternative Retirement Plan)
    • TIAA
    • Fidelity

If employee does not choose within 30 days of hire, they will automatically be enrolled in the SERS (A5 Hybrid) retirement plan.

Voluntary Retirement Plans

Employees are offered additional options to save and invest money with Voluntary Retirement Plans.

  • Deferred Compensation – 457 (b) Plan
  • Tax Sheltered Annuity (TSA) – 403(b) Plan
    • TIAA
    • Fidelity

Prospective Retirees

In order to be eligible for retirement, employee must qualify under one of the following criteria:

  • If hire date is prior to July 1, 1997:
    • Age 60, with 10 years of credited service
    • Any age, with 25 years of credited service
    • Any age (with approved disability retirement), with 5 years of credited service
  • If hire date is between July 1, 1997 – June 30, 2005:
    • Age 60, with 15 years of Commonwealth/State System Service
    • Any age, with 25 years of Commonwealth/State System Service
    • Any age (with approved disability retirement), with 5 years of Commonwealth/State System Service
  • If hire date is On/After July 1, 2005:
    • Age 60, with 20 years of Commonwealth/State System Service
    • Any age, with 25 years of Commonwealth/State System Service
    • Any age (with approved disability retirement), with 5 years of Commonwealth/State System Service

Employees that are considering retirement, should make an appointment with their Human Resource Business Partner to discuss all retirement options.

Refer to the Retirement Guide for a quick look at retirement options. For the retirement checklist & guide email HR at askhr@esu.edu.

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) / Sick, Parental, or Family

FMLA allows employees who are eligible to take up to a 12 weeks of leave (with or without pay) with benefits for:

  • the birth or adoption of a child,
  • recovery from a qualifying medical illness,
  • providing care for a seriously ill family member.

To request FMLA contact the Human Resources office at askhr@esu.edu, call at 570-422-3422, or stop by the office located in room 105 of the Reibman administration building. The required two forms to be submitted to Human Resources are:

  • FMLA – Request for FMLA/SPF Absence – (this form needs to be completed by the employee)
  • and the applicable certification form, completed by the health care provider:
    • FMLA Employee Serious Health Condition Certification
    • FMLA Family Member Serious Health Condition Certification

Workers Compensation

If an employee suffers a work related injury, Worker’s Compensation provides wage loss and medical benefits to employee.

Immediate Care

For an injury or illness that requires immediate care, go directly to the hospital emergency room. After treatment, follow the required steps listed below.

1. Report the injury
When an employee suffers a work related injury, employee must report it to their supervisor.
Please contact HR for the Accident/Incident Report at askhr@esu.edu, call at 570-422-3422, or stop by the office located in room 105 of the Reibman administration building.

2. Submit Accident/Incident Report form to HR
The Accident/Incident Report Form needs to be submitted to Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP), who will provide employee with claim number. The HRBP will provide the workers compensation employee notification and workers compensation forms for you to review, sign and return.

3. Seek Treatment
If employee has not already gone to emergency room for treatment, HRBP will instruct employee to see one of the doctors from our Panel List of Physicians.

4. Provide Doctors Note to HR
The doctor will provide documentation to the employee, which must be submitted to HR. It is very important that the employee provides this documentation, to determine if the employee is okay to return to work, or needs to be placed on any type of restrictions.

Contact Us

Campus Address

Reibman Administration Building
(570) 422-3422
(570) 422-3450 (Fax)

Human Resources Office

askhr@esu.edu
(570) 422-3422