3.1 General Information

Middlebury College offers a comprehensive health and welfare benefit plan and a generous retirement program to eligible employees.

Enrollment in some College benefit plans is not automatic. Although Human Resources makes an effort to notify or remind an employees when they become eligible to enroll in a particular benefit plan, it is the employee's responsibility to enroll in a timely manner. Please consult with Human Resources should any questions arise concerning eligibility for or status in a plan.

Although it is the intent of the College to continue the benefit plans described in this section, the College reserves the right to modify, amend, or terminate any benefit plan, with or without notice.

3.2 Benefit Changes

Health, Dental and Flexible Spending Accounts

In accordance with IRS regulations, changes such as adding or dropping coverage for an employee or dependent can only be made at certain times: 1) the initial eligibility period (the 30 days after an employee is first hired or the 30 days after an employee first moves into a benefits-eligible employment status), 2) the yearly open enrollment period, and 3) the 30 days after a change in family status (as defined by the IRS). The most common permissible changes-in-family status include marriage, divorce, birth, adoption, change in a spouse's employment status affecting benefits eligibility, open enrollment in a spouse's benefit plan, dependent non-student reaching age 19, or a dependent student leaving school, getting married, or turning 25. For a complete list contact Human Resources. To be allowed, the desired benefit change must also be consistent with the reason for the change (for example, in case of a divorce a spouse could be dropped, in case of a birth the baby could be added).

Please note that it is the employee's responsibility to notify Human Resources within 30 days of a change in family status. Failure to promptly notify Human Resources of a family status change that could affect benefits can have serious consequences. For example, not notifying Human Resources of a new dependent will mean that the new family member will not be added until next open enrollment period. IRS regulations do not allow a change in an employee's pre-tax health or dental premium later than 30 days after a change in family status, even if the family status event means that an employee or dependent is no longer eligible for coverage under the terms of the medical or dental plan. This means that an employee could be required to pay premiums for coverage that s/he or a dependent does not have until next open enrollment period. Furthermore, under COBRA regulations, late notification to Human Resources could result in an otherwise eligible former plan participant not being offered COBRA continuation coverage in the health, dental or health flexible spending account.

Employees are financially responsible for any claims paid by insurance based on false information. Willful failure to notify Human Resources of a change may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Retirement Plans

Employees are able to make an election change in the voluntary retirement plan at the beginning of any pay period.

3.3 Health and Welfare Benefit Plan

The Middlebury College Health and Welfare Benefit Plan offers medical, dental, life, supplemental life, long-term disability, short-term disability, and health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts to full time staff and faculty members; to part-time or time-limited staff who work a minimum of 1,000 hours per year in a regular part-time job; and to part-time faculty members scheduled to teach at least half time. On-call, temporary, and seasonal staff are not eligible for benefits. A Summary Plan Description (SPD) and employee contribution chart for this plan can be found at the Human Resources Benefits Web page, or by contacting Human Resources at ext. 5465 or hr@middlebury.edu

3.4 Employee & Family Assistance Plan (EFAP)

Middlebury College offers a confidential Employee and Family Assistance Plan (EFAP) for active employees, their dependents, and others residing in the employee's home. EFAP provides counseling and referral services for a range of quality of life issues: alcohol and/or drug abuse, marital difficulties, child/parent relationship concerns, or other personal or family situations. The Wellness Corporation, the EFAP provider, can be reached at 800.828.6025.

For more information on EFAP, please visit that page on the Human Resources Web site.

3.5 Retirement Plan

The Middlebury College retirement program is administered by TIAA-CREF and is designed to offer eligible employees a generous employee contribution, tax advantages, and flexibility in building savings for future security. The plans provide retirement, death, and disability benefits according to Section 403(b) and 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.

As a condition of employment, eligible employees are required to participate in the retirement program.

For a complete description of the plan, refer to the Summary Plan Description on the Human Resources Web site or contact Human Resources at ext. 5465.

3.6 Educational Assistance

Middlebury College offers four separate programs that assist eligible employees or their dependents in pursuing post-secondary education (refer to the individual policies for benefit details):

A. Continuing Education Fund – Provides eligible employees with funding up to $3,000 per calendar year for enrollment in a credit-, degree-, or certificate- granting program from an accredited program or institution.

B. Middlebury College Course Fee Reduction For Employees – Allows eligible employees and their spouses/partners to take Middlebury College courses, for credit, for $100 per course.

C.  Middlebury College Staff Matriculation Program  – Allows qualifying staff members, in specified circumstances, to enroll in the bachelor’s degree program at Middlebury.

D. Comprehensive Fee Credit– Provides a discount of 45% of the Middlebury College comprehensive fee for up to four full years of coursework for eligible dependents admitted to Middlebury College.

E. Tuition Cash Grant Scholarships - Provides a cash payment of either 30% of Middlebury’s comprehensive fee or 50% of the tuition of the institution attended (whichever is less), for eligible dependents attending an accredited institution other than Middlebury.

3.7 Sick Leave Conversion

At retirement, as defined in the College's Retiree Benefits policy, every accumulated sick leave reserve day will convert to an insured day (weekends and the holidays listed in this handbook do not reduce Sick Leave Reserve), For each insured day the College will pay 100 percent of the premium to continue the medical and dental benefits for the enrolled employee and enrolled eligible dependents, until the end of the month in which the last insurance day is used. Example: If an employee retires with 30 accumulated sick leave reserve days on July 1, 2005, the employee's converted sick leave reserve would run out on August 12, 2005 and his or her insurance would continue until August 31, 2005. Retiring part-time employees may convert CTO hours to paid insurance days at a conversion rate of 7.75 hours per day.

Faculty members do not have sick leave reserve or CTO. They will be given a week of retiree insurance coverage for each academic year in which they carried a full course load. The dean of the faculty and the director of Human Resources will resolve all conflicts and pro-rate the coverage for years in which there was a reduced course load.

Sick Leave Reserve Survivors' Conversion
If a Middlebury College employee dies while in an active status, survivors' benefits will be provided (for eligible dependents) in the medical and dental plans.

Note: There is no cash conversion of sick leave reserve. Conversion of sick leave reserve to insurance days is available only as outlined in the sections on Sick Leave Reserve Conversion at Retirement, and Sick Leave Reserve Survivors' Conversion.

3.8 Survivor Benefits

Employees enrolled in the College's Medical, Dental, and EFAP plans have survivors' benefits. If an employee dies while in an active employment status, his or her survivors will receive the following benefits:

Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance, and Employee & Family Assistance Plan: Such benefits will continue for 60 days following the date of death with all premiums paid by the College. Following the initial 60 days, accumulated staff sick leave reserve may be converted to insured days (see sick leave conversion section of handbook for details). Following the sick leave reserve conversion the benefits may be continued as described in the “medical” section of the Middlebury College Health & Welfare Benefits Summary Plan Description.

Accrued CTO: Survivors of insured staff have the option of converting accrued CTO time to cash or insurance benefits.

Faculty Survivor Insurance Continuation: Survivors of insured faculty members receive a week of insurance continuation for each academic year in which a full course load was carried. Prorations are made and all conflicts resolved by the dean of the faculty and the director of Human Resources.

Comprehensive Fee Credit and Tuition Cash Grant Scholarship: If, at the time of his or her death, a tenured faculty or staff employee has met the eligibility requirement for the comprehensive fee credit and/or the tuition cash grant scholarship educational benefits, the dependent children will retain such benefits until age 25.

Flexible Spending Accounts, Life Insurance, and Retirement Plans: All benefits under these plans will be settled with the survivors in accordance with the provisions of the plans and beneficiary designations.

MiddCard Privileges: A surviving spouse/domestic partner/civil union partner receives full faculty/staff MiddCard privileges for one year. If no spouse/domestic partner/civil union partner survives, dependent children will receive Snow Bowl and Golf Course discounts for one year instead of MiddCard privileges.

3.9 Midd Card Privileges

All employees of Middlebury College are eligible for an identification card, called a MiddCard, which entitles the employee to certain privileges including: access to athletic facilities, discounts at the College store, library privileges, and discounts at cultural and sporting events. In addition, the card allows door access to certain campus buildings.

Spouses or domestic partners of benefits-eligible employees are eligible to receive a Spouse/Partner card with the same privileges as the employee card (except door access).

Both employee and spouse/partner cards are valid only during the employee’s period of active employment. Employees who retiree from the College are eligible for a Retiree/Emeriti card.

Additional information on MiddCards can be found in the Identification Card (MiddCard) section of the Handbook. Questions regarding card eligibility can be directed to Human Resources; questions regarding new or replacement cards or door access should be directed to Public Safety; and questions regarding discounts, events, or athletic facilities access or policies should be directed to the responsible department (i.e. Book Store, Athletics, etc.)

3.10 Golf & Ski Discounts

Benefits eligible employees may receive discounts on season passes at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl, the Ralph Myhre Golf Course, and the Rikert Ski Touring Center. All employees are eligible for discounted day passes at the golf course. For information on discounts contact the recreation facilities directly.

3.11 Nursing Mothers

Middlebury College abides by Vermont state law in providing reasonable time and space for nursing mothers to express breast milk for their nursing children.
see: Breastfeeding Guidelines