Employment Opportunities

Barnard Benefit Plans

Summary of Benefits for Administrative Positions
     (see also Oxford Healthcare for Faculty and Administrators)

Summary of Benefits for Confidential Positions

Summary of Benefits for Local 2110 Positions

Summary of Benefits for TWU Positions

Summary of Benefits for Faculty Positions
     (see also Oxford Healthcare for Faculty and Administrators)

A Summary of Benefits for Administrators at Barnard College

With the exception of retirement and certain government-mandated items, most benefits are available to full-time administrators only. In addition benefits vary for 9, 10, and 12 month full-time administrators. This brochure outlines the full range of benefits. The Human Resources Department should be contacted for information about which of these programs may apply in any given circumstance.

Health Care

The complete Barnard health care program for administrators has four components: Medical Services, Drugs, Dental, and Flexible Spending. Health care benefits begin on the first day of the month following 30 days of employment.

Medical Services:

The Oxford Freedom Plan is a point of service plan that provides medical benefits in one of two ways, depending on where and from whom the covered employee seeks services.

On the one hand, the Freedom Plan can function as an HMO that provides 100% coverage less a modest co-payment for some services such as prescriptions and office visits. Since care under this option is provided by Oxford’s extensive network of doctors, there are no deductibles nor are there any claim forms. This is called “in-network.”

On the other hand, the Freedom Plan can function as traditional indemnity insurance, allowing the participants to use doctors of their own choosing with reimbursement subject to the usual controls such as annual deductibles and reasonable and customary limitations. The claimant must complete claim forms. This is called “out-of-network.”

In addition, employees may choose between two Oxford payment plans, both of which allow in-network and/or out-of-network providers. Plan A is offered to employees at a modest cost. Plan B requires a higher employee contribution, but it has a lower deductible and out-of-pocket maximum for out-of-network providers. Dependents may be carried on either plan with an employee contribution.

Oxford insures both same sex and opposite sex domestic partners. Employees interested in this coverage should contact Sollette Baker at 854-7345.

Drugs:

On the Oxford Prescription Drug Program the employee pays $5 for generic drugs, $15 for preferred brand drugs, and $25 for non-preferred brand drugs at participating pharmacies. A mail order program is available for maintenance drugs.

Dental:

Aetna US Healthcare Dental Maintenance Organization, is available at a cost of $13.50 per month for individual and $33.00 per month for family coverage. The plan allows employees to switch monthly from the DMO to the Alternative/Traditional Plan, (except New Jersey, which allows the switch semiannually).

Flexible Spending:

The Barnard College Flexible Spending Account enables full-time, participating employees to pay for their unreimbursed health and/or dependent care expenses with pre-tax income. Brochures explaining this plan are available from the Human Resources Department.

Additional Considerations:

Senior Care - Active employees at age 65 should apply for Medicare benefits. These benefits will be coordinated with the College’s medical plan as the law provides. Active employees submit claims first to the College’s medical carrier before submitting any remaining unpaid charges to Medicare. Additional information about how to apply and who qualifies is available from the Human Resources Department.

Adjustment of Coverage - Subsequent to initial enrollment, additions to or adjustments in coverage may occur only during open enrollment periods (usually the first calendar month of the year) or if there has been a life status change such as marriage, birth of a child, or loss of a spouse’s job. Dependents may be dropped from coverage at any time.

Termination of Coverage -Termination provisions for unmarried dependent children, students and non-students age 19 and above vary under the several plans (medical/drug, dental and flexible spending) that make up the complete health care program. Specific information is available in the individual plan documents or from the Benefits Manager in the Human Resources Department. Finally, for employees who are terminating employment, coverage ends on the last day of the month in which their final working day falls.

COBRA and Conversion Privileges - Under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, employees who terminate employment under conditions other than gross misconduct may elect to remain in the group medical plans, at their expense, for 18 months from their termination date, or 29 months if termination is due to disability under certain conditions. The employee must notify the Human Resources Department of such election within 60 days of termination and must make insurance payments retroactive to the first date of COBRA coverage within a period ending forty-five days after such election. Subsequent payments must be made monthly. In addition, eligible dependents covered by the plans may remain in the group for a period of up to 36 months if continuation coverage is due to the death of the employee, divorce or legal separation, or the employee's loss of eligibility due to reaching maximum plan age or becoming entitled to and applying for Medicare.

Disability Insurance

The complete Barnard Disability Insurance program consists of two components: Short Term Disability Insurance and Long Term Disability Insurance.

Short Term Disability Insurance:

As mandated by the State of New York, Barnard employees are covered by Short Term Disability Insurance through The Hartford Insurance Company. The policy provides a benefit of 50% of the employee’s weekly salary up to a maximum of $500 per week for any non-occupational illness or injury, including maternity. These benefits will be paid for a period of up to 26 weeks depending on the severity of the illness. In order that a claim for short term disability benefits can be filed with The Hartford in a timely fashion, employees who are, or expect to be, absent from work due to disabling illness for seven consecutive calendar days (five working days) must contact the Human Resources Department at the earliest possible moment.

Long Term Disability Insurance:

The Hartford Insurance Company also provides coverage for long term disability. This coverage is available after one year of service. However, this waiting period will be waived upon certification of coverage under a group long term total disability plan with the employee’s prior employer if coverage was in effect within 30 days of the Barnard date of hire.

After an elimination period of 180 days, the policy will pay 60% of the disabled employee’s salary up to a maximum of $5,000 per month for the period of total disability. These payments will be reduced by any benefits payable from Social Security, Workers Compensation, and any benefits payable under the College’s short term disability program. Benefits continue up to age 65 if the disability commences prior to age 60. If the disability commences after age 60, the period will depend on complex provisions the details of which are available from the Human Resources Department.

In addition, The Hartford will make appropriate contributions to the employee’s Basic Retirement Annuity (see below) during the period of total disability.

Life Insurance

Employees are covered by a CIGNA group term life policy with an Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) rider. The face amount of an employee’s coverage equals annual base salary rounded up to the next highest thousand dollars. The most important feature of the AD&D rider is that it provides the beneficiary(ies) double the face amount of the policy if the covered employee dies as a result of an accident.

Additional Considerations:

Inception - The life insurance benefit begins on the first day of the month following completion of one full month of employment.

Beneficiaries - Employees designate the beneficiary(ies) and may change that designation at any time.

Seniors - For active employees over age 65, the amount of life insurance will be reduced in compliance with current plan provisions. The plan provides for additional reductions after age 70.

Retirement Plans

Barnard College provides two retirement plans: the Basic Retirement Annuity Plan and the Supplemental Retirement Annuity Plan. Both of these plans are administered by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association - College Retirement Equity Fund (TIAA-CREF).

Basic Retirement Annuity:

Eligibility - Contributions to the Basic Retirement Annuity plan are made by Barnard. All eligible Administrative Officers whose positions are classified as Grade Five or above begin participation immediately. Those employees whose positions are classified as Grade Four or below will begin participation on January 1st or July 1st following their two-year anniversary date. However, employees with two years of full-time service at an institution of higher education during the 24-month period directly preceding their date of employment at the College may begin participation immediately. Employees are asked to notify the Human Resources Department if this exception applies. Part-time employees who work a minimum of 1,000 hours per year also participate in this plan.

Contributions - For those employees whose positions are classified as Grade Eight and below, the College makes a contribution equal to 10% of gross salary. For those at Grade Nine and above, the College makes a contribution equal to 15% of gross annual salary.

Supplemental Retirement Annuity:

Both full-time and part-time employees may elect to make contributions to a supplemental tax-deferred annuity. These contributions are made pre-tax and require that the employee execute an authorizing Salary Reduction Agreement, which is available from the Human Resources Department. Employees can elect to contribute any amount up to an allowable maximum set by regulation and calculated by TIAA-CREF in each specific case. There is no waiting period. The plan includes a loan provision. Details are available through the Human Resources Department.

Tuition Assistance

After completion of one year of continuous employment, eligible employees and their dependent children may receive tuition assistance. Residence Hall Area Directors receive the same benefits but without the one year waiting period.

Employees - Full-time employees may take the number of approved courses per year equal in cost to six Barnard credits. Job related, credit bearing courses or courses applied toward a degree may qualify if taken from an accredited educational institution.

Dependents - Eligible dependent children of full-time administrators may receive full undergraduate tuition to Barnard or Columbia for a maximum of eight semesters within six years. In addition, for schools other than Barnard or Columbia, Barnard pays an amount equal to 25% of its own tuition, or up to 100% of the other institution’s tuition, whichever is less, for dependents of full time administrators hired after December 31, 1983. Children of deceased full-time administrators may also be eligible.

As required currently by law, tuition benefits for graduate school in excess of $5,250 per calendar year are considered taxable income to the employee, and taxes will be withheld from the employee's paycheck when appropriate.

Eligibility depends upon several factors. Further information is available through the Human Resources Department.

Paid Time Off

Vacation:

Full-time employees hired after July 1, 1987 who work 12 months per year, earn two days per month for each full month of service up to a maximum of 24 days per year. Part-time administrators and full-time administrators, who work fewer than twelve months per year, are not eligible for vacation accrual. Vacation time will be accrued but cannot be taken during the first six months of employment. Further, no more than 24 vacation days may be carried over from one fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) to the next. Any additional unused vacation days will be forfeited. In addition, an employee who resigns will be paid only for any accrued vacation time up to the allowed carryover and any newly accrued but unused vacation days.

Holidays:

Scheduled - Employees receive eleven scheduled holidays per year. These are: New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Election Day; Thanksgiving Day; Day After Thanksgiving; Christmas Eve; Christmas Day; and New Year’s Eve.

Floating - In addition to scheduled holidays, twelve-month employees receive three floating holidays per year; those hired after January 1st receive two days for the first fiscal year ending June 30th. Nine and ten-month employees receive two floating holidays per year; those hired after January 1st receive one day for the first fiscal year ending June 30th.

Sick Leave:

The employee starts with a bank of 5 days for the first year of employment and accrues 10 days per year thereafter. In addition to the current year’s entitlement, a maximum of 60 days unused sick leave may be carried from one year to the next. Therefore, the total maximum an employee will ever have available, including carry-over and current year’s sick leave, is 70 days.

Commutation Benefit Program

The College offers employees the opportunity to use pre-tax dollars to pay certain commuting costs.   Employees who join the program can exclude up to $100 per month pre-tax for the purchase of TransitChek Metrocards and vouchers. For those who drive or car-pool, the program can be applied to the lesser of the actual authorized parking costs or $195 per month. Complete details on the commutation program are available from Human Resources.

Mandated Benefits

In addition to Short Term Disability (discussed above), there are four other mandated programs. These are:

Family and Medical Leave:

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 requires that eligible employees be given up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave during any 12 month period for the birth and first-year care of a child; the adoption or foster placement of a child; the serious medical condition of the employee’s spouse, child, or parent; or the employee’s own serious medical condition. Both the employer and the employee have certain rights under the act. The Human Resources Department can be contacted for further information.

Social Security:

Social Security is a federal program of retirement, disability, survivor and health related benefits covering most staff. Contributions to Social Security are shared by the College and the employee.

Worker’s Compensation:

Income protection, medical benefits and survivor benefits are provided for job related illnesses and injuries. This mandated coverage is provided to the College by The Hartford Insurance Company and is independent of the health care coverage provided by Oxford. For this reason, among others, any job related injury or illness must be reported immediately to the responsible supervisor, department chair or director and to the Human Resources Department.

Unemployment Insurance:

Staff and faculty who become unemployed through no fault of their own and are able and available to work, but unsuccessful in finding employment, may be eligible to receive a weekly benefit.

Voluntary Benefits:

Barnard offers faculty and staff several voluntary benefit packages. Further information is available from Human Resources.

Met Pay: Offers discounted insurance rates for auto and home through Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Call 1-800-Get-Met8 for further information and a no-obligation quote.

Citibank at Work: Special banking services and discounts are available to Barnard employees, including direct deposit of pay into a Citibank Checking Account, free checking/savings accounts with no minimum balance, ATM card, and other financial services.

Chase Banking: Chase offers checking and savings with no balance required and fee waived banking when you set up direct deposit. Benefits include debit card, on-line banking, credit cards, access to mortgage and home equity loans and other banking services.

Health Club Membership: Faculty and staff can secure discounted health club memberships through GlobalFit Corporate Fitness.

New Employees are urged to review and understand their first pay stubs to assure themselves that their elections of benefits have been correctly recorded. Questions may be referred to Human Resources.

More comprehensive information is available on all these matters through the Human Resources Department. In the event of any discrepancy between this brochure and the underlying plan documents, the underlying documents shall govern. The College may modify benefits at any time without prior notice.

                                                                     (REV. 08/30/04)

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A Summary of Benefits for Confidential Staff at Barnard College

The benefits outlined below are provided to confidential staff who work a minimum of 17.5 hours per week at least 9 months per year. Vacation, scheduled holiday, floating holiday, sick leave, and tuition assistance are, however, prorated for part-time employees and full tuition to Barnard is available only to full-time staff.

Health Care

The complete Barnard health care program has four components: Medical Services, Drugs, Dental, and Flexible Spending. Health care benefits begin on the first day of the month following 30 days of employment.

Medical Services:

The Oxford Freedom Plan is a point of service plan that supplies medical benefits in one of two ways depending on where and from whom the covered employee seeks services.

On the one hand, the Freedom Plan can function as an HMO which provides 100% coverage less a modest co-payment for some services such as prescriptions and office visits. Since care under this option is provided by Oxford’s extensive network of doctors, there are no deductibles nor are there any claim forms. This is called “in-network.”

On the other hand, the Freedom Plan can function as traditional indemnity insurance allowing the participants to use doctors of their own choosing with reimbursement subject to the usual controls such as annual deductibles and reasonable and customary limitations. The claimant must complete claim forms. This is called “out-of-network.”

Employees may choose between two Oxford payment plans, both of which allow in-network and/or out-of-network providers. Plan A and Plan B are offered to employees at no cost. Plan B has a lower deductible and out-of-pocket maximum for out-of-network providers.

Drugs:

On the Oxford Prescription Drug Plan the employee pays $5 for generic, $15 for preferred brand drugs, and $25 for non-preferred drugs at participating pharmacies. A mail order program is available for maintenance drugs.

Dental:

Dental coverage is provided by Group Health Incorporated (GHI). Basic dental benefits are provided for employees and their dependents according to a fee schedule. There may be no out-of-pocket expenses for covered services performed by GHI participating dentists.

Flexible Spending:

The Barnard College Flexible Spending Account enables full-time, participating employees to pay for their unreimbursed health and/or dependent care expenses with pre-tax income. Brochures explaining this plan are available from the Human Resources Department.

Additional Considerations:

Senior Care - Active employees at age 65 should apply for Medicare benefits. These benefits will be coordinated with the College’s medical plan as the law provides. Active employees submit claims first to the College’s medical carrier before submitting any remaining unpaid charges to Medicare. Additional information about how to apply and who qualifies is available from the Human Resources Department.

Adjustment of Coverage - Subsequent to initial enrollment, additions to, or adjustments in coverage may occur only during open enrollment periods (usually the first calendar month of the year) or if there has been a life status change such as marriage, birth of a child, or loss of a spouse’s job. Dependents may be dropped from coverage at any time.

Termination of Coverage -Termination provisions for unmarried dependent children, students and non-students age 19 and above vary under the several plans (medical/drug, dental and flexible spending) that make up the complete health care program. Specific information is available in the individual plan documents or from the Benefits Manager in the Human Resources Department. Finally, for employees who are terminating employment, coverage ends on the last day of the month in which their final working day falls.

COBRA and Conversion Privileges - Under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, employees who terminate employment under conditions other than gross misconduct may elect to remain in the group medical plans, at their expense, for 18 months from their termination date, or 29 months if termination is due to disability under certain conditions. The employee must notify the Human Resources Department of such election within 60 days of termination and must make insurance payments retroactive to the first date of COBRA coverage within a period ending forty-five days after such election. Subsequent payments must be made monthly. In addition, eligible dependents covered by the plans may remain in the group for a period of up to 36 months if continuation coverage is due to the death of the employee, divorce or legal separation, or the employee's loss of eligibility due to reaching maximum plan age or becoming entitled to and applying for Medicare.

Disability Insurance

The complete Barnard Disability Insurance program consists of two components: Short Term Disability Insurance and Long Term Disability Insurance.

Short Term Disability Insurance:

As mandated by the State of New York, Barnard employees are covered by Short Term Disability Insurance through The Hartford Insurance Company. The policy provides a benefit of 50% of the employee’s weekly salary up to a maximum of $500 per week for any non-occupational illness or injury, including maternity. These benefits will be paid for a period of up to 26 weeks depending on the severity of the illness. In order that a claim for short term disability benefits can be filed with The Hartford in a timely fashion, employees who are, or expect to be, absent from work due to disabling illness for seven consecutive calendar days (five working days) must contact the Human Resources Department at the earliest possible moment.

Long Term Disability Insurance:

The Hartford Insurance Company provides coverage for long term disability. This coverage is available after one year of service. However, this waiting period will be waived upon certification of coverage under a group long term total disability plan with the employee’s prior employer if coverage was in effect within 30 days of the Barnard date of hire.

After a waiting period of 180 days, the policy will pay 60% of the disabled employee’s salary up to a maximum of $5,000 per month for the period of total disability. These payments will be reduced by any benefits payable from Social Security, Workers Compensation, and any benefits payable under the College’s short term disability program. Benefits continue up to age 65 if the disability commences prior to age 60. If the disability commences after age 60, the period will depend on complex provisions the details of which are available from the Human Resources Department.

In addition, The Hartford will make appropriate contributions to the employee’s Basic Retirement Annuity (see below) during the period of total disability.

Life Insurance

Employees are covered by a CIGNA group term life policy with an Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) rider. The face amount of an employee’s coverage equals annual base salary rounded up to the nearest thousand dollars. The most important feature of the AD&D rider is that it provides the beneficiary(ies) double the face amount of the policy if the covered employee dies as a result of an accident.

Additional Considerations:

Inception - The life insurance benefit begins on the first day of the month following completion of one full month of employment.

Beneficiaries - Employees designate the beneficiary(ies) and may change that designation at any time.

Seniors - For active employees over age 65, the amount of life insurance will be reduced in compliance with current plan provisions. The plan provides for additional reductions after age 70.

Retirement Plans

Barnard College provides two retirement plans: the Basic Retirement Annuity Plan, and the Supplemental Retirement Annuity Plan. Both of these plans are administered by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association - College Retirement Equity Fund (TIAA-CREF.)

Basic Retirement Annuity:

Eligibility - Contributions to the Basic Retirement Annuity plan are made by Barnard. All regular employees performing 520 or more hours of service per year participate in the retirement plan if they have satisfied the eligibility requirements that are as follows:

1. Employees hired on or before September 30, 2002 must have completed two (2) years of required service with the College and attained the age of twenty-one (21).

2. Employees hired on or before October 1, 2002 must have completed one (1) year of required service with the College and attained the age of twenty-one (21).

Eligible employees will begin participation on the January 1st or July 1st following their 1 or 2 year anniversary date, as described above.

Credit for prior service -

1. Employees hired on or before September 30, 2002 with two (2) years required service at an institution of higher education during the twenty-four (24) month period directly preceding their date of employment at the College may begin participation immediately.

2. Employees hired on or before October 1, 2002 with one (1) year of required service at an institution of higher education during the twelve (12) month period directly preceding their date of employment at the College may begin participation immediately.

Employees are requested to notify the Human Resources Department if one of these exceptions applies.

Contributions and vesting -

1. For eligible employees hired on or before September 30, 2002, the College contributes 8% up to the then current "break point" of earnings during each plan year (July 1 to June 30) and 12% of earnings in excess of that break point. These eligible employees are immediately vested in the College's contribution.

2. For eligible employees hired on or after October 1, 2002, the College contributes 8% of earnings during each plan year for years two (2) through four (4) of employment. Effective with the employee's fifth (5th) anniversary of employment, the College contributes 8% up to the then current "break point" of earnings during each plan year (July 1 to June 30) and 12% of earnings in excess of the break point. These eligible employees vest in the College's contribution following five (5) years of service.

Supplemental Retirement Annuity:

Both full-time and part-time employees may elect to make contributions to a supplemental tax-deferred annuity. These annuity contributions are made pre-tax and require that the employee execute an authorizing Salary Reduction Agreement, which is available from the Human Resources Department. Employees can elect to contribute any amount up to an allowable maximum set by regulation and calculated by TIAA-CREF in each specific case. There is no waiting period. The plan includes a loan provision. Details are available from the Human Resources Department.

Tuition Assistance

Employees:

Full-time employees hired on/after January 1, 1984 who have completed a 90 day probationary period receive an allowance for a maximum of fifteen credits per year for courses which are part of a program of study leading to a degree or certificate, individual academic courses for which credit is given, and individual courses that are job related. Such courses must be taken at accredited institutions of higher education or recognized business or trade schools.

Full-time nine and ten month employees receive 12 credits per year.

Part-time employees receive pro-rata benefits.

Effective January 1, 2003, there will be a cap of $1,000 per calendar year per employee for non-job related certificate programs. For non-job related individual academic courses, the College will pay an individual an amount per semester not to exceed the total cost of three (3) Columbia School of General Studies undergraduate credits then in effect.

As required currently by law, tuition benefits for graduate school in excess of $5,250 per calendar year are considered taxable income to the employee, and taxes will be withheld from the employee's paycheck when appropriate.

Dependents:

Daughters of full-time employees who are accepted for admission to Barnard under the normal admission procedures shall be entitled to eight (8) semesters of full tuition.

Eligibility depends upon several factors. Further information is available from Human Resources.

Paid Time Off

Vacation:

All employees hired after July 1, 1987 earn two days per month for each full month of service up to a maximum of 24 days per year. Vacation time will be accrued but cannot be taken during the first six months of employment. Further, no more than 24 vacation days may be carried over from one fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) to the next. Any additional unused vacation days will be forfeited. In addition, an employee who resigns will be paid only for any accrual vacation time up to the allowed carry over and any newly accrued but unused vacation days.

Holidays:

Scheduled - Employees receive eleven scheduled holidays per year. These are: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Election Day; Thanksgiving Day; Day After Thanksgiving; Christmas Eve; Christmas Day; and New Year’s Eve.

Floating - In addition to scheduled holidays, twelve-month employees receive three floating holidays per year; those hired after January 1st receive two days for the first fiscal year ending June 30th. Nine and ten-month employees receive two floating holidays per year; those hired after January 1st receive one day for the first fiscal year ending June 30th.

Sick Leave:

Sick leave accrues on the anniversary of employment. The employee starts with a bank of 5 days for the first year of employment and accrues 10 days per year thereafter. In addition to the current year’s entitlement, a maximum of 60 days unused sick leave may be carried from one year to the next. Therefore, the total maximum an employee will ever have available, including carry-over and current year’s sick leave, is 70 days.

Commutation Benefit Program

The College offers employees the opportunity to use pre-tax dollars to pay certain commuting costs.   Employees who join the program can exclude up to $100 per month pre-tax for the purchase of TransitChek Metrocards and vouchers. For those who drive or car-pool, the program can be applied to the lesser of the actual authorized parking costs or $195 per month. Complete details on the commutation program are available from Human Resources

Mandated Benefits

In addition to Short Term Disability (discussed above), there are four other mandated programs. These are:

Family and Medical Leave:

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 requires that eligible employees be given up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave during any 12 month period for the birth and first-year care of a child; the adoption or foster placement of a child; the serious medical condition of the employee’s spouse, child, or parent; or the employee’s own serious medical condition. Both the employer and the employee have certain rights under the act. The Human Resources Department can be contacted for further information.

Social Security:

Social Security is a federal program of retirement, disability, survivor and health related benefits covering most staff. Contributions to Social Security are shared by the College and the employee.

Worker’s Compensation:

Income protection, medical benefits and survivor benefits are provided for job related illnesses and injuries. This mandated coverage is provided to the College by The Hartford Insurance Company and is independent of the health care coverage provided by Oxford. For this reason, among others, any job related injury or illness must be reported immediately to the responsible supervisor, department chair or director and to the Human Resources Department.

Unemployment Insurance:

Staff who become unemployed through no fault of their own and are able and available to work, but unsuccessful in finding employment, may be eligible to receive a weekly benefit.

Voluntary Benefits:

Barnard offers faculty and staff several voluntary benefits packages. Further information is available from Human Resources.

MetPay: Offers discounted insurance rates for auto and home through Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Call 1-800-Get-Met8 for further information and a no-obligation quote.

Citibank at Work: Special banking services and discounts are available to Barnard employees, including direct deposit of pay into Citibank Checking Account, free checking/savings accounts with no minimum balance, ATM card, and other financial services.

Chase Banking: Chase offers checking and savings with no balance required and fee waived banking when you set up direct deposit. Benefits include debit card, on-line banking, credit cards, access to mortgage and home equity loans and other banking services.

Health Club Membership: Employees can secure discounted health club memberships through GlobalFit Corporate Fitness.

New Employees are urged to review and understand their first pay stubs to assure themselves that their elections of benefits have been correctly recorded. Questions maybe referred to Human Resources.

More comprehensive information is available on all these matters through the Human Resources Department. In the event of any discrepancy between this brochure and the underlying plan documents, the underlying documents shall govern. The College may modify benefits at any time without prior notice.

(REV. 08/30/04)

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A Summary of Benefits for Local 2110 at Barnard College

Except as noted, health care benefits are available to regular full-time employees and regular part-time employees. Regular part-time employees receive other benefits on a pro-rata basis.

Health Care

The complete Barnard health care program has three components: Medical Services, Drugs, and Dental. Benefits begin on the first day of the month following three full months of employment. Employees hired on or after March 4, 1993, who work from 10 to 17.49 hours per week are eligible for individual coverage. Employees who work 17.5 hours or more per week are eligible for individual coverage or for family coverage, if they have dependents.

Medical Services:

The Group Health Incorporated (GHI) medical plan provides benefits in one of two ways depending on where and from whom the covered employee seeks services.

On the one hand, GHI can function as a preferred provider network which provides 100% coverage less a modest co-payment for some services such as prescriptions and office visits. Since care under this option is provided by GHI’s extensive network of doctors, there are no deductibles nor are there any claim forms. This is called “in-network.”

On the other hand, GHI can function as traditional indemnity insurance allowing the participants to use doctors of their own choosing with reimbursement subject to the usual controls such as annual deductibles and reasonable and customary limitations. The claimant must complete claim forms. This is called “out-of-network.”

Drugs:

On the GHI prescription drug program the employee pays $5 for generic, $10 for preferred-brand drugs and $25 for non-preferred brand drugs at participating pharmacies. A mail order program is available for maintenance drugs for $0 copayment.

Dental:

Dental coverage is provided by Group Health Incorporated (GHI). Basic dental benefits are provided for employees and their dependents according to a fee schedule.

Additional Considerations:

Waiver of Coverage - An employee who is eligible for health insurance coverage and waives such coverage will receive a monthly payment of $50 in lieu of benefits. In order to be eligible for this payment, the employee must submit annually satisfactory proof of coverage under another health insurance plan. Employees who waive coverage may terminate the waiver and elect coverage if there is a change in the employee’s spouse’s employment status that results in loss of coverage. This waiver of coverage is not available to employees whose spouses work for Barnard.

Senior Care - Active employees at 65 should apply for Medicare benefits. These benefits will be coordinated with the College’s medical plan as the law provides. Active employees submit claims first to the College’s medical carrier before submitting any remaining unpaid charges to Medicare. Additional information about how to apply and who qualifies is available through the Human Resources Department.

Adjustment of Coverage - Subsequent to initial enrollment, additions to, or adjustments in coverage may occur only during open enrollment periods (usually the first calendar month of the year) or if there has been a life status change such as marriage, birth of a child, or loss of a spouse’s job. Dependents may be dropped from coverage at any time.

Termination of Coverage -Termination provisions for unmarried dependent children, students and non-students age 19 and above vary under the several plans (medical/drug and dental) that make up the complete health care program. Specific information is available in the individual plan documents or from the Benefits Manager in the Human Resources Department. Finally, for terminating employees, coverage ends on the last day of the month in which their final day on payroll falls.

COBRA and Conversion Privileges - Under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, employees who terminate employment under conditions other than gross misconduct may elect to remain in the group medical plans for 18 months from their termination date, or 29 months if termination is due to disability under certain conditions. The employee must notify the Human Resources Department of such election within 60 days of termination and must make payment retroactive to the first date of COBRA coverage within a period ending forty-five days after such election. Subsequent payments must be made monthly. In addition, eligible dependents covered by the plans may remain in the group for a period of up to 36 months if continuation coverage is due to the death of the employee, divorce or legal separation, or the employee's loss of eligibility due to   reaching maximum plan age or becoming entitled to and applying for Medicare.

Dependent Care

Flexible Spending:

Employees are permitted to enroll in Barnard’s Flexible Spending Account plan for childcare. The College pays the administrative fees. A yearly childcare subsidy is available to eligible employees with children under age 13. Brochures explaining this plan are available from the Human Resources Department.

Disability Insurance

Short Term Disability Insurance:

As mandated by the State of New York, Barnard employees are covered by Short Term Disability Insurance. In the College’s case this insurance is provided by The Hartford Insurance Company. It provides a benefit of 50% of the employee’s weekly salary up to a maximum of $170 per week for any non-occupational illness or injury, including maternity. These benefits will be paid for a period of up to 26 weeks depending on the severity of the illness. In order that a claim for New York State Disability Benefits can be filed with The Hartford in a timely fashion, employees who are, or expect to be, absent from work due to disabling illness for seven consecutive calendar days (five consecutive working days) must contact the Human Resources Department at the earliest possible moment.

Life Insurance

Employees are covered by CIGNA with a group term life policy. The face amount of an employee’s coverage is $7,500.

Additional Considerations:

Inception - The life insurance benefit begins on the first day of the month following completion of three months of employment.

Beneficiaries - Employees designate the beneficiary(ies) and may change that designation at any time.

Seniors - For active employees over age 65, the amount of life insurance will be reduced in compliance with current plan provisions. The plan provides for additional reductions after age 70.

Retirement Plans

Barnard College provides two retirement plans: the Basic Retirement Annuity Plan, and the Supplemental Retirement Annuity Plan. Both of these plans are administered by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association - College Retirement Equity Fund (TIAA-CREF).

Basic Retirement Annuity:

Eligibility - Contributions to the Basic Retirement Annuity plan are made by Barnard. All regular employees performing 520 or more hours of service per year participate in the retirement plan if they have satisfied the eligibility requirements that are as follows:

1.Employees hired on or before September 30, 2002 must have completed two (2) years of required service with the College and attained the age of twenty-one (21).

2.Employees hired on or before October 1, 2002 must have completed one (1) year of required service with the College and attained the age of twenty-one (21).

Eligible employees will begin participation on the January 1st or July 1st following their 1 or 2 year anniversary date, as described above.

Credit for prior service -

1. Employees hired on or before September 30, 2002 with two (2) years required service at an institution of higher education during the twenty-four (24) month period directly preceding their date of employment at the College may begin participation immediately.

2. Employees hired on or before October 1, 2002 with one (1) year of required service at an institution of higher education during the twelve (12) month period directly preceding their date of employment at the College may begin participation immediately.

Employees are requested to notify the Human Resources Department if one of these exceptions applies.

Contributions and vesting -

1. For eligible employees hired on or before September 30, 2002, the College contributes 8% up to the then current "break point" of earnings during each plan year (July 1 to June 30) and 12% of earnings in excess of that break point. These eligible employees are immediately vested in the College's contribution.

2. For eligible employees hired on or after October 1, 2002, the College contributes 8% of earnings during each plan year for years two (2) through four (4) of employment. Effective with the employee's fifth (5th) anniversary of employment, the College contributes 8% up to the then current "break point" of earnings during each plan year (July 1 to June 30) and 12% of earnings in excess of the break point. These eligible employees vest in the College's contribution following five (5) years of service.

Supplemental Retirement Annuity:

Both full-time and part-time employees may also elect to contribute to a supplemental tax-deferred annuity. These contributions are made pre-tax and require that the employee execute an authorizing Salary Reduction Agreement, which is available from the Human Resources Department. Employees can elect to contribute any amount up to an allowable maximum set by regulation and calculated by TIAA-CREF in each specific case. There is no waiting period. The plan includes a loan provision. Details are available from the Human Resources Department.

Tuition Assistance

Employees:

Full-time employees hired on or after January 1, 1984 who have completed a 90 day probationary period receive an allowance for a maximum of fifteen credits per year for courses which are a part of a program of study leading to a degree or certificate, individual academic courses for which credit is given, and individual courses that are job related. Such courses must be taken at accredited institutions of higher education or recognized business or trade schools.

Full-time nine and ten month employees receive 12 credits per year.

Part-time employees receive pro-rata benefits.

Effective January 1, 2003, there will be a cap of $1,000 per calendar year per employee for non-job-related certificate programs. For non-job-related individual academics courses, the College will pay an individual an amount per semester not to exceed the total cost of three (3) Columbia School of General Studies undergraduate credits then in effect.

A complete summary of the Barnard College Tuition Remission Plan for Local 2110 UAW employees is available from the Human Resources Department.

As required currently by law, tuition benefits for graduate school in excess of $5,250 per calendar year are considered taxable income to the employee, and taxes will be withheld from the employee's paycheck when appropriate.

Dependents:

Daughters of full-time employees who are accepted for admission to Barnard under the normal admission procedures shall be entitled to eight (8) semesters of full tuition.

Eligibility depends upon several factors. Further information is available from Human Resources.

Paid Time Off

Vacation: