Definitions

1.000 DEFINITIONS OF SPOUSE, COMMITTED PARTNER AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN

The availability of certain benefits to spouses, committed partners or dependent children may be affected by changes in circumstances or determined by certain statutory or regulatory provisions. For this reason the definitions that follow should be reviewed to determine if certain benefits will or will not apply to your particular situation.

A spouse is one to whom another is legally married. In the event of legal separation or divorce, certain College benefits such as health and dental insurance will no longer be available through the group plan to the individual who is not employed by the College.

Dependent children are those children who are recognized by the IRS as dependents for tax reporting purposes. Dependent children must also meet the plan requirements for health and dental insurance coverage. These plans state age limitations and address full-time student status. Also, dependent children may not be married and still be covered under the group health and dental plans.

Committed partners are two individuals who are:

1. living together and declaring themselves responsible for one another's welfare to the same extent as spouses are responsible for each other's welfare;
2. not related by blood closer than would permit marriage under state law;
3. neither married to anyone else nor, whether currently or within the previous twelve months, declared domestic partners of anyone else; and
4. eighteen years of age or older.

In addition to the above, committed partners must certify financial interdependence by meeting three of the following four conditions:

1. They must hold a joint mortgage, lease or rental agreement.
2. The employee must designate the partner as primary beneficiary on the group life insurance plan and/or retirement plan.
3. The partner of the employee must be designated in the employee's will as the primary beneficiary of the employee.
4. The partners must jointly own a bank account, credit card or a car.

Committed partners will certify in writing by a notarized statement addressed to the College that they meet the above listed criteria.

In the event of a termination of the relationship, it will be the employee's responsibility to inform the Director of Human Resources of that termination. The ex-committed partner who is not an employee of the College will no longer be entitled to any benefits of the College that she or he received prior to dissolution of the relationship.

Committed partners will have available to them all of these benefits: health and dental insurance; dependent life insurance; family leave spouse/partner benefit for serious illness of the partner; tuition remission for the partner who is pursuing her/his initial undergraduate degree.

1.100 INSURANCE BENEFITS

1.110 Benefits Required by Federal or State Law

The College makes payments monthly for disability and retirement benefits, as provided by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA - Social Security and Medicare). Unemployment insurance is provided for all employees, as required by law. These payments are considered part of the total compensation package for each employee.

Worker's Compensation Insurance is also provided for all employees to protect employees in the event of job-connected injury or illness. It is imperative that all job-related accidents be reported in writing immediately to the Office of Human Resources.

1.120 Group Short-Term Disability Insurance

Guilford College provides short-term disability insurance protection for all employees classified as full-time regular employees and who work a minimum of thirty (30) hours a week on a regular and continuing basis. There is a one-year waiting period from the date that full-time employment begins for short-term disability coverage to be effective In order to be covered under the plan, the employee must be actively employed at Guilford College on the day that he or she is to become eligible for coverage.

Short-term disability coverage will begin after the employee has exhausted all of her or his accrued emergency leave. The College will pay 80% of the regular base pay of an employee to a maximum of $5000 per month for up to 180 days of disability. Once the maximum coverage period has been reached, the College's obligation to pay short-term disability will terminate.

If the employee returns to work on an abbreviated schedule (less than 80%), he/she will still receive at least 80% of his/her base pay regardless of the number of hours he/she actually works, up to the maximum 180 days.

If an employee returns to work on his/her regular schedule for over three continuous months and then goes out on disability again for the same medical condition or illness, a new short-term disability period begins. Otherwise, the condition is considered an extension of the previous disability period.

The other benefits of employees who are out of work due to short-term disability will continue at the pre-disability level during the period in which they are covered under the short-term disability plan. The College will continue to provide employee health and dental premiums at the rates currently in effect during the period of the disability. Employer paid pension contributions will continue at the pre-disability salary level, as well.

In order to be covered under the short-term disability plan, the employee must request from her or his physician a letter to be sent to the Office of Human Resources. The letter should contain the following information:

1. a brief description of the nature of the disability and when the disability began;
2. a statement as to the approximate length of the disability, if known.  

The College reserves the right to request additional opinions from other physicians of its own choosing regarding the employee's claimed disability before the short-term disability coverage begins.

An employee who is returning to work after short-term disability must present a letter from her or his physician releasing the employee to return to work. This release to return to work should also list any work restrictions that may apply to the individual on her or his return.

The College reserves the right to ask for a second opinion of a physician of its own choosing before the employee is allowed to return to work.

1.130 Group Long-Term Disability Insurance

Partial salary continuation during long-term total disability is provided for all employees classified as regular full-time and who have completed twelve (12) months of continuing full-time employment with the College. For the purposes of this benefit, non-faculty employees who work less than thirty (30) hours a week are not considered full-time employees.

An employee must be actively employed on the day he or she is to become eligible.

Long-term disability insurance will provide monthly income benefits—including any income from Social Security, Workers Comp, Unemployment Insurance, or other source arising out of said disability—equal to 60% of the employee's former regular monthly salary up to a maximum of $7,500. Further details regarding total disability coverage are available from the Office of Human Resources.

1.140 Group Life Insurance

The College provides, at its own expense, term life insurance for all employees classified as full-time or those who are working a minimum of thirty (30) hours a week on a regular basis. Part-time faculty and part-time staff are not covered. Life insurance is available thirty (30) days from the date of employment, provided the employee is considered to be actively employed on that date.

The benefit amount is equal to the yearly base salary of the employee, rounded up to the next $1,000.00. A double indemnity clause is included for accidental death.

The employee's insurance coverage amount is recalculated each time the employee's salary changes.

Upon the death of an insured employee, the current life insurance carrier will pay to the designated beneficiary(ies) the current life benefit of the deceased employee. Also, in the event of the death of the employee, the College will pay salary and fringe benefits for the calendar month in which the death occurs.

Please contact the Office of Human Resources for further information regarding optional life insurance.

1.150 Medical Insurance

The College provides major medical insurance for full-time employees (employees who work thirty hours or more a week on a regular basis or are considered full-time faculty). Employees may elect to cover eligible dependents at an additional expense.

Coverage begins following thirty (30) days of full-time service, provided the employee is actively employed on that date. If the employee is not at work on that date due to health reasons, then the employee will be eligible for the health insurance when she or he returns to full-time employment.

1.160 Reimbursement Account

The College participates in a program which permits the establishment of "reimbursement accounts" by full-time employees. Through a voluntary sign-up plan, employees may have money redirected from their monthly paychecks on a pre-tax basis for paying dependent care expenses, and medical and medical-related expenses. For further details, consult the Office of Human Resources.

1.170 Dental Insurance

The College provides dental coverage, at College expense, for full-time employees (employees who work thirty hours or more a week on a regular, continuing basis or are considered full-time faculty). Employees may elect to cover eligible dependents at an additional expense.

1.180 Vision Plan

The College provides vision coverage, at employee expense, for full-time employees (employees who work thirty hours or more a week on a regular, continuing basis or are considered full-time faculty).