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Illinois State University Laboratory Schools

Lab Schools

Faculty Associate Handbook

Forward
Chapter 1: Mission of the Laboratory Schools
Chapter 2: Role of Faculty Associates
Chapter 3: Appointment and Employment Information
Chapter 4: Professional Growth & Evaluation of Faculty Associates
Chapter 5: University Benefits and Time Away from Work
Chapter 6: Absence Procedures
Chapter 7: Resignation and Retirement
Chapter 8: Probation Period and Laboratory School Continued Service
Chapter 9: Discipline & Dismissal
Chapter 10: Grievance Process
Chapter 11: Compensation Add links for Appendix B, C, D, E, and F
Chapter 12: Emergency Information
Appendix A: Procedures for Making an Application for Research in the Laboratory Schools

Chapter 5: University Benefits and Time Away from Work

I. University Benefits

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package in conjunction with the State of Illinois and the State Universities Retirement System. This section is intended to provide an overview of these benefits, which are subject to change. For more information, visit the Benefit Orientation website and the Benefit Election Resources website. Any questions may be directed to Human Resources.

  1. Health, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance: Provided through the State of Illinois Certain benefits are offered to eligible Illinois State University employees through the State of Illinois by Central Management Services (CMS). These benefits are health, dental, vision, and life insurance as well as pre-tax savings options with flexible spending and health savings accounts. For a determination of eligibility, contact Human Resources. For an overview of these benefits, review the Benefit Orientation website.
  2. Maintaining Insurance During the Summer: Faculty Associates who choose not to have their school year contract spread out over 12 months by electing the Twelve-Month Payment Plan will be billed at their normal cost by Central Management Services during the summer months. For more information on the Twelve-Month Payment Plan, contact the Payroll Office.

II. State Universities Retirement System (SURS): Eligible Faculty

  1. Associates will contribute to SURS in lieu of Social Security. New participants to SURS will have six months from date of hire to elect one of three retirement plan choices. SURS participants will contribute to Medicare.
  2. Faculty Associates deemed ineligible for SURS participation will instead contribute to Social Security as defined by eligibility rules.
  3. For more information, review the benefit information on the Human Resources website or surs.com.

III. Voluntary Benefit Programs

  1. Two voluntary benefit programs are available to Faculty Associate who meet the eligibility requirements for CMS benefit participation. The first plan is a supplemental Long-Term Disability plan administered through Prudential. The second is a Long-Term Care plan administered through Genworth, which is available to the employee and certain family members. For more information, review the benefit information on the Human Resources website.

IV. Supplemental Retirement Savings Plans

There are three supplemental retirement savings plans available to Faculty Associates, one 403(b) Plan and two 457 Plans. These plans are entirely voluntary and are intended to supplement your retirement savings in addition to your SURS contribution. There is no employer match in any of these Plans.

  1. 403(b): The University offers a 403(b) plan to employees for pre-tax or after-tax savings. There is a choice between two vendors, TIAA and Fidelity. To learn more, visit the Human Resources website.
  2. 457: Two 457 Plans are available through CMS and SURS for Faculty Associates who meet the minimum eligibility requirements for each respective program’s participation rules. The 457 Deferred Compensation Plan is available through CMS and utilizes T. Rowe Price as its vendor. The SURS 457 Deferred Compensation Plan through SURS utilizes VOYA as its vendor. For more information, visit the Human Resources website.

V. Time Away from Work

The University provides a variety of time away from work options. This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list and policies and procedures are subject to change. Any questions may be directed to Human Resources.

  1. Sick Time: Sick time accrues at the maximum rate of one workday (7.5 hours) for each month or a portion of a month of service. If an appointment is less than full-time employment, the earned sick leave time is calculated by multiplying the maximum accrual rate in hours by the highest total percentage of employment during each month.
    • Faculty Associates on continuous contracts earn accumulative sick may roll the balance forward from year to year. There is no maximum balance for accumulative sick.
    • Faculty Associates on non-continuous contracts have non- accumulative sick deposited. Non-accumulative balances are forfeited at the end of the contract period.
    • The University reserves the right to require acceptable evidence of illness, injury, or disability before allowing any sick leave benefits. For more information regarding sick time, the Extended Sick Leave benefit, and eligible usage, review policy 3.2.7 Sick Leave or contact Human Resources.
  2. Personal Days: Faculty Associates with a full-time appointment in the Laboratory Schools are entitled to two days of personal leave with pay in each year of service, including the first. Faculty Associates with less than a full-time contract in the Laboratory Schools are entitled to one day of personal leave with pay in each year of service including the first. Unused personal leave days cannot be carried over from year to year. No portion of this benefit is payable upon termination. A year is defined as the school contract year.
  3. Bereavement: Bereavement time is available in one- or three-day increments based upon the employee’s relationship to the individual who passed away. For more details, review policy 3.1.11 Leave of Absence or contact Human Resources.
  4. Jury Duty/Subpoenaed Witness: A leave of absence without loss of pay shall be granted for jury duty service. An eligible employee may be granted a leave of absence without loss of pay as a subpoenaed witness in cases not initiated by the employee. The employee may keep any payments received from the court system. For more information, review policy 3.1.11 or contact Human Resources.
  5. Sick Leave Bank: The Sick Leave Bank serves as a depository for eligible and participating employees to donate the equivalent of one sick leave day each fiscal year to a common sick leave bank. The purpose of this sick leave bank is to alleviate the hardship caused by a serious health condition that forces the employee to take time away from work on an approved leave. This sick leave bank may also be used for employees on an approved Parental Leave.
    • For more information regarding eligibility, donation, and withdrawal, review policy 3.1.38 Sick Leave Bank or contact Human Resources.
  6. Educational Leave: Faculty Associates may use an Educational Leave should they be working on an internship or dissertation completion. The building principal, superintendent/director, COE Dean, and Provost’s office must approve the Educational Leave before it can be granted. While there is a possibility of an Educational Leave according to University Policy, it is not an automatic and may not always be approved.
    • Educational leaves can be paid or unpaid, often dependent on the rationale for the leave. The determination of pay is handled on a case by case basis by the unit and the Provost’s office. The likelihood that an educational leave is approved, and/or paid, increases as the purpose of the leave has clear benefits to the unit, the college, and the University.
    • An Educational Leave may be granted to Faculty Associates for anywhere from one week to one academic year.
    • Faculty Associates should discuss any expected impacts to benefits with their Benefits Counselor in Human Resources prior to starting a leave.
  7. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): Eligible employees of Illinois State University may take job-protected leave for specific family and medical reasons. All approved requests for Extended Sick Leave will count toward the FMLA limit if the employee qualifies for FMLA-protected leave. Approved Worker's Compensation claims which result in time away from work will run concurrently with FMLA-protected leave provided the condition meets the definition of a serious health condition as defined by the FMLA. If Illinois State University becomes aware of an absence that is FMLA-qualifying, the employer reserves the right to designate such time as FMLA.
    A leave may be granted for anyone, or more, of the following reasons:
    • The birth of a child or placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care.
    • To care for a spouse, registered domestic partner (see policy 3.1.13), child, or parent who has a serious health condition.
    • For the employee's own serious health condition which prevents the employee from performing the essential functions of his or her job.
    • For a qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee's spouse, registered domestic partner (see policy 3.1.13), son, daughter, or parent is a military member on covered active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to covered active-duty status.
      For more information, review policy 3.1.12 Family and Medical Leave Act or contact Human Resources.
  8. Parental Leave:
    1. Parental leave covers time away from work following the birth of a child within the first year of a child's life or the first year following the placement of a child for adoption or foster care with the employee or the employee's spouse, civil union partner or registered domestic partner.
    2. Eligible employees taking time off following the birth of a child or placement of a child for adoption or foster care may take up to 8 weeks of parental leave. Time away must be taken on a continuous basis of no less than 5-day increments unless an intermittent schedule is approved by the employee's department. If the eligible employee is approved for FMLA, any parental leave granted must run concurrently with that leave. For those employees who do not qualify for FMLA, additional time needed beyond 8 weeks will be considered for the medical necessity of the employee only.
    3. Employees will be required to use available benefit time during Parental Leave to remain in a paid status. For more information, review policy 3.2.20 Parental Leave or contact Human Resources.

VI. Miscellaneous Benefits

  1. Tuition Waiver for Employees and Dependents: Illinois State University provides tuition waiver benefits to Faculty, Staff and Retirees of the University, and employees of other institutions or agencies with reciprocal agreements through the State Universities Civil Service System. Illinois State University provides tuition waiver benefits to the dependents of employees of Illinois public universities. Tuition waivers are granted and taxed in accordance with state and federal law and University Policy.
    • For more information regarding eligible institutions and program, eligible employees and dependents, and maximum tuition benefits, review policy 3.1.17 Employee Tuition Waiver Benefits or contact Human Resources.
  2. Employee Assistance Program (EAP): The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides a valuable resource for support and information during difficult
    times. The EAP is a free, voluntary and confidential program that provides problem identification, counseling and referral services for employees and their covered dependents regardless of the health plan chosen. Employees will be directed to counseling services to assist them with a variety of concerns
    • The EAP is available to active employees who are eligible for CMS benefit program participation regardless of whether they are enrolled in a CMS health plan. The EAP is also available to any dependent who is covered by a CMS health plan. For more information, contact Human Resources.
  3. Adoption Benefit Program: Employees who are eligible for CMS benefit program participation may be able to reimbursement up to $1,500 worth of adoption expenses through the Adoption Benefit Program. For more information, review the CMS website.
  4. Illinois State University Domestic Partner Benefit Program
    • Illinois State University extends recognition of any domestic partnership meeting the eligibility criteria and offers certain benefits to domestic partners of Illinois State University employees. The domestic partner may be of the same or of the opposite sex.
       
    • The benefits that are provided through this policy are those controlled solely by Illinois State University. For more information, review policy 3.1.13 Illinois State University Domestic Partner Benefit Program or contact Human Resources.
2024-07-30T13:44:55.827103629-07:00 2024