New York State Workers Compensation
All Wagner College employees are covered by New York State Workers' Compensation insurance in the event of an on-the-job injury. Workers Compensation laws allow eligible employees to collect benefits without regard to fault, by showing that the injury arose out of and in the course of employment.  Injured employees have the right to receive whatever treatment is required by the nature of the injury.  Furthermore, to make up for earnings lost during a period of disability, Workers Compensation provides weekly cash payments, calculated as a percentage of the employee’s average weekly wages.  The overall maximum weekly benefit is presently $400.

New York State Statutory Disability Insurance
Under New York State Law, Wagner College must provide temporary disability insurance to compensate for wages lost as a result of a non-work-related disability.  A disability is your inability to work as a result of an injury or illness that does not arise in the course of employment.  This includes an inability to work caused by or connected with pregnancy.  Inability to work means that the injury or illness prevents you from performing not only your own job, but also any other job that the College may offer you at the same wage.  Disability insurance takes effect on the eighth (8th) consecutive day of absence and continues for a six-month period.  Benefits are payable at the rate of 50% of your average weekly wage, as determined over the eight weeks prior to your disability, up to a maximum of $170 per week.

Standard Short Term Disability Insurance
Eligible employee (full time administrators, faculty, and non-union staff) receive a total salary continuation benefit of 66 2/3% of your pre-disability base earnings, to a maximum of $2,000 per week, for the first twenty six (26) weeks of disability.  Liberty Mutual will continue to pay the New York State statutory amount, which currently has a maximum weekly benefit of $170 per week.  The Standard Life Insurance Company of NY will now remit the amount necessary to make the total benefit equal 66.66% of the base salary.  The benefit waiting period for disability caused by accidental injury or caused by physical disease, pregnancy or mental disorder is 7 Days.  STD benefits will end on the date that LTD benefits become payable.

Standard Group Long Term Total Disability
Upon completion of one year of continuous employment you are eligible for total disability coverage.   Total disability benefits begin on the first day of the month following six months of total disability and continue during such disability until you reach age seventy (70) or until death whichever comes first.  This plan provides for a monthly income equal to 60% of your salary, not to exceed $4,500.00 a month.  If you are participating in the pension plan, at the time you become disabled, it will also provide contributions to your annuity plan at the rate of 10% of your monthly wage base.

Standard Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
Wagner College provides its full time employees with Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance through the Standard, at no cost to you.  Coverage begins on the first day of the month that falls on or next follows the date you enter an eligible class.  If your effective hire date is between the 1st and 15th day of the month coverage commences on your date of hire.  If your effective date of hire is after the 16th day of the month coverage will begin on the first day of the following month.   The amount of each benefit is equal to double your base annual salary rounded to the nearest multiple of $500.00, if not already such a multiple, up to a maximum of $500,000.

Health Insurance
On the first day of the month immediately following your date of hire you are eligible to participate in the College’s group health (medical and dental) insurance plans. At present, the College offers a point of service plan through Aetna.  It is a four-tier plan and the employee’s contribution is through automatic payroll reduction.

TIAA/CREF Defined Contribution Retirement Plan
After one year of employment all eligible employees must participate in the College's defined contribution retirement plan.  To be eligible to participate in the plan you must be a member of the eligible categories, as described in the plans Summary Plan Description, be twenty-five (25) years of age or older and have completed one year of continuous employment at Wagner College.  The one-year employment requirement is waived if during the 12-month period prior to your hire you have been employed in an institution of higher education.  Your minimum contribution to the pension plan is 5% of your base salary.  You may, however, contribute an additional amount in accordance with IRS regulations.  Your contributions are made through salary reduction and are therefore not considered taxable income.  The College, in turn, contributes 9% of your base salary during your first 7 years of employment, and increases its contribution to 10% once you have completed seven years of continuous service.  All tenured faculty receive a college contribution of 10%.

TIAA/CREF Supplemental Retirement Annuities (SRA)
All employees may also establish a supplemental retirement annuity (SRA) plan through TIAA/CREF in order to increase the amount of funds dedicated to future retirement income, through salary reduction.  Unlike the TIAA Retirement Plan, SRA’s provide you with the ability to get loans from your accumulated income.

Tuition Remission
All full-time personnel become eligible for tuition remission according to the following schedule.
The hiring process               Up to ½ FTE for self
One year of employment      Up to ½ FTE for self/spouse
Two years of employment     Up to One FTE for self/spouse/dependent
Six years of employment       Up to 2 FTE for self/spouse/dependent
FTE tuition remission benefit is defined as the dollar amount charged, in a given academic year, to full-time undergraduate students for tuition not including fees, room or board.  The benefit may be used for graduate and/or undergraduate classes.  Tuition remission eligibility takes effect during the semester following the anniversary date of employment.  Proration of costs for any period of employment that is less than 6 months is not permitted.  For example, if a full time employee has an anniversary date of October, tuition remission eligibility begins with the following Spring semester.

Wagner College Early Childhood Center
Upon completion of one year of continuous employment you are eligible for a fifty percent (50%) discount for dependent children enrolled at the Wagner College Early Childhood Center.   The Center provides unique opportunities for children age 2 years 3 months through age 6.    It offers children an enriched environment in which they are encouraged to explore, imagine, create and discover in a small group setting.  There are half-day sessions as well as full day sessions. 

Tuition Exchange Program
Once you have been employed at the College for one year or more, you are eligible to apply for scholarships under the Tuition Exchange program.  Tuition Exchange (TE) is a partnership of 480 colleges and universities offering competitive tuition exchange scholarships to members of faculty and staff families employed at member institutions.  Each institution is obligated to maintain a balance between student sent on the exchange (exports) and students received on the exchange (imports).  Scholarships are not fringe benefits; they are competitive awards. Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the member institution.  If you are interested in applying for a tuition exchange scholarship you should contact the College's liaison officer approximately twelve months before you plan to use the TE program.   The liaison officer will be able to provide you with a list of the member schools as well as information about the process and deadlines. The scholarship, if awarded, is not considered part of the college’s FTE tuition remission benefit. 

Lunch/Meal Pass
If you are full time staff employee working a 30-35 hour workweek you are entitled to free lunch privileges in the Wagner Union Dining Hall. If you are a faculty or administrator, you may purchase discounted meal plans, in the College's Business Office or Dining Hall Office.

Flexible Spending Accounts.   All employees are eligible to participate in the college’s voluntary Flexible Spending Account program, which allows you to put aside money to pay for medical and dependent care expenses TAX-FREE.  Health FSA eligible expenses are Family Health Care Expenses, including: deductibles, office visit co-pays, dental expenses (including orthodontia), vision expenses (exams, RX glasses, contact lens, contact lens solutions, laser eye surgery), OTC Drugs for medical care and prescription drug co-pays.  Eligible Dependent Care Expenses include: child care, pre-school, adult dependent day care centers or services (if IRS dependent and living with you).

This is only a summary and, as such, is not meant to be a comprehensive representation of your benefits.  If you have any questions you may contact the Office of Human Resources at 718 390-3187.  Eligibility requirements and detailed descriptions may be found in the employee handbook and the individual plan documents.