Staff members in Human Resources are available to interpret fringe benefits and assist in the enrollment process. Faculty members will be provided with details of the fringe benefit programs at the time of employment or during orientation for new faculty. Faculty who have questions concerning fringe benefits should direct them to the Office of Human Resources.
4.12.01 Phased Retirement-Program
The University of North Carolina Phased Retirement Program is designed to provide an opportunity for eligible full-time tenured faculty members to make an orderly transition to retirement through half-time service. The goals of the Program are to promote renewal of the professoriate in order to ensure institutional vitality and to provide additional flexibility and support for individual faculty members who are nearing retirement. The Program is entirely voluntary and will be entered into by a written agreement between an Eligible Faculty Member and Western Carolina University. The Program is designed to accommodate a maximum three-year period for the employee.
4.12.02 Retirement System: Mandatory Program
In addition to the Federal Social Security Program (FICA), Western Carolina University faculty must contribute to either the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System (TSERS) or the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) through Fidelity Investments, Lincoln Life Insurance Company, TIAA-CREF, or VALIC. The employee is required to contribute six percent of gross salary each month. The selection of a retirement program is a lifetime election and cannot be changed at a later date. Employees are fully vested after five years of contributing membership. The TSERS is a defined benefit plan and the ORP is a defined contribution plan.
For faculty participating in the TSERS, the university contributes a percentage of the employee's salary to the Retirement System Pension Fund, the Retiree Health Plan Reserve, the Disability Income Fund, and the Death Benefit Trust Fund. For faculty participating in the ORP, the university contributes a percentage of the employee's salary directly to the employee's ORP account, the Retiree Health Plan Reserve, and the Disability Income Fund. These percentages are established by the legislature during each legislative session and are subject to change annually.
Faculty who have questions concerning these retirement program options should contact the Office of Human Resources.
4.12.03 Disability Income Plan of North Carolina
The State of North Carolina makes available the Disability Income Plan (DIP) of North Carolina for employees who participate in either the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System (TSERS) or the Optional Retirement Program (ORP). The DIP provides partial replacement income for eligible employees who become temporarily or permanently disabled for the performance of their regular job duties. After one year of contributing membership in the TSERS or ORP (earned within 36 calendar months preceding disability), an employee is automatically eligible for coverage under the Short-Term Disability Benefit. Benefits are payable after the conclusion of a 60 continuous calendar-day waiting period following the onset of disability. After five years of contributing membership in the TSERS or ORP (earned within 96 months prior to the end of the short-term disability period), an employee becomes eligible for a Long-Term Disability Benefit. Details concerning the DIP may be obtained from the Office of Human Resources.
4.12.04 Voluntary Supplemental Disability Insurance
In addition to the State of North Carolina Disability Income Plan (DIP), the University offers voluntary supplemental disability insurance underwritten by Liberty Mutual Life Insurance Company to employees who are participants of the TSERS. Employees who are participants of the ORP are eligible to enroll in the TIAA Total Disability Benefits Plan. Both plans are designed to augment the coverage provided under the State's DIP. Details concerning voluntary supplemental disability insurance may be obtained from the Office of Human Resources.
4.12.05 Retirement System: Voluntary Program
The University makes available voluntary tax-sheltered plans for employees who may wish to provide supplemental income for their retirement years and, at the same time, reduce the amount of their current taxable income through the use of a tax-sheltered annuity. There are three different types of investment vehicles offered through the University as authorized under the Internal Revenue Service Code (IRC). These are Tax-Sheltered Annuities, authorized under Section 403(b) of The Code; the State of North Carolina Deferred Compensation Program, authorized under Section 457; and, the State of North Carolina 401(k) Plan, authorized under Section 401(k) of The Code. Under this arrangement, the employee pays state and federal income tax only on the amount of the reduced salary. Social Security deductions and contributions to either the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System or the Optional Retirement Program will continue to be based on gross salary prior to reduction. Details on voluntary tax-sheltered plans may be obtained from the Office of Human Resources.
4.12.06 Voluntary Group Life Insurance
The University makes available group life insurance, underwritten by Prudential Life Insurance Company, to eligible employees and their dependents. The purpose of this plan is to provide term life insurance coverage (which includes an accidental death and dismemberment benefit) at a reasonable cost. Voluntary individual life insurance policies are also available through Boston Mutual Life Insurance Company (offered to members of the North Carolina State Employees' Association). Details on voluntary life insurance options are available in the Office of Human Resources.
4.12.07 Health Benefits
The State Health Plan of North Carolina oversees the health benefit plan that is available to faculty, staff, retirees, and their dependents. Four plans are instituted by the State Health Plan; one Comprehensive Major Medical Plan and three Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Plans. All four plans are designed to provide health insurance protection for State employees – active and retired – and their eligible dependents. Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the Claims Processing Contractor for all four medical plans.
Details on health benefits are available in the Office of Human Resources.
4.12.08 Liability Protection
Under Article 31A of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes of North Carolina, an employee is entitled to protective assistance by the State if the individual is responsible for an alleged legal wrong attributable to conduct by the employee within the course and scope of his or her State employment.
4.12.09 State Employees' Credit Union
The State Employees' Credit Union (SECU) is a financial cooperative owned by its members and available to State employees and their families. Membership in the Credit Union may be obtained by submitting a completed and signed application for membership, together with a deposit of at least $25 to cover the purchase of at least five shares of stock.
4.12.10 NCFlex
NCFlex offers eight benefit programs to employees who are employed in permanent appointments at least half time or greater. The eight benefits programs include; a supplemental medical plan, dental plan, a Health Care Flexible Spending Account, a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, voluntary Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance, a vision care plan, a cancer insurance and a term life insurance plan. NCFlex allows an employee to contribute money on a pre-tax payroll deduction basis to an NCFlex account, file claims for eligible expenses, and be reimbursed tax-free from the employee’s account.
4.12.11 Educational Program
A waiver of tuition for faculty and staff:
1. Shall be allowed for full-time faculty of instructor rank and above, and other full-time employees of the university who hold membership in the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System or Optional Retirement Program. Tuition waivers are not applicable for temporary or part-time employees, or for any employee who is not a member of the Teacher's and State Employee's Retirement System or Optional Retirement Program.
2. Shall apply only during the period of one's normal employment. (The period of normal employment may be for a calendar year.)
3. Shall be allowed for the regular-term academic year and shall not include charges or fees for enrollment in correspondence courses, continuing education courses, extension courses, summer sessions, or other instruction principally supported by receipts from enrollees.
4. Shall be granted only to employees who meet the requirements for admission to the university and who have been duly admitted by the appropriate Office of Admissions.
5. Do not include such other charges as registration, laboratory, supplementary texts, and/or material fees which must be paid by the student. Members of the faculty and the staff of the university who enroll for a course under these regulations, shall be required to complete the full schedule of work encompassed in their normal employment obligations.
Tuition waivers are not applicable for temporary or part-time employees, or for any employee who is not a member of the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System or Optional Retirement Plan.
Each applicant for tuition waiver must complete and submit through regular administrative channels, a "Request for Full-Time Faculty and Staff Enrollment in Course" form. These forms are available in the office of the department heads.
Enrollment requests should be cleared as follows: faculty members--provost; staff members--appropriate vice chancellor for the unit in which the staff member works. For staff in units that do not report to a vice chancellor, the assistant to the chancellor will provide this review.
This page is maintained by Nancy Carden in the
Office of the Provost.
Last updated: 8/9/2005.
Copyright 2005 by Western Carolina University.