Benefits
|
- 1. Q. How long do I have to sign up for Benefits after I am hired?
- A. You have 31 days from your Benefits Eligible Appointment Date to sign up for benefits.
|
- 2. Q. I have gone from being 40% appointed to 75% appointed, am I eligible for benefits?
- A. Yes, once you are at least 50% appointed in a benefits eligible position you are benefits eligible.
|
- 3. Q. Am I required to attend the Benefit Enrollment Meeting?
- A. Yes, you are required as a condition of employment to attend the Benefit Enrollment Meeting. To attend, contact Human Resource Services at (501)569-3180.
|
- 4. Q. Do I need to notify anyone in Benefits if I plan to go from a 9 month position to a 12 month position or vice versa and if so, why?
- A. No. A Personnel Action Form (PAF) is received in Human Resource Services of all employee changes in classification, salary, etc. Appropriate benefit changes will be made in accordance to changes listed on the PAF.
|
- 5. Q. How long are my children eligible for benefit coverage?
- A. Eligible dependents are your lawful spouse, unmarried dependent children from birth until they attain age 19, and from 19 until they attain age 25 if they are full-time students in an accredited university, college, or trade school.
|
- 6. Q. We just had a new baby, do we wait until we get the social security card to add the baby to benefits (i.e., medical, dental, life insurance, etc.)
- A. No, do not wait till you receive the Social Security Card. Notify Human Resource Services as soon as your child is born. You only have 31 days from the baby's birth to add her or him to your benefit coverage through Human Resource Services.
|
- 7. Q. My son/daughter will turn 25 next month, when do I take him/her off my insurance?
- A. You must remove your ineligible dependent from the plan within 31 days of their 25th birthday. You may complete the required paperwork prior to the event. Please contact Human Resource Services
|
- 8. Q. I have recently married. What do I have to do to change benefits?
- A. To add a spouse to the health/dental and life insurance plan, you must complete the necessary enrollment/change form within 31 days of marriage. The coverage will be effective the first of the following month you notify our office. To change beneficiaries on life insurance and/or retirements, contact Human Resource Services for the appropriate form.
|
- 9. Q. What effect does having my premiums taken out before or after taxes have on my choice to drop medical/dental coverage?
- A. If you have your health/dental insurance premiums taken out of your paycheck before taxes, you may ONLY make changes to your coverage when you have a Qualifying Life Event. If you elect to pay your health/dental insurance premiums on an after tax basis you may terminate a dependent or your full coverage at any time during the calendar year. You may NOT add dependents without a Qualifying Life Event regardless of your pre-tax/after-tax premium coverage level.
|
- 10. Q. I am in the process of adopting a child; do I have to wait until the adoption is completed? If so how long do I wait and what documentation do I bring with me?
- A. No, you do not have to wait until the adoption is complete. Children pending adoption may be added when a petition for adoption has been filed - or - when the final court order has been issued. In order to add an adopted child to your health/dental coverage, you must bring a copy of the documents placing the child in your home for adoption and complete a QualChoice enrollment form within 31 days of the child being placed in your home for adoption.
|
- 11. Q. How do I get new Medical and Pharmacy Cards?
- A. Insurance cards for medical, dental and pharmacy insurance are mailed to your home address once your completed enrollment form is received by QualChoice and Delta Dental.
|
- 12. Q. Where do I find a list of physicians?
- A. You will find a list of the participating physicians for the QualChoice POS and Classic Plan on the QualChoice's Web page (http://www.qcark.com/). You may also find a copy in Human Resource Services.
|
- 13. Q. What happens to my insurance when I leave employment at UALR? Can it be continued?
- A. If you leave UALR and have health/dental insurance, you may be eligible to continue your coverage under COBRA.
|
- 14. Q. What do I do when QualChoice claims are denied?
- A. The first thing to do is contact QualChoice and find out why. QualChoice will be able to instruct you on the best way to rectify the problem or discuss ways to appeal the decision. Contact Human Resource Services if you are unable to get your claims problem resolved after contacting QualChoice.
|
- 15. Q. When does my new PCP become effective?
- A. PCP change becomes effective the 1st of the following month as long as the completed PCP Change form has been received at QualChoice by the 25th of the month. PCP change forms can be faxed or mailed directly to QualChoice.
|
- 16. Q. Do I have to choose an option on the Point of Service plan?
- A. No, you do not have to choose an option under the Point of Service Plan. Your coverage/option level is determined at the time the health care is accessed. See Point of Service Plan descriptions
|
- 17. Q. Is there a change in my premiums if I am still actively employed and turn 65?
- A. No, there is no change to your premiums while you are an active employee.
|
- 18. Q. What happens to my health coverage, as a retiree, when I or my spouse turn 65?
- A. When a retiree and/or their spouse turn 65 the UA health coverage automatically becomes secondary to Medicare. Premiums will also change accordingly.
|
|
|
Retirement
|
- 1. Q. Where do I change my allocations?
- A. You must contact your retirement company directly to make any changes to where your contributions are allocated. Fidelity Investments 1-800-343-0860 TIAA-CREF 1-800-842-2776
|
- 2. Q. How often can I change the amount I contribute to my retirement plan?
- A. You may change your contributions to your retirement plan at any time by filling out a Salary Reduction/Deduction Agreement and submitting it to Human Resource Services. All contribution changes to your retirement plan are effective the first of the following month from which they are received.
|
- 3. Q. When do I become vested?
- A. All of a participant's contributions are immediately vested. Contributions by the University for all non-classified employees (including faculty members) are immediately vested. For all other employees, all plan contributions made by the University are vested at the earliest of :
- completion of three years of services;
- attainment of age 65, or
- the end of six consecutive months during which the participant contributed at least 5% of regular salary.
|
- 4. Q. What happens if I terminate employment before retirement?
- A. If you are "vested" you may leave your money in your retirement contracts or begin receiving distributions under any of the available distribution options. If you are "not vested," your accumulation attributable to the University's contribution is forfeited to the University.
|
- 5. Q. Who do I contact for loans? How do I go about requesting the necessary paper work?
- A. To request a loan from your UA retirement account, you must first contact your chosen retirement company and request a loan application.
- Once you have requested the loan, you or your retirement company must forward the request to Human Resource Services for an authorization signature or return the application to the appropriate vendor for processing.
|
- 6. Q. How do I choose which vendor is best for me? Who do I talk to about helping me choose the right investments for me?
- A. Research, research ,research. Both TIAA-CREF and Fidelity have a variety of information resources available to you. You may contact both retirement companies by phone, on line and also schedule individual counseling sessions.
|
- 7. Q. How much does the U of A contribute for me?
- A. The University will contribute an amount equal to 5% of your regular salary whether or not you contribute. If you do elect to contribute to the Plan, the University will make additional contributions of regular salary, equal to your contributions, not exceeding 10%.
|
|
|
General
|
- 1. Q. If an employee did not receive an expected pay check, what action can be taken?
- A. First, make sure a PAF was done by the hiring department. Next contact the Cashier Office(569-3139), then Payroll Office(569-3136), and finally contact HRS(569-3180).
|
- 2. Q. I am an employee and would like my name changed. What must I do?
- A. Get a social security card or letter from the Social Security Office (Little Rock Federal Building) with the new name on it and your SSN. Bring this to Human Resource Services.
|
- 3. Q. An employee's check is going to the wrong department/organiztion. How do I get it changed to the correct organization?
- A. Contact Human Resource Services and request the organization be changed.
|
|
|
