TAP No. 12: Benefits — DUFlex Insurance 

Scope

This policy applies to all Full Time University employees.

Purpose

To provide eligible employees health and welfare benefits on a pre-tax basis.

The DUFlex Benefit Plan is a flexible benefit plan that allows employees to take advantage of federal tax regulations with the before tax purchase of certain benefits which lowers taxable income, thereby saving on income tax as well as Social Security taxes.

I. Overview

The University offers eligible full-time employees, as defined in TAP #3, Classification of all University Employees, and visiting faculty appointed for one academic year, a Benefits Plan, which is classified as a Section 125 (IRS Code) "Cafeteria Style Plan." This plan consists of a variety of choices for individual or dependent coverage in areas, such as medical coverage, life insurance, dental coverage, vision plan, long term disability, vacation, and spending accounts. The types of benefits offered may change from year to year depending on a number of reasons, such as premium cost or enrollment levels, but is intended to provide the greatest amount of choice at the lowest possible cost to both the University and its employees.

Annually during an open enrollment period in advance of the new plan year, all participants are afforded the opportunity to update and change their selections under DUFlex. The choices under DUFlex will include but are not limited to: Medical Plans, Dental, Vision, Long Term Disability, Employee Voluntary Life Insurance, Dependent Life Insurance, and Vacation Purchase.

In addition, and in accordance with current tax regulations, employees will be eligible to participate in spending accounts as follows:

  1. Health Care Spending Account - Up to $2,500 per year of DUFlex credits and/or pre-tax salary may be directed into a Health Care Spending Account. This account may be used for qualified health related expenses as described in IRS publication 502 or IRS Revenue Ruling 2003-12.
  2. Dependent Care Spending - Up to $5,000 per year of DUFlex credits and/or pre-tax salary may be directed into a Dependent Care Spending Account to be used to cover child care and/or adult dependent care expenses.

II. Continuation of Coverage

  1. Employees terminating employment from the University for reasons other than retirement, defined as age 62 with 10 years continuous full-time service, will be subject to the terms and conditions of COBRA regulations and will be notified of the coverage available to them upon termination. Refer to TAP No. 2, Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Account for information regarding benefits upon retirement.
  2. Employees continuing to work beyond age 65 will have their medical and life insurance benefits continued as the same as active employees below age 65. Core life insurance, however, will reduce by 50% at age 70.
  3. Approved Sick Leave, Salary Continuance and Work or Non-Work Related Disability: DUFlex benefits may be continued for the employee (and their eligible dependents including children up to the age of 26) during approved, documented medical leave (with or without pay) on the basis of the length of continuous service with the University as indicated in the chart below. Refer to TAP No. 15, Sick Leave, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability benefits for additional information.

    Benefit premiums will continue to be deducted from regular biweekly paychecks. Eligible employees in unpaid status will have missed benefit premiums, in addition to their normal premiums, deducted over first two paychecks upon their return.
  4. Application for long-term disability benefits requires the completion and submission of claim forms to the University's long-term disability provider. Employees approved for long-term disability benefits will be responsible for payment of benefit premiums on a monthly basis.
  5. Non-payment of premiums will result in benefits being terminated the last day of the month in which payment was received. Any claims paid will require restitution.

III. Eligibility

Years of Service Benefit Period Eligible Recipient(s)
Less than 1 year of service COBRA offered after a one-month absence Employee and Eligible Dependents
1 year, but less than 5 years 6 months Employee and Eligible Dependents
5 years, but less than 10 years 1 year Employee and Eligible Dependents
10 years and over

1 year

2 years

Eligible Dependents

Employee

IV. Amendment and Termination

Duquesne University reserves the right, as its sole discretion, to amend this Plan in whole or in part at any time and from time to time, or to terminate it at any time, without advance notice pursuant to the terms of the plan document. Amendments to the plan are made by the Office of Human Resource Management with the approval of the Vice President for Management and Business. Termination of the plan must be approved by the Vice President for Management and Business and approved by the Executive Committee of the University Board of Directors.

V. Related Information

Due to the complexity of the DUFlex plan, please consult actual plan documents available on the Office of Human Resources website for detailed information.

VI. Violations

Violations of this policy will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and are subject to formal disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.

VII. History

Date of most recent revision: May 2014.

VIII. Ownership of Policy

Office of Human Resources