The Pennsylvania State Employes' Retirement System (SERS), established in 1923, is one of the nation's oldest and largest statewide retirement plans for public employes, with over 195,000 members. SERS also ranks among the top public plans in pension asset. Most permanent full-time and permanent part-time employees are required to join SERS. The Class AA member contribution rate is 6.25 percent of gross pay effective with the first payroll in January 2002. The employer's contribution rate is established after each annual actuarial valuation of the liabilities and reserve requirements of the fund. An employee becomes vested after 5 years. To obtain more information on SERS benefits or to learn more on enrollment, service purchase, and retirement planning, visit SERS Web site at http://www.sers.state.pa.us/
MEDICAL COVERAGE:
All permanent full-time and various part-time employees are members of the Pennsylvania Employees Benefit Trust Fund (PEBTF) on the employee's first day of employment. As a member of PEBTF, you are offered a great selection of medical plans from which to choose: Health Maintenance Organizations, Point of Service, and Preferred Provider Organization. Not all options are offered in every county. To learn more about the medical plans that are offered in your county, visit PEBTF's Web site at http://www.pebtf.org/.
Employees hired on or after August 1, 2003 shall be eligible to enroll in the least expensive plan in their geographic area and will contribute one percent (1.0%) of their biweekly gross salary toward health care. For the first six months of employment, these employees will receive single medical coverage in the least expensive plan with no supplemental benefits (prescription, vision, dental, or hearing aid), but may purchase dependent medical coverage; they also may purchase a more expensive plan in their area by paying the cost difference in addition to the employee contribution. Beginning with the seventh month of employment, employees and dependents will be covered for medical benefits in the least expensive plan and will have supplemental benefits. However, dependent spouses of employees hired after August 1, 2003 who are eligible for medical or supplemental benefit coverage through their own employer must take such coverage regardless of any employee share the spouse must pay and regardless whether the spouse had been offered an incentive to decline such coverage.
Effective as of the first full pay period in July 2005, all employees hired before August 1, 2003 who elect coverage will be required to pay a biweekly share toward the cost of health care in the amount of 0.5% of their biweekly gross salary. Effective in the first full pay period in January 2007, employees will contribute 1.0% of their biweekly gross salary.
Also, we offer paid health care coverage for retired employees, their spouses and dependents after 15 years of service and age 60 or 25 years of service at any age. Effective July 1, 2008 the age and service requirement for state contributions will be age 60 with at least 20 years of Commonwealth service or 25 years at any age.
An employee who retires on or after July 1, 2005 and who enrolls in the Retired Employees Health Program (REHP) will contribute 1.0% of the employee's final annual gross salary at the time of retirement from Commonwealth service toward the cost of paid REHP coverage.
MENTAL HEALTH/SUBSTANCE ABUSE:
United Behavioral Health (UBH) provides mental health and substance abuse rehabilitation treatment services, whether inpatient or outpatient. To learn more about the mental health benefits visit, http://www.pebtf.org/.
PRESCRIPTION:
A prescription program is provided for full time and various part time employees, spouses, and dependents beginning the 7th month of employment. This program is administered through National Prescription Administrators. To learn more about the prescription program, visit http://www.pebtf.org/.
VISION, DENTAL, AND HEARING AID:
Vision, dental, and hearing aid benefits are provided for full-time and various part-time employees, spouses and dependants beginning the 7th month of employment. The vision and dental programs are handled through National Vision Association and United Concordia. The hearing aid program is administered through PEBTF. To learn more about the vision, dental, and hearing aid benefits, visit http://www.pebtf.org/.
GROUP LIFE INSURANCE:
Paid life insurance is available for you after 90 days of employment. The amount of insurance is dependent upon salary. The maximum amount of term life insurance is $40,000.00. Life insurance is provided at no premium charge to you.
VACATION, PERSONAL, SICK LEAVE:
An employee earns vacation, sick, and personal leave beginning on the date of hire. Vacation accrues at a rate of 3.85% during the first three years of employment. And, sick leave accrues at a rate of 5% of all regular hours paid. A new employee will earn 10 days of vacation time and 13 days of sick time by the end of the first year. The vacation rate increases with length of service. In addition, one personal leave day is earned within the first year and then it increases to 2 personal days the second year and then 4 personal days per year, thereafter. Finally, PA Health Care Cost Containment Council does have a reciprocal agreement. This means that an employee transferring between Commonwealth agencies may transfer all accrued sick leave.
HOLIDAYS:
There are 11 holidays paid annually. Holidays occurring on Saturday are observed the preceding Friday and Sunday holidays are observed the following Monday.
STATE EMPLOYEES CREDIT UNION:
The PA State Employees Credit Union (PSECU) was established to aid State employees in saving money and provides a source of credit for loans at reasonable interest rates. PSECU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative that is fully owned and operated by its members. Because of the cooperative, nonprofit nature, loan rates are lower, savings rates are higher, and members benefit from low-cost convenient services offered. Membership in PSECU is open to all state employees and their immediate families.
STATE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:
The State Employee Assistance Program (SEAP) is designed to assist employees and family members with alcohol, drug, emotional, financial, family and other problems, which adversely affect job performance. It provides a link to community resources that offer help for these problems. Employees and family members, within the same dwelling, are encouraged to utilize these services, if needed. Information regarding an employee's problem, including referrals, shall be treated in a confidential manner.
U.S. SAVINGS BONDS:
Employees may authorize payroll deductions from their biweekly pay for U.S. savings bonds in their names or in names designated by them.
DEFERRED COMPENSATION:
Employees may participate in a deferred compensation program, which is a voluntary retirement savings program, created by federal and state law, enabling public employees to save a portion of their gross pay before federal income tax is deducted. To learn more about this program, visit their Web site at http://www.sers457.com/ or https://www.gwrs.com/gwrs/static/.
OPTIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE:
Employees may purchase short-term disability insurance, via payroll deductions, as extra protection in the event of a disability. Insurance won't prevent sickness or accidents, but it will protect your family from the financial problems, which may arise when you are unable to work.
COMPENSATION:
The Council adopts the negotiated wage increases set forth in the Master Agreement approved by the Commonwealth and AFSCME Union.
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