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Medical Plans (State Health Benefits Program):

NJIT offers a variety of medical plans provided through the state of New Jersey and governed by the rules and regulations of the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP). Plans are administered by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and include Preferred Provider Organization(PPO), Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), and High Deductible Heath Plan (HDHP). Premium costs will vary depending on your employment status. Full Time employees must contribute a percentage of the premium based on their salary and plan selection, the cost can be determined using the Horizon Calculator. Part time employees are responsible for the full cost of the plan. More Information can be found here.

• Eligibility to Enroll
  • Full-time employees on a 12-month appointment or 10-month Academic Year employees.  
  • Employee that work a minimum of 35 hours per week or .88 full time equivalent (FTE) for faculty hired after 5/21/2010.
  • Part-time staff members who are enrolled in a pension plan
• Eligible Dependents Include:
  • Legal spouse
  • Same-sex domestic partner or civil union partner
  • Children (including stepchildren, foster children, adopted children or children an employee is legally required to support)
  • Dependent children with disabilities

Note that multiple enrollments are not accepted. Individuals may belong to an NJIT provided SHBP medical plan and/or dental as either an employee or a dependent, but not both; meaning, an individual can not be on two separate medical plans. Additionally, two state employees cannot both cover the same children.

HIPAA Notice: The Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 requires group health plans to implement several provisions contained within the law and notify its membership of any provisions for which they file an extension

Additional Health Benefits:

Prescription Drug Plan: Bundled with your selection of medical health plans is a ) a prescription drug benefit administered by OPTUM Rx.  Employees may elect from retail pharmacy and mail order services.

Dental Coverage: Two types of dental plan options are offered to employees, DEP (Dental Expense Plan), similar to a PPO and Dental Maintenance Organizations (DPO/DMO?). .  The NJ Division of Pensions and Benefits requires participants to remain in the dental plan they select for 12-months from the benefit enrollment date before making changes or canceling coverage.  Plans are offered by multiple providers. If you do not enroll in a dental plan when first eligible, you must wait to enroll during the Open Enrollment.  Once enrolled, you must remain in the plan one full year before changing to another dental plan.

Vision Care Benefits: Employees and their eligible dependents are enrolled in NJIT’s health plans are enrolled in the vision plan provided by National Vision Administrators (NVA), at no additional cost. 

Please refer to your specific bargaining unit for eligibility.

Coverage:

Coverage date is dependant on employee type.  For 10-month employees with a September 1st start date, coverage is effective on September 1st. For all other employees, coverage will begin after two months of continuous employment. If an employee or eligible dependents are not enrolled within 60 days of the time they first become eligible for coverage, the employee must wait until the next annual Open Enrollment period to do so.

Open Enrollment:

The NJ State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) has designated the month of October as the annual Open Enrollment period. All changes made during Open Enrollment will be effective January 1st of the following year.  Special Open Enrollment Periods are occasionally conducted due to  changes that occur during the plan year that impact employees’ coverage cost. .

When Coverage Ends

• Academic Year, 10-month employees continue coverage through the summer.  
• Employees who separate or terminate  will continue coverage until the end of that month. Adult children dependent coverage ends December 31st of the calendar year in which the individual reaches age 26.
• Termination due to a member’s death always takes effect on the first of the month following the member's date of death.

COBRA

The federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) of 1985 requires that most employers sponsoring group health plans offer employees and their eligible dependents the opportunity to temporarily extend their group health coverage in certain instances where coverage under the plan would otherwise end. 

For SHBP participants, COBRA is not a separate health program; it is a continuation of SHBP coverage under the provisions of the federal law.

Flexible Spending Accounts ( Tax$Ave )

A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is a pre-tax, self-funded account to pay for anticipated eligible medical services and supplies and dependent care expenses that are normally not covered by your insurance. You can choose from Unreimbursed Medical Expense FSA, Dependent Care FSA, or both.  With either FSA, you benefit from having less taxable income.  FSA selection must be done during the open enrollment period. 

How to Enroll: 

• Complete an Enrollment form and fax it to WageWorks at 866-672-4780 (https://www.wageworks.com/) or 
• Visit www.wageworks.com and select “Login/Register”. You’ll need to verify your employee status, confirm your contact information, and create a username and password. 
• New employees may enroll during their initial enrollment period when hired. All other eligible employees must enroll during Open Enrollment
• New employees who enroll in the Unreimbursed Medical Spending Account may file claims beginning the first of the month after an initial 60-day waiting period
• New employees who enroll in the Dependent Care Spending Account may file claims beginning the first of the month after an initial 30-day waiting period

The Open Enrollment Period for the Flexible Spending Account is October 1st to October 31st.  All changes made during the month of October become effective January 1.

Please access the HR Department webpage at https://hr.njit.edu/health-benefits for more detailed information on available Health plans.

Statutory Short-Term Disability

Under the NJ Temporary Disability Benefits Law, State administered compensation is payable when an individual cannot work because of sickness or injury NOT caused by the job.

Employees who will be out of work must request a formal leave of absence, and their sick leave banks will be charged for absences as a result of such disability, which may also qualify as Family or Medical Leave. See the Leave of Absence sections of this handbook for more information or visit Human Resources site by clicking here.

Long-Term Disability

Full-time employees who are vested members of an Alternate Benefit Program are automatically enrolled in the Long-Term Disability plan, which is administered by the Prudential Insurance Company.  Employees enrolled in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) Tiers 4 & 5 are also eligible for Long Term disability.

Employees who will be out of work must also request a formal leave of absence. See the Leave of Absence sections of this handbook for more information visit Human Resource site by clicking here.

Accommodation of Individuals with Disabilities

The university will make reasonable accommodations for the physical or mental disabilities of an otherwise qualified employee, as required by law.   

Requesting Reasonable Accommodation

Through a medical referral you should provide all the information your employer will need to begin the accommodation process, including what your disability is, how it affects you, which aspects of your job might require modification, and proposed accommodations. 

Here’s a checklist to include in your medical referral:

• Name & position
• Date of request
• Information about your disability
• Request for reasonable accommodation
• Completed Forms by your doctor
• You may attach additional medical information in support of your request describing your condition and limitations

NOTE: You may be asked to provide additional information as it relates to your ability to perform the essential functions of your job with or without reasonable accommodation

Reasonable Accommodation Policy

For further information pertaining to accommodating individuals with disabilities, please contact Human Resources at 973-596-3140 or benefits@njit.edu. Review our Reasonable Accommodation policy.

Workers’ Compensation covers medical expenses, and lost time due to job related injuries and illnesses.  Coverage is automatic and immediate.  There is no qualifying period or wage requirements protection begins the first day that you are on the job.  All bills for work injuries and illnesses will be paid directly by the claims administrator.

If you are injured on the job, report the incident immediately to your Supervisor and the Department of Human Resources within 24 hours. Failure to follow university procedures may affect your ability to receive Workers Compensation benefits.

If a leave of absence occurs and is authorized by the Workers Compensation doctor, employees will be paid 100% of their salary with 30% of the absence charged to their sick leave.  If an employee does not have adequate sick leave, they will be paid 70% of salary, with no debiting of their sick leave bank.

Family and Medical Leave

Employees may be entitled to a leave of absence under the University Family and Medical Leave Policy which incorporates both State and Federal Family Leave provisions. NJIT’s Family Leave Policy is available on the NJIT policy page.  To view or download the policy please click here. 

The Family Medical Leave Policy provides the following job protected leave benefits to eligible employees:

• Up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for an enabling event
• Ability to maintain existing medical benefits. After 90 days, coverage is self funded. 

Leave of absence under FMLA can be taken for:

• Birth & child care of an employee’s biological child during the first year of life.
• Adoption or foster care placement.
• Serious illness or health related, disabling condition of spouse, civil union partner, domestic partner, children or parents.
• Serious illness or health-related, work disabling condition of the employee.

Employees must have 12 months of service with NJIT and must have worked at least 1,250 (if leave is for their own health condition) or 1,000 (if leave is for a family member) hours in the previous 12-month period in order to be eligible for FMLA.

INCLUDE NJFLA

Military FMLA

 An eligible employee who is the spouse, child, parent or next of kin of a member of the armed forces, inclusive of national guard or reserves is eligible for up to 26 work weeks of family leave in a 12-month period to care for such person while they  undergo medical treatment or therapy on an in or outpatient basis or is on temporary disability for a service illness or injury. 

If you have any questions regarding FMLA please contact the Department of Human Resources at (973) 596-3140.

Military Leave

If you are called into active military service or you enlist in the uniformed services, you will be eligible to receive an unpaid military leave of absence. You must provide management with advance notice of your service obligations unless you are prevented from providing such notice by military necessity or it is otherwise impossible or unreasonable for you to provide such notice. Provided your absence does not exceed applicable statutory limitations, you will retain reemployment rights and accrue seniority and benefits in accordance with applicable federal and state laws. 

If you are required to attend yearly Reserves or National Guard duty, you can apply for an unpaid temporary military leave of absence not to exceed the number of days allowed by law (including travel). You should give management as much advance notice of your need for military leave as possible so that we can maintain proper coverage while you are away.

Unpaid Extraordinary Leave  

In extraordinary circumstances where an employee has exhausted all leave options, they may apply for an Unpaid Extraordinary Leave. The terms of this leave are individualized and it is not a scheduled or programmed benefit. For more information, refer to your collective bargaining agreement. Non-aligned staff can view the policy here. 

Holidays

Non-Aligned Employees:

Full-time employees will be paid for the following holidays:

• New Year's Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Good Friday
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth (3rd Friday of June)
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Day after Thanksgiving 
• Christmas Day
• Winter Break (December 26th-December 31st)
   

When holidays fall on or are celebrated on a regular work day, eligible employees will be excused from reporting to work and receive that day as a paid holiday at their regular straight-time rate. 

Represented Employees:

Each collective bargaining agreement contains its own negotiated rules pertaining to paid Holidays, and holidays may differ according to the collective bargaining agreement. All agreements can be viewed here. 

Vacation

Everyone is deserved their time off to recharge and we encourage all employees to utilize the time they are provided so they can bring their best selves to our community.  Every effort will be made to grant your vacation preference, consistent with our operating schedule and subject to the university’s business needs. If too many people request the same period of time off, or there is a legitimate business need for coverage, the university reserves the right to deny vacation or choose who may take vacation during that period. This may include your supervisor to hold blackout dates for the department.  Vacation requests should be submitted to your manager as far in advance as possible of your requested vacation dates. 

Non-aligned employees: Refer to the university’s Non-Aligned Vacation Policy, available online by clicking here.

Represented Employees: Refer to your collective bargaining agreement for further information concerning vacation leave benefits. All agreements can be viewed here. 

Sick Leave

Non-aligned employees: If you will be out of work due to illness, you must call in and/or notify your supervisor no later than the normal beginning of your shift.  Paid sick leave accrues at a rate of 4.04 hours per paycheck (15 days per year). Sick leave accumulates throughout your NJIT employment, with no cap.  Unused sick leave is not paid out upon separation from university employment, with the sole exception that staff who have filed for retirement with the State of New Jersey may receive half the value of their accumulated but unused sick leave up to a maximum of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00). All non-aligned employees may review the policy available online by clicking here.

Represented Employees: If you will be out of work due to illness, you must call in and notify your supervisor in accordance with the parameters set forth in your collective bargaining agreement. Refer to your collective bargaining agreement for further information concerning paid sick leave. 

You may be required to provide a doctor's note after being out sick. Generally, if you are absent five or more consecutive working days, you should present a physician’s statement that validates the nature of your illness or injury.  If you suffer from a serious illness, you may be eligible for Family Leave. You may also be required to present a physician’s statement after being absent if your supervisor reasonably suspects abuse of the Sick Leave Policy. Copies of any medical validations should be forwarded to the Department of Human Resources. Consult your collective bargaining agreement for specific guidelines regarding the medical validation of Sick Leave.   

Personal/Administrative Days

Non-aligned employees: Full time employees receive three (3) personal/administrative days per year.  Request for administrative leave must be requested and approved in advance, except in the case of emergencies, and will not be arbitrarily denied. Such leave may be used for religious observance or days of celebration, personal affairs, or emergencies.  If these days are not used by the end of the fiscal year, they are forfeited. Personal days do not accrue.

Represented Employees: Refer to your collective bargaining agreement for further information concerning personal time.

Lactation Breaks

The university will provide a reasonable amount of break time to accommodate an employee desiring to express breast milk for the employee's infant child, in accordance with and to the extent required by applicable law. The break time, if possible, should run concurrently with rest and meal periods already provided to the employee. The university has a Lactation Lounge on the fourth floor of Fenster Hall, Room 427.  See the Department of Human Resources for access to the Lactation Lounge.

Bereavement Days

Non-aligned employees: Employees may use personal days or vacation days for this purpose. All non-aligned employees may review the bereavement policy available online by clicking here.

Represented Employees: Refer to your collective bargaining agreement for further information concerning bereavement leave.

Jury Duty Leave

NJIT recognizes that it is the obligation of all U.S. citizens to serve on a jury when summoned.. All employees will be allowed time off to perform such civic service as required by law. It is required to provide the university with proper notice and documentation of your  jury duty summons. It is  expected for you to keep management informed of the anticipated length of your jury duty service. If you are excused by the court, you are to report to work for the remainder of the day.

Employees on jury duty leave will be paid their NJIT salary for their jury duty service. Employees must surrender any pay received for Jury Duty to the Department of Human Resources. Please consult your collective bargaining unit agreement for further information.

 Retirement Plans

There are varying retirement plans available based on your union or represented group. 

Alternate Benefit Program (ABP)

A tax-sheltered, defined contribution retirement program for higher education faculty and certain administrators. This plan is mandatory for certain collective bargaining units and Non-aligned staff. The ABP provides retirement benefits, long term disability coverage, retirement loans and life insurance administered by Prudential. NJIT contributes 8%  and requires the employee to contribute 5% of their salary, the employee's contribution percent is fixed. Note that  employees holding "F" or "J" visas are not eligible to enroll. For more information, please go to the ABP Plan page on the HR website at https://hr.njit.edu/alternate-benefit-program-abp

Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS)

A defined benefit plan administered by the NJ Division of Pensions and Benefits where retirement benefits are based on age, salary & years of service credit. Employees contribute a percentage of their base salary to the plan, currently 7.5%, this is subject to change. The PERS plan provides retirement benefits, long term disability coverage (eligibility based on your tier), pension loans. Note employee with a “F” or “J: visa is not eligible to participate in PERS. For more information, please go to the PERS page on the HR website at https://hr.njit.edu/public-employees-retirement-system-pers

Police and Fireman's Retirement System (PFRS)

A defined benefit plan administered by NJ Division of Pensions and Benefits required for permanent, full-time employees appointed to positions in law enforcement or firefighting in the State of New Jersey. The PFRS plan provides retirement benefits, long term disability coverage (eligibility based on your tier), pension loans. Eligibility is based on job title, age, health and successful completion of an approved training course. Note that  employees holding "F" or "J" visas are not eligible to enroll. For more information, please go to the PFRS page on the HR website at https://hr.njit.edu/police-firemens-retirement-system-pfrs

Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP)

The Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) provides eligible members with a tax-sheltered, defined contribution retirement benefit, along with life insurance and long term disability coverage. To be eligible for this plan, you must work less the 35 hours, earn more than $5000 annually, and you are not eligible for any of the above offered plans. NJIt's contribution is 3% of base salary, and the employees contribution is 5.5% of gross pay. Employer contributions are subject to a one year delayed vesting. Enrollment is through the Human Resources Office. 

Additional voluntary tax deferred annuity plans are available including 403(b), 457 and Roth IRA - (ABP members only) - more information can be found here.