Most up to date information can be found in Employee Benefits section within the WVSOM employee handbook
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As an employee of the state of West Virginia, an extensive array of benefits is available to the employee and the employee’s dependents. These benefits significantly increase the value of the employee’s total compensation and provide for an enhanced working environment. Benefits include, but are not limited to: comprehensive health insurance, life insurance, paid leave for vacation and holidays, paid sick leave, and retirement. In addition, employees have the opportunity to participate in a variety of optional health benefit plans, insurance programs, and monetary savings plans.
The information contained herein is designed to provide employees with a brief overview of the provided and optional benefits. This information is not intended to answer every possible question, but to give the employee an idea of what is available and how these programs work. WVSOM is not responsible for any action taken or harm caused to the employee because the information contained herein was too vague, incomplete, incorrect, or changed after the time this document was written or updated. Detailed information on each benefit and the necessary enrollment forms are available in the WVSOM Office of Business Affairs/Payroll Office. Proper enrollment is the responsibility of each employee.
All employee benefits are offered to WVSOM employees by the state of West Virginia and are subject to control and changes by the state of West Virginia.
WVSOM strives to provide full-time regular employees with as many options as possible to maximize their retirement savings opportunities. Employees participate in a tax-sheltered program and both the employee and the employer contribute 6 percent of the employee’s gross pay (automatically deducted each pay period) into the plan. Employees choose their own investment options from a variety of accounts including mutual fund programs. Members are vested immediately.
To build even higher income for retirement years, employees can make additional contributions to the supplemental retirement plans. Supplemental tax sheltering is available up to the maximum allowed under federal tax guidelines through two additional programs.
Employees may change allocations and transfers between certain accounts when they choose. This is a defined contribution plan. Retirement benefits are based on the funds that have accumulated in the account (not the years of employment) at the time of retirement.
The Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) offers multiple health insurance plans to full-time regular employees which include benefits for hospital, surgical, major medical, prescriptions, and other medical expenses. Premiums, copayments, and out-of-pocket payment maximums are based on the employee’s salary and the type of coverage (plan A, B, C etc.) chosen. For qualified employees, health insurance coverage begins on the first day of the month following employment with the completion and submission of the required forms. Employees can make changes to their coverage during PEIA’s open enrollment period and/or when they experience a qualifying event. Changes to an employee’s PEIA coverage must be submitted within the time frame stipulated by PEIA.
WV Public Employee Insurance Agency (PEIA)
Life insurance is available to eligible employees and their dependents. Benefit choices include basic life insurance, optional life insurance, and optional dependent life insurance.
Basic life insurance for full-time regular employees is offered to all employees at no additional cost and is offered even if the employee does not choose health insurance through PEIA. The insurance benefit currently totals $10,000 ($20,000 in case of accidental death) for each participant, until an employee reaches a certain age. Currently, when an employee reaches the age of 65 the insurance benefit incrementally decreases as the employee ages. Employees who decline the life insurance but later decide to accept the life insurance are subject to underwriting and may be declined.
One may elect to be covered at his/her expense by an additional optional amount of term life insurance. These additional amounts also double if the death is accidental. The employee may also choose to cover his/her spouse with additional optional life insurance coverage of $5,000 - $40,000 and/or eligible dependent children for $2,000 - $10,000 of optional coverage. The purchase of life insurance coverage is subject to approval and may require medical documentation.
Mountaineer Flexible Benefits is an additional benefits program which allows tax-free deductions for supplemental insurance plans. These options are available to eligible, active employees. They may be continued upon retirement, but may not be continued if the employee resigns or is terminated. Enrollment is upon hire and then once each year during April and May. Once enrolled, the plan is binding for a one-year period unless the employee experiences a significant change in family status.
The options currently include:
COBRA requires that most employers sponsoring group health plans offer employees and their eligible dependents the opportunity for a temporary extension of health care coverage at group rates in certain instances where coverage would otherwise end. If an employee is covered under WVPEIA, he/she has the right to choose this continuation coverage if coverage is lost and criteria related to this act are met. The employee should contact the WVSOM Office of Business Affairs/Payroll Office on rights and obligations under this act and may also request a copy of the Statement of Rights to Continue Coverage. COBRA coverage requires the former or non-covered employee to pay the premium for continued insurance coverage. An employee may request information on the amount of premium necessary to continue his/her coverage from the WVSOM Office of Business Affairs/Payroll Office. The employee must understand that COBRA benefits can only be offered for a limited amount of time.
The State Credit Union is a West Virginia, member owned, not-for-profit, financial organization available to the employees of WVSOM and is located in Charleston, WV. The purpose of the credit union is to promote saving and to provide low cost loans and services to its members. This benefit may be continued upon retirement from the school.
WV State Credit Union
All employees must contribute to Social Security. These funds are matched by WVSOM. The benefits provided are determined by federal law.
Worker’s Compensation Insurance helps protect employees against financial loss resulting from on-the job injuries or death caused by certain work related injuries. Worker’s Compensation may pay claims involving medical, hospital and related bills; disability; loss of body limbs, such as an arm or leg; and some dependent benefits. WVSOM pays for Worker’s Compensation Insurance for each employee.
On-the-job injuries must be reported to the Office of Human Resources as soon as possible after they occur. The employee shall submit a written incident report to his/her supervisor or his/her designee within 24 hours after the injury occurs. All accidents must be reported, regardless of whether they result in a Worker’s Compensation claim. Each supervisor is responsible for providing the forms to the Human Resources Office. Incident Report Forms and Workers’ Compensation claim forms are available at the Office of Human Resources. Failure to submit an incident report form within 24 hours after the injury occurs may prevent an injured employee’s ability to collect Workers’ Compensation benefits. The time period to file a claim begins from the time of injury, not the time of first medical treatment. Accordingly, filing a Workers’ Compensation claim form for all work related injuries is imperative to protecting the employee’s right to collect Workers’ Compensation benefits.
WVSOM encourages employees to be lifelong learners and has developed an excellent program which provides opportunities for qualified staff to enhance professional knowledge or skills and to improve WVSOM Employee Handbook 2019 18 academic credentials. Staff approved for this program may receive both supplemental funding for costs and tuition plus release time without pay from work.
Requests for educational development funding will be processed by the Educational Development Committee. Supporting documentation must be provided by staff. Educational development funds are separate and distinct from professional development funds. In addition to funding from this source, some tuition waivers at local educational institutions are made available to staff each year. Guidelines and application materials for this program are available online on the Human Resources webpage or by request to the Office of Human Resources.
Leave without pay for continuing education may be provided to employees under certain conditions. When these conditions are met, eligible employees may be released from work to attend classes during normal work hours. The request must be in writing with supporting documentation provided and must be approved by the immediate supervisor and the Office of Human Resources. This time shall not exceed three hours per week and shall not result in a negative impact on the quantity and quality of the work performed. If an employee takes more than three hours of academic courses per term during regular working hours, educational release time may be granted; however, the employee would be required to work the number of hours necessary to make up the hours missed beyond the 3-hour limit.
Only full-time regular employees are eligible for leave without pay to attend classes, not to exceed three hours per week.
In order to be granted educational release time, an employee must have been employed in his/her current position for at least 6 calendar months prior to the beginning of the term in which he/she seeks admission.
The employee may not be on probation or in an improvement period to be eligible for educational release time.
Employees must present evidence of completion of the course work to his/her supervisor at the end of each semester. Failure to provide evidence of completion may impact future approvals for educational release time.
Before the semester in which the class is to be taken, each employee is required to provide his/her supervisor a written request for unpaid educational release time. The supervisor shall then approve or disapprove the release and provide for the requesting employee a written statement of the decision. All requests for unpaid educational release time shall be submitted to the Office of Human Resources by the supervisor. Employees utilizing unpaid educational release time must submit this time through WVSOM’s payroll system.
During emergencies or overtime work situations the employee must work as assigned regardless of previously approved educational release time.
Employees may park in all campus spaces with the exception of those designated for visitors, patients, emergency vehicles, or those otherwise designated by WVSOM. Parking in restricted spaces may result in towing, fines, and/or loss of parking privileges.
There is no fee for parking; however, each employee is required to obtain a parking decal and to display it in the appropriate location on his/her vehicle(s) at all times. New employees will be provided a decal during orientation, and may request more than one. Replacement decals are available from the WVSOM Office of Business Affairs/Maintenance Department.
Vehicles parked in spaces designated for disabled persons must display the proper state issued disability tag or plate. Parking in these spaces without the proper tag or plate may result in towing, fines, and/or loss of parking privileges.
WVSOM offers a wide range of health and wellness services to employees to promote their well-being. These services include community engagement opportunities, a fitness facility, and Human Resources programs related to health and wellness. The mental and physical health and well-being of employees is vital to the success of WVSOM and is necessary to maintain safety and high standards of education and health care. WVSOM is committed to fostering health and wellness in the work and educational environment and ensuring accreditation standards and procedures related to health and wellness, as set by the American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, are met.
This commitment will be accomplished through the WVSOM Wellness Committee. The Assistant Dean for Student Affairs serves as the administrator responsible for overseeing the WVSOM Wellness Committee. The Assistant Dean for Student Affairs in conjunction with the WVSOM Wellness Committee develops plans, procedures, and regulations necessary to carry out WVSOM’s program and evaluate the operations of the institution at regular intervals to assure their conformity with this objective.
All current employees and their significant others/spouses are eligible to use the WVSOM Founders Activities Center in accordance with policies and procedures specific to the Founders Activities Center. The Founders Activities Center has a full size gymnasium, indoor running track, free weights, and state-of-the-art aerobic and cardio machines.
Additionally, WVSOM has a parade ground for outdoor activities, the WVSOM Park, and the employee lounge that are all available at no charge. The park is open to the public.
All employees and their guests are expected to use common courtesy at all times when using WVSOM facilities. This includes proper disposal of all trash, proper attire, acceptable language, and conformity with WVSOM policies and practices. Use of the WVSOM recreational and fitness facilities is a privilege not a right and may be restricted or terminated for failure to abide by appropriate policies and procedures.
Additionally, WVSOM has a parade ground for outdoor activities, the WVSOM Park, and the employee lounge. All of these are available at no charge, but a PROX/ID card is required for entry into the Founder’s Activities Center and the employee lounge. The park is open to the public.
All employees and their guests are expected to use common courtesy at all times when using WVSOM facilities. This includes proper disposal of all trash, proper attire, and use of acceptable language. Use of the WVSOM recreational and fitness facilities is a privilege not a right and can be restricted or terminated for failure to abide by appropriate policies and procedures.
WVSOM is a state institution. Use of alcoholic beverages on campus is limited and must be approved in advance by the President. Excessive alcohol consumption by any person on the campus of WVSOM or at a WVSOM sponsored event will not be tolerated.
Employees have complimentary access to all services of the library including the public access computers. There are student conference rooms, a 24/7 study area, study rooms and a computer lab that are designated for students, residents, and employee training. Access to these areas may be granted to employees under special circumstances. Use of these student areas is at the discretion of the Library Director and must be scheduled in advance.