This is only a summary of the benefits available to faculty and staff of Armstrong.Atlantic State University. The provisions of each plan described in this document are governed by the contracts negotiated between AASU and individual insurance companies. All benefits are subject to change at the discretion of the Board of Regents and/or Armstrong Atlantic State University.

Armstrong Atlantic State University's benefit program reflects the belief that our faculty and staff are a vital part of the University. AASU offers its employees a well-balanced benefit program designed to provide protection against today's financial hazards due to sickness or injury as well as the opportunity to accumulate assets toward achieving tomorrow's financial security.

As part of our Section 125 plan, health and dental premiums; retirement, medical reimbursement account, and dependent care deductions are made before taxes are applied, increasing your take-home pay and reducing your taxable income. While the costs of providing benefits are ever increasing, the University ensures that a competitive, cost efficient benefit program is available to its employees. The following information highlights Armstrong Atlantic State University's benefit program.

Health Insurance

AASU offers its regular employees and retirees a choice of three medical plans provided by the University System of Georgia. The University System health plans are specifically designed to help employees avoid severe financial difficulty when facing catastrophic medical expenses.

The University (through state funding) contributes approximately 75% of the health insurance premium while the employee contributes approximately 25% of the premium through payroll deduction. Rates are adjusted
periodically to maintain the plans on a sound financial basis. Premiums are deducted from your payroll check
before federal, state, and FICA taxes are applied.

How do PPOs and indemnity plans differ? Learn more.

Eligible employees and retirees may choose one of 2 health insurance plans:

Indemnity

• Premium and coverage information
• Express Scripts Pharmacy Plan

PPO (Preferred Provider Organization)

• Premium and coverage information
• Express Scripts Pharmacy Plan
• Provider directory (For best success, enter the name of the area you wish to search for providers; i.e. town, city, zip)

HMO (BlueChoice) Health Maintenance Organization

• HMO summary
• Provider directory select Bluechoice Halthcare Plan (HMO)
• BlueChoice HMO

Health Plan enrollment
If you desire health insurance, you must enroll withinn 31 days of employment, or you may enroll during the annual open enrollment period for coverage to be effective the following January 1.

Changing your coverage
You may drop or change your coverage during the annual open enrollment period but at no other time during the year except when you experience an IRS approved change in family status.

Questions about the University System health insurance plans may be directed to the Human Resources Department at 912-927-5267 or to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia's dedicated customer service department at 1-800-424-8950.

Dental Plan

University System Dental Plan details

The University of Georgia offers its regular employees a voluntary indemnity dental insurance program provided by the University System of Georgia. The employee pays 100% of the monthly insurance premium and these premiums are deducted from payroll checks before federal, state, and FICA taxes are applied.

Highlights of the plan include:

• $50 annual deductible per covered person
• $1,000 annual maximum per covered person
• No waiting periods (some limitations apply)

Preventive and Diagnostic Services 100% of UCR
(no deductible) includes routine oral exam and cleaning,
limited to twice per year

Basic and Major Benefits 80% of UCR
(after deductible) includes restorative, oral surgery,
crowns, pontics, dentures, periodontics, and endodontics

Orthodontics 80% of UCR
(after deductible)
$1,000 maximum lifetime benefit

The dental plan has a national dental network to help reduce your out-of-pocket expenses. Dentists in this network have agreed to accept the UCR charges, and if you use a network dentist, you will not be billed any amount over the UCR charge. View the list of participating dentists in Georgia. View a national list of participating dentists.

Dental plan enrollment
If you desire to enroll in the University System dental plan, you must do so within 31 days following your date of employment. If you do not enroll during this period, you will not be eligible to enroll at a later date. There are no scheduled open enrollment periods for the System dental plan.

Changing your dental coverage
You may drop or change your coverage during specified times (annually coincident with the open enrollment period for an effective date of January 1), but at no other time during the year except when you experience an IRS approved change in your family status.

Life Insurance

University System Life Insurance Plan details

Basic life insurance
All regular employees working one-half time or more in benefit-eligible positions receive the basic coverage of $25,000 at no cost to the employee.
Supplemental life insurance
Supplemental insurance may be purchased in the amount of one, two, or three times your annual contract salary (rounded to the next higher multiple of one thousand). The cost of this coverage is determined by your age.

Dependent life insurance
Dependent life insurance provides coverage in the amounts of:

• $10,000 for your spouse
• $10,000 for children between six months and nineteen years
• $2,000 for children between fifteen days and six months

Dependent children, between the ages of nineteen and twenty-five, may be covered if they are full-time students. Unmarried dependent children, who are incapable of self- support because of a physical or mental incapacity, may also be covered.
Enrollment
Basic insurance is provided automatically; however, you must complete an enrollment card to designate your beneficiary. You must enroll for supplemental and/or dependent coverage within 31 days of employment, or you must be underwritten and approved by the insurance carrier.

Tax Deferred Annuities

AASU offers a program which allows you to invest a specific amount of your salary on a pre-tax basis. Sections 403(b) and 457(b) of the Internal Revenue Code allow employees of colleges, universities, and other nonprofit organizations to place a portion of their compensation in an annuity contract. This portion of compensation and the earnings will not be taxed currently, but will be taxed instead at the time you receive it.
Enrollment
You must select a company and make application directly to them. The Human Resources Department maintains a list of companies which participate in these programs. For more information, please contact Human Resources.

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Long Term Disability Plan

AASU offers a Long Term Disability (LTD) Insurance Plan. If you have a serious illness or injury, this optional salary continuation plan provides 60% or your base monthly salary (tax free) on the 91st or 151st day of your disability. Employees pay full premium with after tax dollars. The premium is determined by the employee's retirement plan.
Enrollment
If you wish to apply for LTD insurance, you must enroll at Human Resources within 31 days of employment. If you do not enroll within the 31 day period and wish to do so at a later date, you must be underwritten and approved by the insurance carrier.

Retirement

All regular employees of Armstrong Atlantic State University are required by the Act of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia to participate in a retirement program. Faculty and key administrators have the option of participating either in the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia or an Optional Retirement Plan. All other staff must participate in the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia.

Teachers Retirement System

Teachers Retirement System information

Optional Retirement Plan
Faculty and key administrators on faculty contract have the opportunity to make a one time irrevocable decision to participate in an optional retirement plan in lieu of the Teachers Retirement System. This decision must be made within 60 days following employment. Companies participating in the Optional Retirement Plan are:

American Century Investments
Fidelity Investments
Teachers Insurance & Annuity Association - College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF)
Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company (VALIC)

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Flexible Spending Accounts

Eligibility for flexible spending accounts is contingent upon completion of five (5) months of employment. Once the employee has completed the five month period, he/she must enroll within the next 30 days, or wait until the next Open Enrollment period. The plan administrator for both Health Care and Dependent Care plans is Colonial Life and Accident Insurance Company. Enrollment is only available through their representatives. They can be contacted at 352-9683.

Health Care Reimbursement Plan
This plan helps employees pay out-of-pocket medical costs while increasing spendable income by allowing contributions of pre-tax dollars to a reimbursement account through payroll deduction.

Dependent Care Expense Plan
The dependent care spending account allows employees to pay for work-related dependent care expenses with before-tax dollars by allowing pre-tax contributions to a reimbursement account. The individual is reimbursed from the account as expenses are incurred and verified by receipt.

Paid Days Off

The University recognizes the need to be away from your job and, when possible, provides you with compensation for that time through vacation leave, sick leave, and holiday pay.

Vacation Leave
Regular employees working one-half time or more earn vacation leave. Vacation leave is earned on a pro-rated basis, which is determined by an employee's EFT. Regular employees who work one-half time or more, but less than full-time, shall earn and accrue vacation leave in a ratio equivalent to the percentage of hours worked. Vacation leave can be used for vacations and other absences as long as the leave is taken at times mutually acceptable to you and your supervisor. An employee may accrue vacation leave up to 45 days (360 hours). Ten-month contract faculty do not accrue vacation leave. They are allowed 3 personal days per academic year. Any unused personal days do not roll over to the next academic year.

Sick leave
Classified employees as well as academic and fiscal contract faculty members accrue sick leave with no limit on the amount which may be accumulated. Sick leave is accrued on a pro-rated basis, which is determined by an employee's EFT. Regular employees who work one-half time or more, but less than full-time, shall earn and accrue vacation leave in a ratio equivalent to the percentage of hours worked.

Holidays
The University observes 12 official paid holidays each year. A schedule of the holidays is published at the beginning of the year.

Other Services & Activities

AASU employees enjoy a variety of services and activities. They include spectator sports, recreational activities, musical and theatrical entertainment, and educational opportunities.

Visit the Armstrong web page at www.armstrong.edu to learn more about AASU.