TYC Benefits Overview For Full-Time Employees

12 Days/Year*

Full-time employees earn vacation hours each month based on total years of state employment. Vacation leave may be used after six months of continuous state service.

Assistance Dog Training: Up to 10 workdays per fiscal year.

Bereavement/Funeral: Up to three workdays paid leave when a death occurs in the employee’s immediate family. These workdays need not be consecutive. Days identified for such use require approval.

Jury Duty: Leave with pay during jury service.

Military Leave: Up to 15 workdays (120 hours) per federal fiscal year when called to active duty or training (October 1 – September 30).

Red Cross Volunteer: Up to 10 workdays per fiscal year.

State Volunteer Firefighter and Emergency Medical Services Training: Up to five workdays per fiscal year to attend firefighter or emergency medical services training conducted by state agencies or to respond to a fire or medical emergency.

The Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC) administers the Home Loan Program. This program currently offers a 30-year fixed low interest rate mortgage and a 5% down payment GRANT.

In order to qualify, you must:
Be a full-time TYC employee in a position authorized hazardous duty pay; and
Be a first time homebuyer (as defined by TSAHC).

Assistance to employees meeting eligibility criteria (PRS.39.24) seeking to obtain a degree in a field related to the mission and needs of the agency.

• $750.00 for Undergraduate studies
• $850.00 for Graduate studies
• Up to 8 hours of educational assistance leave per week to attend class

Series EE Savings Bonds in denominations of $100, $200, $500 or $1,000.

Flexible Spending Accounts. TexFlex provides options to pay eligible health care and dependent care expenses with money placed in a TexFlex account that has been deducted from gross pay prior to social security and federal withholding taxes.
Flexible Spending Account – Health Care – Minimum $15/month; Maximum $416/month ($5,000/year).
Flexible Spending Account – Day Care – Minimum $15/month; Maximum $416/month ($208 a month, if married and file separate returns).

TexFlex funds may be used for eligible health and dependent care expenses incurred during the plan year; September through August with an additional grace period through November 15th. Claims for expenses incurred by November 15th must be submitted for reimbursement by December 31st of each year.

The Texa$aver program helps employees save additional income for retirement. The Texa$aver program offers two voluntary retirement plans: the 401(k) Plan and the 457 Plan. Both plans allow employees to set aside a portion of each month’s paycheck before income taxes. Employees have a wide range of investment choices, and contributions and earnings in the Texa$aver program will not be taxed until they are withdrawn from the plan(s).

Age 50 and Over Catch-Up and Three-Year Catch-Up Provisions:
Employees age 50 or older may be eligible to defer amounts in excess of the maximum otherwise allowed to both the 401(k) and 457 plans under the Age 50 and Over Catch-Up Provision.  
Employees within three years of eligibility for retirement may be eligible to defer amounts in excess of the maximum otherwise allowed to the 457 Plan under the Three-Year Catch-Up Provision.

Short-term and/or long-term disability provides the employee with a portion of his/her income if disabled and unable to work.

The State pays the total premium costs for full-time employees’ health coverage and basic term life insurance of $5,000 term life with $5,000 of AD&D coverage. The basic plan provides coverage for employees only; it does not include coverage for employees’ eligible dependents.
Employees may purchase additional optional term life insurance one, two, three or up to four times their annual salary. Rates per $1,000 of annual salary based on age. After the first 31 days of employment, the lower two elections require approval through evidence of insurability. The higher two elections always require approval through evidence of insurability.

Provides additional financial protection in the event of certain accidental injuries or accidental death to employees and their families.
Employees may purchase voluntary AD&D coverage up to $200,000 in multiples of $5,000 with minimum purchase of $10,000. Employees may purchase AD&D coverage for eligible dependents. Employee coverage is for the amount of the principal sum ($10,000 to $200,000) and benefits are payable to your designated beneficiary only if you die as a result of an accidental death. If you have Member and Family coverage, eligible dependents are entitled to a percentage of the employee’s coverage amount and payment for the accidental death of your dependents will be as follows:

Death of Spouse: 50% of the employee's amount;

Death of Child: If there is a spouse eligible for this insurance, 5% of the employee's amount for each child. If there is no spouse eligible for this insurance, 10% of the employee's amount for each child.

If approved, SKIP provides an additional contribution over and above the State contribution toward the health insurance premium for full-time employees’ eligible children.

Cost: Full-time employees will pay $15 per month or $25 per month toward the premium for their eligible child(ren).

Eligibility Criteria: Employees must apply and meet requirements of family income and size eligibility. In addition employees’ child(ren) must:
            Be eligible for State insurance;
            Be under the age of 19;
            Live with the employee in Texas;
            Not be eligible for Medicaid; and
            Be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident.

New hires and rehires who have not continued GBP coverage through COBRA or currently covered as a GBP dependent will have a 90-day waiting period before they are eligible for comprehensive health and prescription drug benefits, along with State paid $5,000 basic term life and $5,000 AD&D coverage. Employees enroll based on the county where they live or work. The State pays the total cost of health coverage for full-time employees, and pays 50% health coverage costs for full-time employees’ eligible dependents.

HealthSelect:
HealthSelect of Texas administered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) is available to all State employees.
Co-pay:             $20 for office visit when utilizing PCP
Network:           80/20, no deductible ($1,000 per person calendar year out of pocket)
Non-Network:     60/40, $500 individual deductible ($3,000 per person calendar year out of pocket)
Out-of-Area        70/30, $200 individual deductible ($1,000 per person calendar year out of pocket)

HMO:
Rates vary and coverage is not available statewide.
Co-pay:             $30 for an office visit
Co-pay:             $100 day for inpatient hospital care, $500 maximum up to 5 days per hospital stay
Maternity:          No charge for maternity care

New hires and rehires will have a 90 day waiting period before they are eligible for the Health Insurance Opt-Out Credit. In addition, the employee must certify that he/she has comparable health insurance coverage. Employees cannot use the Opt-Out Credit for health insurance provided by the GBP.  The employee will receive a monthly credit of up to $60 to apply towards the premium for dental benefits and/or voluntary AD&D coverage.

Prescription drugs are categorized as Tier 1 (generic drugs), Tier 2 (preferred brand name drugs) or Tier 3 (non-preferred brand name drugs). Co-payment for each tier is shown in the chart below. Medications on the health plan’s long-term (maintenance) medication list will cost less when purchased through the mail order program.
Participating Network Pharmacies: The health plan will pay only for generic drugs if available. If you choose the brand name drug instead of the generic medication, you will pay the generic co-payment plus the difference in cost between the brand name and generic medications, regardless of a doctor’s Dispense As Written (DAW) instructions. If you wish to receive a generic drug and there is a DAW, the pharmacy must call your doctor to get his or her permission before switching to the generic.
A $50 deductible applies to each member per plan year (September – August). After deductible is met, member will be charged the appropriate co-payment.

The State retirement program is a defined benefit plan, which matches a 6% pretax monthly employee contribution with a 6.45% monthly State contribution.
Vested: Five (5) years without retiree group insurance at age 60 or 10 years with retiree group insurance at age 65. Employee’s contribution, plus 5% interest per year, is refundable if employee leaves State employment prior to retirement. Six retirement annuity options are available, including the standard annuity and five additional beneficiary options.
Partial Lump Sum Payment: A partial lump sum payment option is offered to employees at retirement to receive up to 36 months of their standard monthly annuity. Employees who take advantage of this option will have their monthly annuity recalculated using an actuarial reduction factor. This option is not available to employees retiring with a disability retirement.
Retirement Annuity Calculation: Annuity percentage increases with additional years of service up to 100% maximum. Formula: 2.3% for each year of creditable service multiplied by the highest 36 months average salary.
Sick Leave Credit: One month of ERS service credit is allowed for each 160 hours (or portion thereof) of unused accrued sick leave at date of retirement, provided retirement and separation from employment occur in the same month.

Regular Retirement Eligibility
Regular ERS Retirement Program – Benefits calculated at 2.3% per year of service credit:

*Rule of 80:
Years and months of service plus years and months of age equal 80; must include at least 5 years of contributory service.

Employees are eligible to purchase from ERS, previously refunded service, service that has never been established, and/or eligible military service, or Additional Service Credit (ASC). Purchase of refunded service is subject to interest charges of 10% per year. No interest is charged if eligible military service is purchased in the first year of State employment. Employees are eligible to purchase waiting period service occurring subsequent to September 1, 2004 with a lump sum payment. ASC provides additional service credit to increase years of service and provide a higher lifetime annuity and is available to employees with 10 years of actual service. Eligible employees may purchase up to three years of additional service credit in yearly increments.

Occupational Disability Retirement: Available to active employees that become disabled as a result of a job related injury or disease. There is no length of service requirement; however, an application for an occupational disability must be made no later than two years from the date of injury.

Non-Occupational Disability Retirement: To qualify for non-occupational disability retirement an employee must have at least 10 years of creditable service and be currently employed by the state at the time of the disability. In addition, an application for Non-Occupational Disability Retirement must be submitted within two years of the date the employee ceased making contributions to the retirement system. Annuity benefits for non-occupational disability retirement will be reduced according to actuarial tables adopted by ERS Board based on age at retirement.
A medical examination will be required, and the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) Medical Board must certify that the disability is permanent and prevents the employee from continuing duties as a state employee.

If eligible for health coverage employees who are full-time when they retire will receive the full-time contribution for health insurance premiums in retirement – 100% for the retiree and if applicable 50% for eligible dependents.
In order to be eligible for the full state contribution (100%) toward health insurance premiums at retirement, you must be eligible for insurance at retirement and classified as a full-time employee for the three consecutive months prior to retirement.
Retiree health plan includes $2,500 basic term life and no AD&D coverage. If enrolled in Optional Term Life Insurance on day of retirement, employee may purchase Optional Life up to a maximum of two times annual salary or a minimum amount of ½ your annual salary up to maximum of $10,000.