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The State of Ohio provides a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees that range from affordable health care to discounts to popular Ohio entertainment venues. This section provides an overview of these benefits.
The State of Ohio provides quality, affordable and competitive health care benefits to permanent full-time and permanent part-time employees. The State of Ohio is required to offer medical coverage only, per the ACA, to all part-time temporary employees who average at least 30 hours of service per week over a twelve-month measurement period (Standard Measurement Period). The Benefits Administration Services Office has taken great care in selecting reputable health, dental and vision plan providers to ensure you get the best services available.
When you enroll in medical coverage, you also automatically gain prescription drug, behavioral health and Take Charge! Live Well! benefits.
The State contracts with Anthem and Medical Mutual of Ohio to serve as third-party administrators for the Ohio Med PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plan. Anthem and Medical Mutual of Ohio each serve specific regions of Ohio based upon home ZIP codes. Your plan administrator is determined by the first three digits of your home ZIP code. If your home ZIP code is outside of Ohio, you will be enrolled in Anthem.
ZIP Code Chart
The Ohio Med PPO plan does not contain pre-existing condition exclusions. Therefore, coverage is available to you and your eligible dependents regardless of current health or health history.
Medical coverage begins on the first day of the month following the month of your date of hire. If you do not enroll within this time frame, you must wait until the annual open enrollment period, or until you or an eligible dependent experience a change in status/qualifying event. In the occurrence of a qualifying life event, you have 31 days to add or remove yourself or your dependents to or from coverage.
Medical information:
Summary of Medical Benefits
Medical Coverage, Cost and Enrollment
Eligibility Requirements
Prescription Drug Copayment Costs
OptumRx provides prescription drug benefits for all State of Ohio employees who are enrolled in the State of Ohio medical plan..
OptumRx.com, is a private, secure website designed just for you. All of your pharmacy plan information is available 24/7 and kept up-to-date.
Click here for information about the Specialty Drug List and a list of drugs not covered.
HELP AVAILABLE 24/7
Specialized mental health and chemical dependency services are provided under a single program available to all employees and dependents enrolled in the state’s medical plan. This program, administered by Optum Behavioral Solutions, provides 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week phone assessment and referral services for a variety of behavioral health issues, such as:
In addition, habilitative services are available to members with a medical diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Copayments, deductibles and coinsurance are shared and combined with your medical plan. If you receive mental health services prior to meeting your medical plan deductible, you may need to pay for these services up to the deductible amount before your plan starts paying. This does not apply to routine office visits for which you pay only an office visit copayment.
See the Prescription Drug Copayment Costs.
BENEFITS
All enrolled employees and their families have access to both in-network and out-of-network behavioral health benefits. However, you will pay more if you do not use a network of participating providers and facilities. See the chart for more information.
Click here for more information on Behavioral Health Benefits.
All full- and part-time permanent employees are eligible for dental and vision insurance after one year of continuous service.
UNION-REPRESENTED EMPLOYEES
Union-represented employees receive dental, vision, life and legal plan benefits through Union Benefits Trust (UBT). For more information about these benefits, visit benefitstrust.org.
EXEMPT EMPLOYEES
The state pays the cost for exempt employees and their eligible dependents to participate in the dental and vision plans.
An enrollment packet will be mailed to you prior to your one-year anniversary. Coverage will be effective the first day of your 13th month of state service, as long as you submit your completed enrollment form at least 31 days before your anniversary date. You may enroll in dental and vision coverage up to 31 days after your anniversary date. If you do not enroll within 31 days of your anniversary date, you must wait until the next open enrollment period to obtain dental and/or vision care coverage.
Delta Dental Plan
Dental coverage is offered to eligible exempt employees and their dependents through the Delta Dental PPO plan, offered through Delta Dental of Ohio. You can go to any licensed dentist of your choice and receive benefits, but you typically will pay less when you go to an in-network dentist. Your out-of-pocket expenses will vary depending on the participation status of your dentist. Your out-of-pocket costs are likely to be lower if you go to a dentist who participates in one of the Delta Dental networks. For most covered services, Delta Dental pays a higher percentage if you go to a dentist in its PPO network over its Premier network. Delta pays the least for out-of-network dentists.
Click here for more information on dental benefits.
EyeMed Vision Care Plan
Vision coverage is offered to eligible exempt employees and their dependents through EyeMed Vision Care. The Insight network encompasses a large number of providers. Employees and their family members who choose to receive services outside of the vision plan network may be subject to a reduction in benefits.
Click here for more information on vision benefits.
The insurance programs available through the State of Ohio offer steady sources of income for you and your family in the event of unexpected situations.
BASIC LIFE INSURANCE
Eligible exempt and union-represented employees are entitled to basic life insurance coverage after completing one full year of continuous state service. Enrollment is automatic. This benefit – equal to your annual earnings rounded to the next highest $1,000 – is provided at no cost to you.
SUPPLEMENTAL LIFE INSURANCE
Eligible exempt and union-represented employees have the option of purchasing supplemental life insurance coverage on their date of hire, and have 90 days to enroll. You also may enroll during open enrollment. You may purchase coverage for yourself, your spouse and eligible dependent children younger than age 26. The cost of coverage is at your expense, and you must enroll directly with the carrier.
Exempt employees receive basic and supplemental life insurance benefits through Minnesota Life Insurance. For more information about these benefits, click here.
Union-represented employees receive basic and supplemental life insurance benefits through Union Benefits Trust. For more information about these benefits, visit: benefitstrust.org
As a State of Ohio employee, you are eligible to apply for disability leave benefits. These benefits provide financial and medical assistance to you and your family in the event that you are unable to perform the duties of your position due to a non-work-related disabling illness, injury or condition for a period of more than 14* consecutive calendar days.
* Employees of the Auditor of State, Ohio Attorney General, Secretary of State and Treasurer of State subject to a collective bargaining agreement should refer to the applicable contract.
Those who may be eligible for disability benefits include:
Conditions Covered
The following disabling illnesses, injuries or conditions may be considered for disability leave benefits:
Click here for more information about the disability leave program.
Workers’ compensation is a ‘no-fault’ system that compensates employees for work-related injuries or illnesses.
If you sustain a workplace injury, it is imperative that you:
Employer-provided benefits for Workers’ Compensation claims include:
· Salary Continuation
This benefit is available to permanent full-time or part-time employees*.
*The Offices of the Auditor of State, Attorney General and Secretary of State do not participate in salary continuation. In addition, employees covered by the Ohio State Troopers Association (OSTA) collective bargaining agreement are not eligible for salary continuation.
· Occupational Injury Leave (OIL)
This benefit is available to employees who are injured in the line of duty as a result of a bodily injury sustained by an inmate, client, patient, resident, youth or student, and is limited to specific agencies.
Benefits are limited to a maximum number of hours determined by your bargaining unit. Non-bargaining unit employees have a maximum of 960 hours.
For detailed information about workers’ compensation eligibility requirements, application and decision processes, click here.
The State of Ohio offers generous holiday and leave benefits to permanent employees. In addition to accrued vacation, sick and personal leave, there are a number of other leave benefits for which employees may be eligible. Specific questions regarding your eligibility for leave benefits should be directed to your agency’s human resources department.
State employees observe 10 paid holidays each year. Holidays falling on Sunday are observed on the following Monday. Holidays falling on Saturday are observed on the preceding Friday. If your scheduled work week is other than Monday through Friday, you still will be entitled to up to eight hours of holiday pay. Part-time permanent employees receive holiday pay for a portion of any holiday that they are normally scheduled to work.
STATE HOLIDAYS
January 1
New Year’s Day
Third Monday in January
Martin Luther King Day
Third Monday in February
Presidents Day
Last Monday in May
Memorial Day
July 4
Independence Day
First Monday in September
Labor Day
Second Monday in October
Columbus Day
November 11
Veterans Day
Fourth Thursday in November
Thanksgiving Day
December 25
Christmas
Vacation leave is accrued each pay period. See here for chart of accrual rates and maximum accumulation allowed.
Exempt and bargaining unit employees accrue personal leave each year. The amount of leave and accrual varies. See here for chart of accrual rates and maximum accumulation allowed.
Exempt and bargaining unit employees accumulate sick leave each pay period. Exempt employees and bargaining unit employees, except employees represented by SEIU District 1199, accumulate 3.1 hours per pay period, for a total of 80 hours per year. Employees in SEIU District 1199 accumulate 2.77 hours per pay period, for a total of 72 hours per year.
Full-time permanent employees are entitled to three days of bereavement leave with pay upon the death of a member of their immediate family.
“Immediate family” is defined as your spouse, parents, children, grandparents, siblings, grandchildren, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, mother-in-law, father-in-law, or a legal guardian or other person who stands in the place of the parent.*
*Bargaining unit employees should refer to collective bargaining agreement for definition of immediate family.
Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per rolling 12 month period for absences due to their own health condition, certain family members’ qualifying health condition, caring for a child after birth or placement for adoption or foster care, or a qualifying exigency related to military service. In addition, eligible employees may take up to 26 weeks of unpaid leave in a single 12-month period to care for a covered service member or covered veteran on a per-injury, per-illness basis.
Family and medical leave is unpaid. However, you must exhaust accrued paid leave (e.g., sick, vacation and personal) prior to using unpaid leave. Additionally, some employees may be required to exhaust compensatory time prior to using unpaid leave. Your agency’s policy may specify the order in which leave must be used.
To be eligible, you must:
The full policy is available here.
Credit Union of Ohio
All state employees can join this credit union. For more information, call 614-487-6650 or 800-443-5698 or visit cuofohio.org.
Bridge Credit Union
State employees of the following state agencies can join the Bridge Credit Union: Ohio Departments of Administrative Services, Budget and Management, Public Safety, Transportation and Youth Services. For more information, visit bridgecu.org.
All permanent full-time and part-time employees are eligible to save for college through payroll deduction to the CollegeAdvantage Direct 529 Savings Plan, Ohio's 529 Plan. Employees can set up payroll deduction in their CollegeAdvantage Direct Plan account and their employee self-service payroll management system. Invest as little as $25 per pay to pre-save for future college expenses. The funds are managed by leading investment firms and are exempt from federal and state taxes when used for eligible higher education expenses. Contributions up to $4,000 per year per beneficiary can be deducted from your State of Ohio income tax. For more information, visit CollegeAdvantage.com, or call 1-800-AFFORD-IT (233-6734).
The State of Ohio offers the Child Care Voucher Program (CCVP) to eligible full-time and part-time permanent employees.
This program applies to employees who have an annual federal adjusted gross income of less than $35,000 ($40,000 for employees of the Attorney General's Office), and who incur work-related child care expenses for dependents younger than age 13.
The Child Care Voucher Program provides cash grants once a year for work-related child care expenses. The amount you receive depends on:
For more about the Child Care Voucher Program, click here.
Full and part-time permanent employees are eligible to participate in the Commuter Choice Parking and Transit Program. The program allows pre-tax payment of eligible parking and transit expenses associated with commuting to work. No federal, state, school district or Medicare taxes are withheld from eligible commuting expenses. Therefore, you save money each month you participate in the program.
The Commuter Choice Program is managed by a third-party administrator, WageWorks. A monthly administrative fee of $4.60 is assessed on an after- tax basis.
The Commuter Choice program covers two types of commuting expenses:
The 2014 IRS monthly allowable dollar limit for transit is $130; the monthly dollar limit for parking is $250. If parking and/or transit expenses exceed the IRS monthly allowable dollar limit, you may have additional dollars withheld on an after-tax basis to pay your expenses that exceed the IRS dollar limit.
For more information:
Commuter Choice Program
WageWorks
HEALTH CARE SPENDING ACCOUNT
The health care spending account (HCSA) is a tax-favored account that provides the opportunity for eligible employees to defer on a pre-tax basis up to a maximum of $2,500 into an account to pay for eligible medical expenses not paid by your health care, vision or dental plans. There is no administrative fee for participants.
To enroll in an HCSA, you must:
It is not necessary to be enrolled in the State of Ohio’s health benefits to participate in HCSA. If both a husband and wife are state employees, both may participate in HCSA as separate individuals.
The dependent care spending account (DCSA) is a tax-favored account that provides the opportunity for eligible employees to defer on a pre-tax basis up to a maximum of $5,000 (depending on tax filing status) into an account to pay for eligible child care, dependent care or eldercare expenses.
To enroll in a DCSA, you must:
Both a husband and wife, regardless if they are state employees, may participate in DCSA as separate individuals but cannot exceed the $5,000 IRS annual maximum per family.
If an employee does not enroll within the time frames noted, other opportunities to enroll are as follows:
Click here for more detailed information about Flexible Spending Accounts.
IRS Forfeiture Rules: Federal regulations provide certain forfeiture rules. For example, at the end of the month of your employment termination, any unspent HCSA or DCSA balance will be forfeited.
Many state employees are faced with the need to care for an adult individual. To help them understand the support and resources available, a new Caregiver Resources initiative provides the details they need on the Caregiver Resources website at das.ohio.gov/caregiver, which includes information about:
• Being a caregiver; • Leave plans; • Scheduling options; • Tips for the most common caregiver needs; • Legal resources; • Support organizations; • Frequently asked questions about being a caregiver and more.
The Ohio Employee Assistance Program (Ohio EAP) is a confidential, professional support service designated to assist state employees and their dependents. The goal of the program is to help resolve personal and job problems. These can include marital and family conflicts, emotional problems, illness, financial difficulties, drug and alcohol problems, job stress, burnout, legal difficulties and other major life changes.
There is no cost associated with using the Ohio EAP for assistance. If a referral is made to counseling, the employee or employee’s dependent may be responsible for a co-payment. For State of Ohio employees covered by a state health plan, mental health services are covered by the behavioral health provider that the state contracts with for these services.
Employees not covered by a state health plan can still contact the Ohio EAP for assistance.
For more information about services and courses provided by the Ohio EAP, visit: ohio.gov/eap
A phone call can make all the difference. Toll-free statewide: 800-221-6EAP (6327).
Take Charge | Live Well is the State of Ohio's wellness program available to employees and spouses enrolled in the State of Ohio medical plan. As a member of the plan, you can earn rewards by enhancing your wellness experience and achieving your wellness goals. State employees and spouses are each eligible to receive up to $550 in rewards.
For more information, visit the Take Charge | Live Well website: das.ohio.gov/wellness.
Dental Benefits
For information about dental benefits for exempt State of Ohio employees
Vision Benefits
For information about vision benefits for exempt State of Ohio employees and their dependents
Medical Benefits
For information about medical benefits for all employees and their dependents who are enrolled in the State of Ohio medical plan
Prescription Drug Benefits
For information about the Specialty Drug Management Program available to all employees enrolled in the State’s medical plan
Behavioral Health Benefits
For information about the Behavioral Health Program available to all employees enrolled in the State’s medical plan
benefitstrust.org
For information about dental, vision and life insurance benefits for union-represented State of Ohio employees
Disability Leave Benefits
For information about the disability leave program
Life Insurance Benefits
For information about basic and supplemental life insurance available for exempt State of Ohio employees
Workers’ Compensation
For detailed information about Workers’ Compensation eligibility requirements, application and decision processes and more
HRD/OCB Policy
For a comprehensive list of statewide Human Resources policies
Credit Union of Ohio (available to all State employees)
For information about services, rates, resources and more
Bridge Credit Union (available to state employees in certain agencies)
Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS)
For forms, resources and additional information
Highway Patrol Retirement System (HPRS)
State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS)
School Employees Retirement System of Ohio (SERS)
Ohio Public Employees Deferred Compensation Program
For information about enrollment and more
College Advantage
Available to all full-time and part-time State of Ohio employees; for information about savings plans and more
Child Care Voucher Program
For information about eligibility, the application process and more
For additional information about the benefit program
Flexible Spending Accounts Program
Health Equity | WageWorks
For information about the Commuter Choice and Flexible Spending Accounts
Take Charge | Live Well
For information about the wellness program for State employees and their spouses
Ohio Employee Assistance Program (OEAP)
For information about services and resources offered by the Ohio Employee Assistance Program; available to all State employees and their family members
State of Ohio Employee Discounts
For a list of discounts available to State of Ohio employees