Health Care Plans | Dental Care Plan | Retirement Savings | Life Insurance | Personal Leave Time | Holidays | Funeral and Bereavement Leave | Court Leave | Sick Leave | Disability Plans | HIV Benefit | Parking | MTA Commuter Benefit | Tuition Reimbursement | FSA | 529 Savings Plan | EAP | Carebridge Work Life Services Plan | Credit Union | Direct Deposit | Cafeteria Discount | Corporate Benefits | Ad Hoc Employee Activitie | COBRA
University Specialty Hospital (USH) is committed to offering industry-leading benefits to our employees. Our benefits package offers the high quality that our employees deserve and are available to all employees who are scheduled to work twenty hours or more weekly in a regular status. Benefit costs are either paid by USH and/or shared with the employee as described in the following paragraph. Health and dental benefits become effective on the first of the month, following an employee’s first day of work. Open Enrollment for benefits is July 1 of each year.
NOTE: this is a summary of benefits. All benefits are subject to current personnel policy, procedures, and provisions of contracts between USH and specific insurance companies.
USH offers three health plan choices and the flexiblitity to waive coverage if you have insurance elsewhere. All of the plans are contributory for all levels of coverage.
Plan 1 University Network Quality Care is a triple option plan. Participants do not need to sign up with a primary care provider and may self refer to any provider or specialist. The provider you select determines your level of coverage.
Plan 2 Kaiser Permanente is a managed care plan. For many services the level of coverage is 100% after a small copayment. In a managed care plan, you must use the service, physicians, and sites as directed by the plan.
Plan 3 Maryland Preferred Provider is a PPO with an in and out of network feature. Participants may self refer to any provider but have the greatest benefit level when using the in network feature.
All plans offer vision and prescription benefits.
CareFirst Regional Preferred Dental plan is a PPO with an in and out of network feature with the greatest level of benefit being the in network feature.
This Program offers two Plans: The Pension Plan and the 403(b) Plan.
403(b) Plan
All employees who receive regular paychecks may participate on a voluntary basis in the 403(b) Plan. Deductions are pre-Tax and follow retirement plan rules. Employees work directly with the 3rd party administrator. All full and part-time employees in a regular status are eligible for participation in the pension plan.
The Pension Plan
This plan requires no contribution from you. USH contributes an amount equal to 5% of your eligible earnings into your account with each pay. You enter the plan on the 1st day of the month following completion of your first year of employment having completed at least 1000 hours. You must be 21 years of age to participate. You are fully vested in the pension plan after five years of service.
At no cost to employees, USH provides a life insurance benefit that is equal to 100% of the employee's base salary. An employee may purchase additional insurance to enhance this benefit as well as to cover a spouse and/or dependant children.
Regular status employees accrue leave time each pay period. Employees may take earned leave time after three (3) months of continuous employment. Employees working 80 hours bi-weekly accrue based on the below schedule:
|
1-4 |
20 days |
25 days |
30 days |
|
5-9 |
25 days |
25 days |
30 days |
|
10-14 |
26 days |
26 days |
30 days |
|
15 and over |
30 days |
30 days |
30 days |
*Regular employees working less than 80 hours bi-weekly earn Personal Leave on a prorated basis according to the number of hours worked. *Employees must complete the 6 month probationary period to receive a pay out of accrued leave if employment is ended.
Seven (7) holidays are included in Personal Leave Time.
USH observes the following holidays:
Regular full-time employees are eligible for up to a maximum of three scheduled work days (in a five day period) with pay if there is a death in the immediate family. Regular part time employees who work at least 20 hours per week are eligible on a prorated basis. Immediate family includes your spouse, children, parents, parents-in-law, brothers, sisters, stepchildren, grandparents, grandchildren and legal guardians.
If you are summoned to jury duty or subpoenaed as a court witness on days you are scheduled to be at work. You will receive regular base pay for any scheduled workday on Court Leave. Receipt of verification for Court Leave is needed in order to be paid for those days.
Sick leave is accrued with each pay and at a maximum of 12 days per year and may be carried over from year to year. Employees may request earned sick leave after completion of 90 days of continuous employment. Any sickness or injury lasting more than 29 calendar days would need to be submitted for approval to the disability manager for Short Term Disability benefits.
At no cost to employees, USH provides disability insurance coverage for eligible employees. Short Term Disability (STD) begins on the 30th day of approved disability and will continue for 180 days. Non-exempt employees are eligible to receive 60% of their weekly base salary and exempt employees may receive 100% of their weekly base salary up to 90 days and then 60% of base salary from 91st day to 180th day of disability. Long Term Disability (LTD) Pays 50% of monthly income after short term benefits and all Paid Leave have been exhausted. This benefit integrates with Social Security and Workers Compensation benefits.
The benefit provides additional compensation to employees who contract HIV.
Directly under the USH building is a safe underground parking lot and is available to employees at nominal fee. USH pays the majority of the cost.
If you use public transportation, money can be saved with the MTA Commuter Benefit Program. Monthly MTA passes can be ordered through the convenience of a pre-tax, payroll deduction. This pass gives employees unlimited travel on local buses, the Light Rail, or the Metro Subway.
This important benefit is intended to help employees advance in their careers as well as to help USH as our employees' skills and knowledge increase. Regular full time and part time employees (scheduled to work 20 hours or more per week) are eligible. Only courses which begin after an employees hire date will be eligible for reimbursement. Tuition Reimbursement is 100% for courses taken at University of Maryland affiliated network schools and 75% for all other college courses up to a maximum of $3,000 in a calendar year. (Both the benefit and calendar year maximum are prorated for part-time employees).
Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending account program is offered to all benefit eligible employees. Employees may in roll when first hired (during first 31 days of employment) and then afterward during the open enrollment period for the following calendar year.
Employees have the opportunity to participate in a 529 college savings plan by using payroll deduction. This Plan is used to help families save for future college costs.
The Employee Assistance Program is a free, confidential counseling and referral service available to all employees and their family members. The EAP is staffed by trained mental health professionals, and all EAP services are provided free of charge to employees.
Carebridge is an innovative work-life services program that provides professional consultation, referral and information to help with a variety of personal and family needs. Carebridge counselors can assist in the following areas: Childcare, College Planning, Financial Planning, Stress Management, Eldercare, Adoption Information, Relocation Concerns, Continuing Education, etc.
The State Employees Credit Union (SECU) offers a variety of checking, savings, and loan privileges to it's member. USH employees are welcome to apply for membership.
USH offers employees the opportunity to have biweekly paychecks directly deposited into a checking or savings account at any financial institution.
As an USH employee, you are eligible for a discount in the hospital cafeteria when you display your employee badge.
All employees are eligible to participate in corporate benefits such as passes for the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the Baltimore Science Center, and the Baltimore Zoo.
Employees plan activities such as Holiday parties, USH Week and picnics.
Under the Consolidate Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA), you have the right to continue your medical and dental coverage in the event you leave USH or your benefit eligibility status changes. Under COBRA you pay the full cost of the plan plus an additional 2% administrative fee for up to 18 or 36 months coverage, depending on the qualifying event. Dependents (including full-time students), and spouses (widowers, widows, and divorced spouses) are also eligible for continuation of coverage.