United University Professions, UUP, is the nation’s largest higher education union, representing the faculty and professional staff of the SUNY system (referred to as professional faculty in the contract). This encompasses the 29 comprehensive, technical, specialized, and university centers of SUNY. The 29 campuses are broken into 32 chapters. These chapters include the campuses shown above, as well as separate chapters for Buffalo Health Science Center, Stony Brook Health Science Center, and System Administration.
UUP is Local 2190 of the statewide union, New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), and national union, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
As
a new employee working fifty percent (.5 FTE) or more you are eligible for
health insurance, which includes prescription coverage, dental and vision
benefits. Other benefits including
retirement are also available. Included in this letter is an overview of benefit programs. Please review the following information which will be useful to you in making your benefit choices.
HEALTH INSURANCE
coverage is through the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP). For a summary of the health insurance plans available and the biweekly premium amount for each health
insurance plan please visit the web site https://www.cs.ny.gov/employee-benefits/nyship/group/1/12/1/health-benefits.cfm and view the health insurance
choices and the NYSHIP rates publications. Also, you may view the At a Glance publication that summarizes the Empire Plan and the “NYSHIP General Information Book”, which contains the rules of the NYS Health Insurance Program through the website above.
Please click on the following
link for the NYS Health Insurance Transaction Form (PS-404), https://www.cs.ny.gov/forms/ps404.pdf . You must complete this form
to:
Enroll in a health insurance plan
choose the Empire Plan or the HMO Plan that services the Long Island region. Your cost is according to the plan you select. The Empire Plan provides
coverage for network, (copay applies), and non-network, (deductible and
coinsurance applies), services. HMO Plans provide coverage for network services
only, (copays apply).
Family health
insurance coverage consists of you plus one or more eligible dependents. Eligible Dependents include the following:
- Spouse
- Domestic Partner pending approval
- Your child/stepchild until age 26
- Child for whom you have legal responsibility in place of the parent
- Disabled dependent who reaches age 26 pending approval
- See eligibility requirements in the NYSHIP General Information Book for additional types of dependent
Each year there will be an option transfer period (usually announced during November/December), during which you may change your health insurance plan, if you choose to do so, to another plan for the following calendar year.
There
is a 42 calendar day waiting period,
(including weekends), before your health insurance becomes effective regardless of the health plan you select.
With this in mind, you may wish to extend any health insurance coverage
that you may currently have in order to protect yourself against unforeseen
medical expenses.
You must enroll in a health insurance plan and submit required
documentation within 42 calendar days of your date of hire in order to be
covered on the 43rd day of employment.
Employees who enroll and/or submit required documentation after
their initial 42-day waiting period will be subject to a five-pay period
wait from the date the NYS Health Insurance Transaction Form and required
documentation is submitted to the Benefits Office. The latest received date will be used.
Your biweekly payroll
deductions for health insurance may be paid with pre-tax contributions or
post-tax contributions. The choice is
yours. Choosing to participate in the
pre-tax contribution program will result in less taxable income and therefore,
less income tax due, by an amount equal to your biweekly cost of health
insurance coverage. Please refer to the
Pre-Tax Contribution Program section of the NYSHIP General Information Book for
pre-tax rules.
OR
Decline coverage
Participation in the New York
State Health Insurance Program is optional. If you wish to decline health
insurance coverage, please be sure to select medical in number 4 of section 11.B
of the NYS Health Insurance Transaction Form.
Required Documentation
The Employee Benefits
Division requires documentation of your birth and Social Security number if you
are enrolling in a health insurance plan.
Dependent proof is also needed for enrolling in family coverage. Copies of proper documentation must be
submitted to the Benefits Office within your initial 42 calendar days of hire
in order to complete the enrollment process timely. The following items are needed:
- Copy of birth certificate and social security card for you
- Copy of birth certificate for each dependent you are enrolling
- Copy of marriage certificate, if applicable
- Proof of marriage if married over 1 year. (Document showing joint ownership/joint financial obligation which may be the 1st page of recent tax return, joint bill or bank statement dated within six months and includes your current home address).
- Statement of Dependence Form if requesting coverage for a dependent child that is not your child/stepchild. Form available upon request.
- Domestic Partner Application if you wish to cover a partner of same or opposite sex. Application available upon request and submission by appointment.
- Statement of Disability Form if requesting coverage for a disabled dependent. Form available upon request
To help speed up the processing of your health insurance transaction form
we ask that you bring a copy of the required documentation with you to orientation. We must be able to see the stamp or seal on
the copy of the certificate(s). Hospital birth certificates and church marriage
certificates are not acceptable.
Please be aware:
Health
insurance enrollment requests will remain in pending status until the required
documentation is submitted to the Benefits Office, (i.e. copy of birth
certificate and social security card for you and documentation for your
dependents, if applicable). Late
submissions will be subject to the late enrollment period of five pay periods.
Changes to your
health insurance coverage must be made timely in order to avoid a delay in
coverage for your dependents. Please
refer to the changing to family coverage section of the NYSHIP General
Information Book for rules regarding the timeframe to add new dependents in
order to avoid the late enrollment period.
(For example, newborns must be
added within 30 days of birth in order to have coverage effective as of the
newborn’s date of birth, and a new spouse must be added within 7 days of the
date of marriage in order to have coverage effective the date of marriage. ) If you anticipate a change is needed to your
coverage contact the Benefits Office as soon as possible.
Affordable Health Care Act (ACA) – NYSHIP offers coverage that meets ACA
standards, therefore most employees are not eligible for a government subsidy
to help pay for insurance through the Healthcare Marketplace. For additional information you may visit www.healthcare.gov .
RETIREMENT PROGRAM – Employees who
join on or after 4/1/12 will be in Tier 6:
- Joining a retirement program is required for full time staff. Residents and part time staff enrollment is optional.
- You may choose to participate in the N.Y.S. Employees Retirement System (requires 10 year vesting period if joining on or after 1/1/2010), the Optional Retirement Program (366 day vesting period) provided you are full time, part time term or have prior ORP membership with SUNY or the N.Y.S Teachers Retirement System (requires 10 year vesting if joining on or after 1/1/2010) if you are in a designated title.
- Employee contribution of 3 – 6% based on earnings.
- If you elect to participate in the Optional Retirement Program, you will also need to select your investment provider(s) and enter the percentage to be allocated to the investment provider(s) using the Retirement@work system. Date of participation is based on date of election, not the hire date, for those who do not make an election within 30 days of hire. Participation in this program may not be an option for those who do not make an election through Retirement@Work within 30 calendar days of hire.
- Complete the Employees’ Retirement System Membership Registration Form (RS 5420) only if you elect the NYS Employees’ Retirement System and return it to the Benefits Office. Date of membership is based on when the Retirement System issues the member registration number.
- If you do not wish to participate in a retirement program (Residents/Part time staff), in addition to making your election to decline retirement using “Retirement@work”, please complete and return the Survivor’s Benefit Program form, (which must be notarized), to the Benefits Office within 30 days of your hire. The form allows you to designate a beneficiary for this benefit. If you elect to participate in retirement, do not complete this form. Additional information about the Survivor’s Benefit Program is below.
You can visit http://www.suny.edu/retirement/ to view a comparison of the two programs, SUNY
Retirement Programs Booklet and Optional Retirement Program Booklet. You may make your election to
participate or decline retirement by visiting www.retirementatwork.org/suny within 30 days of your hire. First time users will be required to register,
(enter personal data, create a user ID, password and security question), prior
to making a retirement election. Be sure to select the correct employer when
prompted, which is Stony Brook Medicine.
For assistance with
using Retirement@work please call Customer Service at 866-271-0960.

Please
Note:
- Should you elect to participate in a retirement program your contributions will be made on a before-tax basis for federal taxes only.
- Upon separation from service your contributions are refundable from ERS if you do not qualify for a retirement allowance - have less than 10 years of service credit.
- Contributions to the ORP may be refunded upon separation from service.
- Refunds are subject to federal tax. The Internal Revenue Service imposes a 10% tax penalty on refunds if you are not retirement age and do not roll the contributions over into an Individual Retirement Account.
Under
the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) the following representatives are available to answer your questions about
their company and assist you regarding setting up an account with the ORP
provider you wish to invest with:
Fidelity – Cara
Every - 845-490-4007
Voya – Anthony
Amalfitano - 631-755-0826
TIAA – David
Flynn - 516-454-4038
AIG (Valic) –
Michael Grofsick - 973-445-8008
DENTAL INSURANCE& VISION CARE -
Please contact the UUP union regarding dental
and vision coverage at 1-631-444-1505.
The toll free number is 1-800-887-3863.
TAX DEFERRED SAVINGS PROGRAM
Provide a tax-effective method to save for retirement.
Contributions to the SUNY Voluntary Savings Plan 403(b) are voluntary and
there is no employer contribution. To
enroll visit www.Retirementatwork.org/suny. You may borrow from your
tax-deferred 403(b) account by contacting the carrier directly. The New York State Deferred Compensation
Program is also an option for tax deferred savings. For additional information
please visit the web site http://www.suny.edu/benefits/vsp/ or contact the Benefits Office. ROTH ACCOUNTS
are also available under the SUNY Voluntary Savings Plan.
DEPENDENT CARE ADVANTAGE ACCOUNT
Eligible employees may use pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified
dependent care. New employees need to
enroll within 60 days of their hire date. Call 1-800-358-7202 for more
information or visit the web site www.flexspend.ny.gov
HEALTH
CARE SPENDING ACCOUNT
Eligible employees may pay for
unreimbursed medical expenses with tax-free dollars. New employees need to enroll within 60 days
of their hire date. Call 1-800-358-7202
for more information or visit the web site www.flexspend.ny.gov
SURVIVOR’S
BENEFIT PROGRAM
Provides a death benefit to survivors of
New York State employees who have been on the State
payroll for 90 or more of the 120 days immediately preceding their death.
The maximum payment is $10,000.00. This benefit
will be offset by monies payable
to a beneficiary(ies) from
the Optional Retirement
Program or the N.Y.S. Employees’ Retirement
System. No enrollment is
necessary. Visit the following web site: http://www.osc.state.ny.us/retire/publications/vo1655.php for additional information.
SAVINGS BONDS
State employees may participate in the
Savings Bond Program, which is administered by Treasury
Direct. For more information visit the
website www.treasurydirect.gov or contact Treasury Direct at 1-800-722-2678.
NEW YORK’S COLLEGE SAVINGS PROGRAM
This plan allows employees to invest $25 - $5,000/year for
qualified higher education expenses and take advantage of the state tax
deduction and federal deferral on the earnings. For more information call
1-877-NYSAVES or visit the web site www.nysaves.org
WORK-LIFE
SERVICES
LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE
If you have residence in New York State you may contact the New York
State Partnership for Long Term Care (NYSPLTC), which helps New Yorkers
financially prepare for the possibility of needing nursing home care, home
care, or assisted living services someday. For more information visit https://nyspltc.health.ny.gov/or call 1-866-950-7526.
LONG TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE
Coverage is automatic after one year of service and is at no cost to the
employee. Benefits are payable after 6
full months of disability (subject to approval). Income replacement of 60% of monthly salary
up to $7,500 a month. For information
including the policy and certificate visit the web site http://www.suny.edu/insurance/ltd/
Visit the following links for forms
N.Y.S.
Health Insurance Transaction Form PS-404
- Due within 42 days of hire.
Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) Membership
form RS 5420
- Complete if joining ERS.

Please Note:
If
you elect the New York State Employees’ Retirement System complete the attached
Employees’ Retirement System Membership Registration Form.
If
you decline retirement participation at this time complete and have notarized
the Survivor’s Benefit Program Form.
Benefits forms and documentation
may be mailed, faxed, e-mailed or submitted in person. Notarized forms cannot
be faxed or e-mailed. See contact information at the bottom of this document.
Monitor your paycheck information using the SOLAR System throughout the year to be sure health
insurance premiums and retirement contributions are being deducted properly if
you are enrolled in these benefits.
During your orientation session, we will be available to answer your
questions regarding the benefit programs.
Please review the benefit material we have provided to you so you may
make informed decisions about your benefits participation.
If you need our assistance, please feel free to contact the Benefits
Office at (631) 444-4754. Our office
hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.
We look forward to seeing you at orientation.