Benefits

Health Insurance
The University provides a self-insured medical plan that is administered by a third-party administrator. The University’s medical plan is administered offers three options for coverage: 1) Health Savings Plan, 2) Classic Plan and 3) Premier Plan. All three medical plans:
1. Offer a nationwide network of providers and facilities. The Health Savings Plan and Premier Plan offer coverage for out-of-network benefits.
2. Cover preventive care in-network at no cost to the employee. This includes well-baby visits; routine physical exams, immunizations, mammograms, colorectal cancer screenings, Pap smears, nutritional counseling; and certain preventive care drugs. Some preventive care is subject to yearly limitations.
3. Include prescription drug coveragethrough MedImpact, which has a nationwide network of pharmacies, including most national drug store chains and many independent pharmacies.
  Complete plan descriptions are available at: https://benefits.uasys.edu/health-wellness/medical/.
Dental Insurance
The University provides a self-insured dental plan administered by a third pay administrator. Premiums are cost shared by the university with the employee’s share deducted from the employee’s pay. The university’s dental plan offers coverage for preventive, basic and major services, and orthodontia services. The annual maximum benefit per person per calendar year is $1,750.
All information on the plan description coverage and claims is available at:
Dental | University of Arkansas System Benefits Faculty and Staff Benefits || University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (uasys.edu)
Life Insurance
The university provides basic term life insurance at no cost to employees who are active, regular appointed employees not in a student title and who works at least 20 hours a week. The employee must complete an enrollment form and designate beneficiaries. The plan pays beneficiaries a benefit equal to the employee’s annual salary, up to a maximum of $50,000. When the employee’s pay increases, coverage is automatically adjusted. For employees age 70 or older, benefits will be reduced. The benefits section of Human Resources can provide further information about this and other insurance benefits.
An employee may buy additional life insurance through the university for him/herself and dependents. Employees pay the full cost of this coverage, and must enroll within 31 days after the first day of work, unless proof of insurability is provided. Optional life insurance increases the employee’s coverage, and pays the beneficiaries amounts equal to one, two, three or four times the employee’s annual salary, up to a maximum of $500,000.
Dependent life insurance is available for the employee’s spouse and eligible dependents. The policy allows the employee to choose $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000 coverage on a spouse. Eligible dependents are biological children, adopted children, stepchildren, and children for whom the employee have legal guardianship and are under age 26. Eligible children are covered for 50% of the spouse’s coverage.
Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance is available for eligible dependents. If the employee or a covered dependent die as the result of an accident, on or off the job, the beneficiary will receive a benefit based on the amount of coverage the employee selects. The employee may choose coverage for him/herself in increments of $25,000 up to $300,000. If dependent coverage is chosen, the spouse’s coverage is 60% of the employee’s amount, and each eligible dependent is covered for 20% of the employee’s amount. The plan may also pay partial benefits if a covered person is seriously injured or loses a limb or eyesight.
Long-Term Disability Insurance
The University pays the full cost of basic long-term disability insurance policy for active, regular appointed employees who works twenty hours a week or more. Coverage is automatic, starting with the first day of work. Employees with an annual salary of more than $20,000 may purchase additional optional long-term disability coverage to increase benefits. The employee will pay the total cost of the optional coverage, which will be deducted from the employee’s paycheck. Both the basic and optional long-term disability insurance policies are designed to coordinate with other forms of disability insurance, such as social security and workers’ compensation, to provide total monthly payments, until the employee retire or reach age 65, equal to 60% of the employee’s salary before becoming disabled. Payments begin in the seventh month of long-term disability.
Vision Insurance
Employees on a regular appointment of 50% or greater, are eligible to enroll in a separate group vision care plan that covers eye examinations, glasses, and contact lenses. There is a copay and some limitations on frames, lenses, and lens coatings. Employees do not have to be enrolled in the group medical insurance plan to participate in the vision care plan. The University will continue to offer this plan only if there is sufficient enrollment. An eye examination is offered every year under the University’s health insurance plan, with a co-pay of $25.For more information go to: Vision | University of Arkansas System Benefits Faculty and Staff Benefits || University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (uasys.edu)
Employee Assistance Program
The University provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for all employees who are 50% appointed or greater and who are not students. Employees and their immediate family members who live in the same household may use the EAP’s services. The EAP is designed to help identify and resolve personal and job-related problems that may affect job performance. These include health, marital, family, financial, legal, emotional, stress, alcohol, drug, and other similar concerns.
The EAP also offers training sessions and workshops that address personal and organizational issues that may affect work performance and provides consultation for supervisors dealing with a variety of work-related issues. The EAP will provide stress debriefing in the event of a critical incident that affects the campus.
Use of the EAP is voluntary. Choosing to participate in the programs of the EAP, or not to participate, will not affect job status or opportunities for promotion, but it will also not excuse an employee from following University policies and procedures concerning job performance and conduct. The employee may decide to make an appointment to visit the EAP or the supervisor may refer an employee to the EAP if there are problems with work performance or conduct at work. However, it is the employee’s choice to accept or not accept your supervisor’s referral to the EAP. It is the employee’s choice to accept the decision of the EAP if it refers the employee to another source of help. It is also the employee’s responsibility.
All aspects of contact with the EAP are confidential and will not be disclosed without the employee’s written authorization. An exception is that state and federal laws require, for example, that the EAP report to the appropriate authorities if a threat is made to the employee or someone else’s life. EAP records are maintained in the EAP offices and will not become a part of, or be referred to personnel files, benefits file, medical file, or any other file that may be accessed by any individual, department, or organization.
Employees may visit the EAP during work hours if visits are coordinated with the supervisor. Annual leave or sick leave will not be charged if arrangements are made with the supervisor. The EAP may confirm to the supervisor that the appointment was kept and how long the appointment lasted, but not what was discussed during the appointment or the reason for the visit with the EAP. The EAP can schedule appointments outside of work hours or accrued sick leave or annual leave may be used if you the employee wishes to keep visits to the EAP confidential.
The services of the University’s EAP are free to all benefit eligible employees and members of their household. If the EAP makes a referral to an outside provider, the employee will be responsible for any costs associated with those services that are not covered by the employee’s medical insurance.
Visit or call the benefits section of Human Resources Department for additional information.
Tuition or Registration Fees Remission
1. Eligibility
  All full-time active employees, not on leave without pay other than workers compensation, military, or family medical leave, employed as of the final day of regular registration in any particular session or semester, their spouses, and their dependent children (as defined by the Internal Revenue Service) are eligible. Surviving spouses, who have not remarried, and dependent children of deceased employees who died while in the full-time employment of the University of Arkansas are also eligible. All enrollees must meet normal admissions requirements, and audits should be on a space available basis only. For employees hired after May 1, 2017, eligibility as described above shall begin with the final day of regular registration following continuous employment in a full-time position with the University for one complete fall or spring semester.
2. Transferability
  The tuition waiver benefit is available to any employee, employee’s spouse, or employee’s dependent children at any on-campus unit of the University of Arkansas regardless of the site of employment. Individual units may also allow tuition waivers in specified off-campus classes when enrollment in the class in which enrollment is sought already has sufficient student enrollment by full-fee paying students to meet the minimum enrollment (as established by the offering unit) to recover the costs of offering the class. Waiver benefits are applicable to web based or distance education courses offered through any campus unit of the University of Arkansas. Waiver benefits are applicable to tuition only. All applicable fees are to be paid in full for any enrollment. The waiver benefit is applicable to credit classes only.
3. Extent of Waiver
  1. Employees may take up to 132 undergraduate semester credit hours at any UA academic institution at 50% of the cost of tuition. A Chancellor or chief executive officer may offer a greater employee discount or offer an employee waiver for graduate degree programs or offer waivers for additional hours for employees enrolled in programs at the employee’s campus. A Chancellor or chief executive officer may also choose to reimburse a percentage of tuition for employees taking undergraduate or graduate courses at another UA academic institution. If a campus elects to offer reimbursements or additional waivers, the campus or unit must first adopt a policy that has been approved by the Office of General Counsel.
  2. Employees of the University of Arkansas System office, the Cooperative Extension Service, the Agricultural Experiment Stations, the UAMS Area Health Education 440.1 2 Centers, and other divisions and units that do not offer undergraduate degree programs shall designate one campus as the “employee’s campus” for purposes of this policy. The designated campus shall remain the same for the term of employment unless the site of employment changes. These employees should receive the same employee and/or dependent tuition waiver available for undergraduate education on the designated “employee’s campus” that is available for employees of the designated campus. These employees may only receive a waiver or reimbursement for graduate education tuition if their employing unit adopts a policy to offer this benefit through reimbursement to either the employee or the campus where the employee is enrolled.
  3. Spouses and dependent children may take up to 132 undergraduate semester credit hours and receive a 50% tuition discount at the employee’s campus or 40% tuition discount at any other campus within the University of Arkansas. A student may not receive discounts as both an employee and as a spouse or dependent child of an employee. A Chancellor or chief executive officer may offer a greater tuition discount for the spouse/dependents of employees on their home campus. If a campus or unit elects to offer a greater discount, the campus or unit must first adopt a policy that has been approved by the Office of General Counsel.
  4. Further Guidance for Tuition or Registration – Fees Remission (UASP 445.1)
    1. Purpose
      he following guidelines are in furtherance of Board Policy 440.1, which extends educational benefits at reduced rates to full-time employees, their spouses and dependent children.
    2. Guidelines
      1. Employee Enrollment and Work Assignment Responsibility
      2. Employee enrollment at reduced rates shall not exceed eleven semester credit hours per semester.
      3. All enrollment at reduced rates shall be approved by an authorized supervisor.
      4. This policy does not assume that release time from regular working hours will be automatically permitted. Release time is not a right but a privilege that is granted at the authorized supervisor’s discretion. Many factors, including but not limited to, the employee’s performance, direct applications of the course work to the employee’s position, overall benefit of the course work to the employee and the institution, and maintenance of office hours and functions to the students, faculty, staff, and general public are considered prior to the granting of release time. All requests for release time must be approved by the authorized supervisor and may be subject to additional approval requirements established by the campus or unit.
      5. Exceptions to A.1 may be granted by the chief executive officer of the campus or unit upon recommendation of the employee’s authorized supervisor and the chief academic officer; if such exceptions are for enrollment at a campus or unit other than the site of employment, the chief executive officer of the receiving unit, or designee, must also approve the exception.
    3. Spouse and Dependent Enrollment
      Spouses and dependent children establish eligibility using forms established by the University. The forms are for use in approving employment enrollment and establishing spouse and dependent eligibility.
    4. Employee’s Enrolled in Degree Programs Prior to May 1, 2017
      Employees continuously enrolled in a degree program at reduced rates under Board Policy 440.1 prior to May 1, 2017, will receive their original discount level as long as they remain continuously enrolled in the degree program. Continuous enrollment is defined as a degree-seeking student who completes at least three credit hours in a given calendar year.
Retirement Benefits
All employees on the university payroll are eligible to participate in an unmatched 403(B) on a voluntary basis, and Roth 403(b). Employees not eligible for benefits may make voluntary contributions but will not receive employer contributions to their plan. TIAA-CREF and/or Fidelity Investments may be selected as retirement plan options. Within the IRS limits, employees may enroll, end, increase, decrease or suspend contributions at any time.Employees with a half-time or greater appointment and are not a student employee, graduate assistant, or adjunct are eligible for retirement benefits under the University’s 403(b) and 457(b) defined contribution plans or the Arkansas Public Employee Retirement System defined benefit plan. If the employee’s initial appointment with the University started on or before January 1, 1994, the employee is included in the University’s plan, unless the employee specifically elects, within 31 days of appointment, the alternative coverage offered by the Arkansas Public Employee Retirement System. The choice made within 31 days of appointment is irrevocable. It cannot be changed later. The employee must complete all enrollment documents for the plan chosen. Participation will begin on the first day of the month coinciding with or following enrollment.
The University will contribute an amount equal to five percent of the employee’s regular salary to the retirement account. In addition, the University will match the employee’s contribution, up to ten percent. The university will contribute an amount equal to a certain percentage of an employee’s regular salary to an employee’s retirement account. UAPB will match an employee’s contribution up to a maximum of ten percent. The employee may elect to make retirement contributions in pre-tax dollars, by completing a salary reduction agreement that designates the percentage of regular salary he/she chooses to contribute to his/her retirement account. That amount will be credited to the retirement account before federal and state taxes are deducted. Contributions are subject to limitations under the Internal Revenue Service code.
The current funding sponsors for the University’s 403(b) and 457(b) defined contribution plans are Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association – College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA[1]CREF) and Fidelity Investments. Funds are transferable within and among several investment fund choices. Specific information is available from the Human Resources Office.
Contributions to a retirement account are immediately vested for a faculty member, non-classified staff member, and classified staff members whose initial employment was before January 1, 1985, and who made contributions prior to that date. Effective January 1, 2014, employee vesting occurs after one year of employment. Employees who work for the University in positions not normally eligible for benefits may participate in the retirement plan, but they will not receive matching contributions from the University.
Visit or call the benefits section of the Human Resources Department for additional information.
Flexible Spending Accounts
The University offers flexible spending accounts, under a Section 125 cafeteria plan, which allows you to use pre-tax dollars to pay for medical care and care for dependents. Each year, you may designate a portion of your salary which will be placed in an individualized account before federal, state, and social security taxes are deducted. You may then be reimbursed from your account for eligible health or dependent care expenses. The flexible spending account may allow you to reduce your taxes while increasing your spendable income. There are two types of flexible spending accounts:
1. The medical care reimbursement account can be used to pay certain out-of-pocket medical expenses not covered by your insurance plans, such as unreimbursed dental expenses, medical expenses, copayments, coinsurance, annual deductibles, and prescription cost.
2. The dependent care reimbursement account can be used to pay those costs for care of your dependents that allow you and/or your spouse, if you are married, to work. Expenses that are eligible for reimbursement include day care or after-school care expenses for your child who is under age 13 and care for your spouse or other adult dependent who is incapable of self-care.
  Although you may set up both types of account, you may not use your medical care reimbursement account to pay for dependent care nor your dependent care reimbursement account to pay for medical expenses. It is important, therefore, to estimate your needs for each purpose as accurately as possible at the beginning of every year and to anticipate any changes that may occur during the calendar year, such as your pre-school child starting kindergarten in the fall. If you do not use your annual elected amount for medical or childcare reimbursement, during that allotted year, you will lose it.
Wellness Programs
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff has two wellness programs to aid in the physical, mental, social and financial well-being of our employees.
Mission Statement
The mission of the University of Arkansas wellness program, (On Life) is to improve the health of University of Arkansas faculty, staff, and covered spouses through empowerment, education, and participation.
Vision
By providing the employees and families of the University of Arkansas with tools that empower them to make better health and lifestyle choices, the health and wellbeing of these beneficiaries will be increased. By preventing diseases that are linked to unhealthy behaviors and thereby avoiding the complications that develop, the health care costs for the University of Arkansas will be decreased thus making health care more affordable for those who participate.
Confidentiality
Personal health information disclosed through participation in the wellness program will be subject to all HIPAA confidentiality guidelines. No individual identifiable health information will be disclosed to the University of Arkansas. Only aggregated and summary data will be reported in order for the University of Arkansas Health Plan to establish priorities in developing wellness goals and initiatives.
Goals
- Empower employees to make positive health choices by assisting individuals at risk for the development of certain diseases (diabetes, hypertension, heart disease) through a voluntary, confidential Personal Health Assessment (PHA).
- Provide a Health Action Plan to assist those at risk based on data from Personal Health assessments.
- Offer counseling on lifestyle changes through health coaching.
- Provide individuals with the opportunity for cost savings in medication copayments through participation in disease management programs.
- Promote use of zero out-of-pocket cost for preventive care services and early screenings.
- Foster and support campus individuality in system supported program.
- Foster and empower employees to have improved communications with primary care physicians.
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Wellness program, Black and Gold, Fit and Bold mission is to promote and improve the wellness of the campus community by empowering each employee to become physically active and demonstrate health-promoting behaviors with Page 2 of 2 the intent that the benefits gained individually and collectively by each employee will be compounded and manifested throughout the campus community.
The goals of the program are to:
Promote physical activity, healthy behaviors and wellness among members of the campus community. Educate employees on the benefits of physical activity and healthy behaviors and/or risk factors associated with chronic disease and reduced health/wellness.
Offer programs emphasizing awareness, prevention, and positive health behavior changes.
To achieve these goals, it is the aim of the program to:
Provide on-campus physical activity programs and promote other opportunities on UAPB campus and in the community that encourage employees to be active.
Provide materials for knowledge and skills to improve and maintain health that may enhance academic and/or work performance.
The Black and Gold, Fit and Bold Program offers various physical activities to our employees throughout the year for a small fee. Some of those physical activities include line dancing exercise, water aerobics, aerobics, Zumba, and lap swimming. The community may participate in these activities for a fee. Visit or call the benefits section of the Human Resources Department.
Unemployment Compensation
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff contributes to the state unemployment insurance fund, and under certain circumstances, an employee be eligible for unemployment compensation benefits when the employee is no longer employed by the University. A claim for unemployment benefits may be filed at the Department of Workforce Services.
Workers’ CompensationIf an employee becomes injured or ill while at work due to a work-related incident, the employee may be eligible to receive Workers’ Compensation. Workers’ Compensation is available by law to ensure that employees get appropriate and reasonable medical care for injuries or illnesses sustained while you are on the job. Should your injury or illness require that you take an extended period of absence from work, you may be eligible for disability benefits through Workers’ Compensation. Leave taken because of a serious health condition for which Workers’ Compensation benefits are received will be designated as Family and Medical Leave if it meets the definitions. Workers’ Compensation claims are submitted to the Office of Risk Management. Determination and payment of claims is made by the Public Employee Claims Division located in Little Rock.
Procedure for Reporting and Treatment of an On-the-Job Injury or Illness When an incident occurs which may have resulted in an employee being injured, please follow these procedures: If the employee indicates that he/she does not need medical treatment follow these procedures:
1. Have the employee complete, sign and date an incident report. The form is located on Human Resources’ website http://www.uapb.edu/administration/finance_administration/human_resources.aspx
2. Keep the incident report form on file in your department. If the employee later indicates he/she needs medical treatment, call the toll free number (1-855-339-1893) for workers’ compensation claims reporting and follow the steps for reporting the injury and send a copy of the completed incident report form to the Public Employee Claims Division at 1- 501-371- 2733.
If the employee indicates that he/she needs medical treatment, follow these procedures:
1. If it is a life-threatening emergency, call 911 and obtain medical care for the injured employee as soon as possible. The supervisor should call the toll free number (1-855-339- 1893 to report the claim as soon as medical treatment is secured for the employee.
2. If it is not a life-threatening emergency, the employee (and the supervisor, if he or she is available), should call the toll free number (855) 339-1893 to report the injury (This service is available 24 hours/day 7 days/week). When calling the toll free number please have the code for your agency (QR132) that is printed on the wallet cards or posters (distributed by the Human Resources Office) to provide to the Company Nurse Representative.
- The injury information will be taken and entered into a database and forms will be prepared by the Company Nurse. The injured employee (and/or supervisor, if available) will speak to a Registered Nurse (RN) who will triage the injury and direct the injured employee to receive care in an appropriate medical facility in the state’s preferred provider organization (PPO).
- Within minutes of conclusion of the reporting phone call, the forms are e-mailed to the designated person in the Human Resources Office at the state agency who is responsible for making sure the Workers’ Compensation Commission Form N and PECD Form 1 are reviewed for accuracy and signed by the injured employee.
- As soon as possible, the injured employee should come to the Human Resources Office to sign and date or make changes to the Form N and PECD Form 1. The injured employee should sign and date both the front and back of the Workers’ Compensation Form N. Human Resources or the agency designated contact should make sure the Workers’ Compensation Commission Form I-A1 and PECD Form 2 are accurate. Human Resources will submit the completed and signed forms to the Public Employee Claims Division at (501) 371-2733.
- Human Resources or the agency designated contract will provide the injured employee with a temporary prescription form to take to the pharmacy to fill any prescriptions issued by the treating physician for the workers’ compensation injury. This form will be faxed to the Public Employee Claims Division by the Human Resources Office.
- Please submit to the WC Claims Analyst or WC Claims Specialist with the Public Employee Claims Division handling the claim at 501-371-2724 or Human Resources any information provided by the physician’s office regarding your medical condition including, follow-up appointment dates; diagnosis of the injury or illness; prognosis for recovery; any specific work restricts; and the date you can return to full duty.
- Whenever there is a change in the employee’s work status after the initial reporting of the injury – either being taken off work by the physician or returning to work, you should notify the WC Claims Analyst or WC Claims Specialist with the Public Employee Claims Division handling the claim at 866-278-8066 (toll free) or the Human Resources Office.
- If you have any questions regarding the claim, please contact the WC Claims Analyst or WC Claims Specialist at the Public Employee Claims Division of the Arkansas Insurance Department designated to handle the claim.
Injured employees are entitled to receive reimbursement for mileage for trips to and from medical treatment and to and from the pharmacy related to compensable workers’ compensation claims. The Public Employee Claims Division does have a mileage reimbursement form available for the injured employee to use in submitting their reimbursement requests.
Contact Information: Toll Free Number for Reporting Claims 1-855-339-1893 (This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). Claims Administrator Public Employee Claims Division, Arkansas Insurance Department, 1200 West Third Street Little Rock, AR 72201. Phone: (501) 371-2700 main number, (866)278-8066 toll free, (501) 371-2724 fax (bills, forms, physician reports, statements, etc.) (Hours: 8 am to 4:30 pm – Monday through Friday.