System of Texas New Employee Benefits Guide

1 Employees Retirement System of Texas New Employee Benefits Guide Plan Year 2013. Health Life TexFlex Texa$aver Dental Retirement Disability You have 31 days to sign up for insurance coverage no questions asked. Welcome to ERS. ERS administers the ex- We're here to help you cellent Benefits provided to you by the State of Texas and your employer. Depending on Call ERS on weekdays (excluding holidays). where you work, your Benefits include health from 7:30 to 5:30 CT at (877) 275- and optional insurance, retirement, deferred This booklet provides 4377 toll-free. compensation, and flexible Benefits . The information on Benefits for new Texas Employees Group Benefits Program ERS is always available online at (GBP) serves more than a half million em- employees of state agencies, ployees, retirees, and family members.

2 Higher education institutions*, If you are a state agency Employee , you will the Community Supervision & Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s become a member of ERS and contribute to Corrections Department (CSCD), the state's retirement plan. See pages 25-28. for information about the lifetime retirement the Texas Municipal Retirement Decisions At-A-Glance .. 2. benefit you will receive once you qualify. First 31 3. System (TMRS), First 90 4. For a limited time while you are a new the Texas County and Eligible 5. Employee , you can sign up for certain The ERS 6. District Retirement valuable Benefits with no questions asked. Dental 7. System (TCDRS), and the Optional Term Life 9.

3 If you sign up for certain Benefits when they Dependent Term Life 9. Windham School District. first become available, you won't have to Voluntary AD&D 9. provide proof of good health, called evi- Disability 10. dence of insurability (EOI). EOI is an applica- 12. Sign up for your Benefits now; tion process that requires you to provide Premium Calculation 17. information about your health. If you wait restrictions may apply Health 18. and go through the EOI process, you may Retirement for State Agency if you sign up later. not be approved for Benefits . Additional 28. Protect the People You 29. Don't miss your first opportunity to enroll Texa$ 30.

4 For more information, in Benefits . You can only sign up during the 34. year if you have a qualifying life event (QLE), visit Discount Purchase 35. such as getting married or having a baby, or *not including Texas A&M University or the University of Texas systems during Annual Enrollment. Get your personal Scan the code below with your Smart b e n e f i t s i n f o r m at i o n Phone to view the New Employee page OnLine on the ERS website. accessHR. If you are an HHS Enterprise Your Benefits information is easy to find. Employee (DADS, DARS, DFPS, DSHS, Just go to and click HHSC, CPRIT): Please contact the Sign In button. accessHR for information whenever this Guide advises you to contact Complete a few simple questions to register your Benefits coordinator.

5 Your account and set up your username and Call toll-free (888) 894-4747. password. WELCOME NE W Employee . ERS manages your insurance Benefits under the Texas Employees Group Benefits Program (GBP). State Agency Employee C o n g r at u l at i o n s o n Average Compensation other enrollment your new job with the Package opportunities: Value $58,808*. S tat e o f T e x a s $1,017 Annual Enrollment allows you to Longevity You have a valuable Benefits package. Pay make some changes to Benefits and For the average state agency Employee , sign up for a TexFlex health care or day the total value of the State of Texas ben- $2,388 care account for the new plan year Retirement (September 1 to August 31).

6 Efits package is equal to your base salary plus $3,379. Pay for Legally Qualifying life events: During the Required Benefits plan year, a qualifying life event When can you Sign up (QLE) such as marriage, divorce, for Benefits ? $6,093. or birth of a child may allow you Insurance to make changes that are consistent You and your eligible dependents can $6,127 with the QLE within 31 days sign up for some Benefits the day you Pay for Time Not Worked of the event*. start working. See the chart on page 2 for enrollment decisions. $39,804. Base Pay (Average State Agency Employee ) Year-round enrollment: You can enroll *State Auditor's Office, Report on State Employee Benefits , February 2012; in a Texa$aver 401(k) or 457 plan at applies to employees of state agencies.

7 Any time. Your health and prescription drug cover- *60 days when your child loses eligibility for the age starts on the first day of the month Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). after your 90th day on the job. This is called your health coverage waiting period. You can sign up for most If you are an Employee of a state agency, Benefits right away, no Ready to Save? you will become an ERS member and questions asked. start a retirement account on the first of Discount Purchase the month after your 90th day on the job. P r o g r a m ava i l a b l e Full-time employees Shop online and buy products and New Employee services such as computers, appli- are automatically ances, theme park tickets, and Benefits Guide enrolled in health much more at discounted prices at insurance at no cost For a quick after a waiting period.

8 Overview of your There is no enrollment period or n e w e m p l oy e e b e n e f i t s , membership fee. Just start shopping Go to and save. EVENTs/NEW_EMPLOYEE/. ERS 1. N e w E m p l o y e e ENROLLMENT D e c i s i o n s A t - a - G l a n c e Proof of good health, also known as evidence of insurability (EOI), may be required for certain types of coverage. Eligible Next opportunity Coverage When to sign up Description person to sign up Dental coverage (p. 7) First 31 days*, Covers routine dental visits, various dental procedures, and You and your Annual Enrollment period proof of good equipment depending on which plan you select.

9 Eligible or with a qualifying life health never dependents event (QLE). required The State of Texas Dental Choice PlanSM, administered by HumanaDental Insurance Company. HumanaDental DHMO, a member of the HumanaDental family of companies. Optional Term Life First 31 days*, Life insurance in the amount equal to one or two times your You Annual Enrollment period insurance Elections 1 proof of good annual salary. or with QLE (proof of good and 2 coverage (p. 9) health not required health required). in first 31 days Optional Term Life First 31 days*, Life insurance in the amount equal to three or four times your You Annual Enrollment period Insurance Elections 3 proof of good annual salary.

10 Or with QLE (proof of good and 4 coverage (p. 9) health always health required). required Voluntary Accidental First 31 days*, You choose the amount of coverage from $10,000 up to You and your Annual Enrollment period Death and proof of good $200,000, which provides a benefit in the event of an accidental eligible or with QLE. Dismemberment (p. 9) health never death or loss of a limb or eyesight. dependents required Dependent Term Life First 31 days*, Provides a $5,000 benefit in the event of your dependent's death. Your eligible Annual Enrollment period Insurance (p. 9) proof of good dependents or with QLE (proof of good health not required health required).