Human Resources Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

Address Changes

Send in writing your change of address and/or phone number to Human Resources.

Human Resources will change your address with the Blue Cross medical insurance and Caremark prescription insurance. To change your address with United Concordia dental and Vision Benefits of American, please contact the following:

United Concordia Dental: 1-800-332-0366

Vision Benefits of America: 1-800-432-4966

Jury Duty

A copy of your summons should be sent to Human Resources. You should contact SubFinder to report your absence. A copy of your check stub for payment of jury duty should be sent to the Payroll Department. The Payroll Department will deduct your payment for jury duty (not mileage reimbursement) from your next paycheck.

Tuition Reimbursement

Please refer to your employee handbook or contract for specific details relating to reimbursement for your employee group.

AESOP System

All absences (whether, or not, a substitute is required) for all IU staff are to be reported to the AESOP System by calling 1-800-942-3767 or visit AESOP".

This includes: sick, personal and bereavement days; leaves without pay; conference days; in-service days; jury duty; etc. All absences requiring a substitute should be put into the system as soon as you receive approval for the day. Please do not wait until the day before to put in an absence for which you previously requested and received approval, as this may result in no substitute coverage for that day. In the event an emergency arises after you are at work and it is too late to call AESOP, you must contact your immediate supervisor for approval for use of leave for any reason.

The supervisor will then contact the Human Resources Department to report the absence. The codes for absences are as follows:

• 001-Sick (Full-Day)
• 002-Sick (Half-Day)
• 003-Personal (Full-Day)
• 004-Personal (Half-Day)
• 005-Funeral
• 006-Inservice (Full-Day)
• 007-Inservice (Half-Day)
• 008-Jury Duty
• 009-Military Leave
• 010-Association Day
• 012-Family Medical Leave Day
• 013-Leave Without Pay
• 014-Covering for Teacher
• 017-Conference Day
• 018-Vacation (Full-Day)
• 019-Vacation (Half-Day)
• 020-Comp Day

Job Postings

Employees will be notified of all existing vacancies by appropriate job postings. Postings will occur in each location where there are four or more IU operated classes. These notices will be posted for 10 days in each building. Vacancies will also be published in the Exchange that is distributed with each paycheck.

Photo ID's

Photo identification cards are provided when an employee is hired. If an identification card is lost or misplaced, contact Elaine Sabo at 484-237-5085 to request a replacement. A fee of $5.00 will be charged for any employee requesting more than two identification cards.

Smoking Policy

The School Tobacco Control Act ( Act 128 of 2000) prohibits the use of tobacco in any form in school buildings, in school vehicles, and on all school property. This prohibition extends to all buildings or other forms of property owned by, leased by, or under the control of a school district.

Payroll Questions

Explanation of Salary

Employees starting after the beginning of the school year will receive an explanation of their salary payment with their first paycheck.

Payroll Calendars

Click here for 2009-2010 Semi-Monthly Payroll Schedule

Click here for 2008-2009 Semi-Monthly Payroll Schedule

Click here for 2009-2010 Weekly Payroll Schedule

Click here for 2008-2009 Weekly Payroll Schedule

Direct Deposit

Direct deposit is available to any financial institution. You may have your paycheck deposited to a maximum of two savings accounts and two checking accounts.

Click here for Direct Deposit Form

iPay (Paperless Paychecks)

Paperless paychecks offer you access to your earning statements and W-2 forms 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. iPay will not affect your direct deposit, it is a way to view your paycheck and earning statements. You can print copies of your paystubs directly from this website. In addition, you can make changes to your W-4. Simply type in your changes, print the form, sign it and forward the completed form to your Payroll Department for processing.

As an added benefit, pay statements through iPay will be available two days before payday, paper paychecks will not be available until the actual pay date.

Click here and view step by step screen shots of the registration process.

To register for iPay, use company registration pass code: cciu-1234. iPay Registration

W4 Changes

Changes to your W-4 withholdings should be submitted to the payroll department. Please click on the link to the form below and be sure to complete the entire bottom portion of the form.

Click here for W-4 Form

Local Services Tax

A new law has changed the name and several features of the Emergency Municipal Services Tax levied by most municipalities in Pennsylvania. Please read the LST Changes Memo for more detail.

Click here for LST Changes Memo

Click here for LST Exemption Form

Click here for LST Refund Form

Tax Sheltered Annuities (TSA)

The Chester County Intermediate Unit offers employees an option to enroll in a tax sheltered annuity or 403(b) plan. A 403(b) plan is a deferred compensation retirement agreement that may be entered into only by employees of public educational systems and of other specific tax-exempt organizations. If you are interested in starting a TSA plan, please contact our third party administrator, Employer Adminstrative Services Inc. (EASI). Click the link below to be redirected to EASI and learn more about the Chester County IU 403(b)plan and find a list of providers. For quick reference, the 2009 Salary Reduction Agreement and list of approved 403(b) providers can also be found in FirstClass under CCIU Resources & Docs, HR Area.

EASI

PSERS Retirement Benefits Questions

Eligibility Requirements for PSERS

All full-time or part-time salaried employees of a school employer must be enrolled as a member of PSERS. An hourly or per-diem employee is enrolled as a member after 500 hours or 80 days of employment.

Plan Booklet

An informational packet will be sent to you by PSERS after your enrollment application has been processed.

Annual Retirement Account Statement

PSERS will send you an annual account statement each September.

Go to the PSERS website http://www.psers.state.pa.us to find any information you need regarding your account. This site contains a number of forms which will be useful to you. Any and all inquires regarding your individual account should be directed to PSERS by viewing their website or calling 1-888-773-7748.

PSERS Retirement Requirements

Attend a general information session and attend an individual counseling session. Dates of the general information sessions can be found on the PSERS website. http://www.psers.state.pa.us

General Benefits Information

Open Enrollment

Open enrollment is the period of time when you can make changes to your insurance coverage. You can add dependents, change plans or opt back in to our insurance. Open enrollment meetings are held in May. Changes to the insurance generally take place on July 1 of each year. Instructional staff changes occur on September 1 of each year.

Your Dependents

If you are enrolled in the IU health benefits, you may cover your eligible dependents (proof of eligibility will be required).

Eligible dependents are defined as: Legal spouse (as recognized under both applicable state law and the Internal Revenue Code). Your same-gender domestic partner (as recognized under a domestic partnership agreement).

Dependent children are your natural, adopted children, children legally placed with you for adoption and stepchildren who are in each case, under age 19, unmarried, and dependent on you for principal support.

A dependent child age 19 to age 23 is eligible for health coverage if s/he is unmarried, a full-time student and is dependent on you for principal support. You must complete a student verification form for the CCIU Human Resources Department in June of each year to continue coverage. Blue Cross will also confirm student status semi-annually in April and November, and United Concordia confirms student status annually.

A disabled child age 19 or older may continue to be eligible if s/he is incapable of self-support because of any mental or physical condition. The child must be unmarried and dependent on you for principal support. An Application for Handicapped Status must be approved by the insurance carrier.

Adding a Dependent to your Insurance Coverage

If you are adding a newborn child, send your request to the Human Resources Department with a copy of the child's birth certificate within 30 days of birth. When you receive the child's social security number, please forward the number to the Human Resources Department.

If you are adding a spouse, send your request to Human Resources with your spouse's full name, date of birth, social security number, and a copy of the marriage certificate within 30 days of marriage.

If you are adding a same-gender domestic partner, send your request to Human Resources with your partner's full name, date of birth, social security number and a copy of your Domestic Partnership Agreement within 30 days of the notarization of the partnership agreement.

If you want to add a dependent to your coverage other than during open enrollment or due to the reasons listed above, please contact Human Resources directly.

Delete Dependent

If you would like to remove a dependent from your health coverage, you must submit your request in writing. Your request should include the dependent's full name, reason for removal and the date coverage through the IU should cease. If you are deleting a dependent due to divorce, you must submit a copy of your divorce decree with your request.

Divorce

Once you are legally divorced your spouse is no longer eligible to be covered under your health insurance. Notify the Human Resources Department immediately to remove him/her from your policy. You will need to provide a copy of the divorce decree. Your ex-spouse will be sent a COBRA application giving them the option to continue their health benefits. Please provide the Human Resources office the mailing address of your ex-spouse. If you fail to remove your ex-spouse from the policy in a timely manner, you will be charged for the additional premium to carry your ex-spouse.

Termination of Domestic Partnership If your relationship should dissolve, your partner is no longer eligible to be covered under your health insurance. Notify the Human Resources Office immediately to remove him/her from your policy. You will need to provide a notarized Domestic Partnership Termination Statement Your ex-partner will be sent a COBRA notice giving them the option to continue their health benefits. Please provide the Human Resources Office the mailing address of your ex-partner. If you fail to remove your ex-partner from the policy in a timely manner,you will be charged for the additional premium to carry your ex-partner.

Birth of Child

See adding a dependent.

Opt-Out of Insurance Coverage (Professional and Service Personnel Only)

If you opt-out of the health insurance coverage you must complete and return to Human Resources a new opt-out form by September 1 each year. Reimbursement for the opt-out will be paid the following June for service personnel and in August for professional staff.

Opt-Out of Insurance Coverage (Administrative, Project and Confidential Secretaries)

If you opt-out of the health insurance coverage, you must complete and return to Human Resources a new opt-out form by June 1 of each year. Annual opt outs begin July 1 of each year. Reimbursement for the opt-out will be paid semi-monthly.

Flexible Benefits

The Horace Mann Company will process all requests for reimbursements. Scroll down to the section labeled Flex Forms to download a Flex Claim Reimbursement form. For information regarding your account, please visit Horace Mann. First time users should click on "New User" to establish your username and password to manage your account. The plan year will run from July 1 through June 30. Enrollment meetings will be held during the months of April and May of each year. The schedule of meeting dates will be posted on Announcements.

Family Medical Leave Act

The Family Medical Leave Act will provide all eligible employees up to 60 working days of unpaid, job-protecting leave and requires group health benefits to be maintained during the absence. An employee must have been employed with the IU for at least 12 months and worked at least 1,250 hours during that 12 month period in order to qualify for the Family Medical Leave Act. The leave may be used for the following reasons:

• The birth, adoption, or placement of a child in foster care
• The care of a spouse, child, or parent with a serious medical condition
• A serious medical condition of the employee
• Servicemember Family Leave
• Qualifying Exigency Leave for Military Family Leave

Contact Human Resources for more details.

Blue Cross Medical Insurance Options

Our medical insurance coverage is provided by Blue Cross. The IU offers a choice of 3 different medical plans:

Personal Choice Option 1

Personal Choice Option 20

Personal Choice Option 15/25/70

Medical Insurance Questions

Blue Cross On-Line

Blue Cross subscribers can now register on-line to order new identification cards, change their address, check on claims, review benefits, search for providers, print out forms, and receive information on various health issues. Please visit Blue Cross to register. As part of the registration process you will need to create a username and password. If you do not register on-line with Blue Cross, you can contact Blue Cross at 1-800-275-2583 for ID cards and information on claims and the Healthy Lifestyle programs.

Additional Medical Identification Cards

To order additional medical cards, please call Blue Cross at 1-800-275-2583, or order on-line.

Locating a Personal Choice Provider

If you need help in locating a provider who participates in the Personal Choice network, call the Health Resource Center at 215-241-3367 or 1-800-ASK-BLUE, or visit Blue Cross.

If you visit an out of network provider, an Out of Network Form is required.

How You Can View Your Benefits

Benefit materials are available online through the secure and convenient website Blue Cross To review your member materials, log on and follow these steps. Click on My Benefits at the top of your screen, then click on Benefits Program Updates on the left hand side of the screen, and then download your benefits program updates by clicking on the PDFs. If you are not already registered, click on the Register link on the homepage and follow the simple instructions. If you would like to obtain a hard copy of your benefit information, call 1-877-4489977, follow the prompts and a copy will be mailed to you.

Employee Wellness Program

To help you and your family achieve and maintain a healthier lifestyle, the IU has teamed up with Independence Blue Cross to provide employees and family members insured through the IU health plan with additional opportunities and incentives to help meet their goals. These Healthy Lifestyle Programs include:

Fitness Club Reimbursement

Through the Healthy Lifestyles Program of Blue Cross you can receive reimbursement for up to $150 of your fitness center fees by completing 120 workouts during a 365-day period. If you meet the Blue Cross requirements, the IU will reimburse you for the difference in cost of your fitness club membership - up to $600 per year. This reimbursement is for employees that are insured through the IU health plan. This reimbursement can be used toward the cost of an individual or a family membership.

Weight Loss

If you enroll in either Weight Watchers or a network hospital weight management plan, Blue Cross will reimburse you up to $200 for the cost of program fees. The IU will match the Blue Cross reimbursement after completion of the program. This additional reimbursement is available to employees, spouses and dependents who are insured through the IU health plan.

Smoking Cessation

Blue Cross will reimburse you up to $200 upon completion of a proven smoking cessation program. The IU will match the Blue Cross reimbursement after completion of the program. This additional reimbursement is available to employees, spouses and dependents who are insured through the IU health plan.

Safety Programs

The Blue Cross safety program will reimburse you up to $25 for the American Red Cross/Heart Association first aid or safety courses. The IU will reimburse employees the difference in cost for the programs up to an additional $25. This additional reimbursement is for employees only who are insured through the IU health plan.

You are eligible to receive up to $25 per year for an approved bike helmet for each family member covered under our health insurance. The IU will reimburse you the difference in cost of purchase up to an additional $25 for each helmet purchased for yourself, your spouse or your dependents.

To enroll in the Blue Cross Healthy Lifestyles programs, you may either call 1-800-ASK-BLUE or go on-line at www.ibxpress.com.

Detailed instructions to apply for the additional reimbursement are located on the Healthy Lifestyles reimbursement form, or by contacting the CCIU Human Resources office at 484-237-5088.

Nutrition Counseling Benefit

Beginning July 1, 2007, all employees and their dependents insured under the IU’s medical insurance are eligible to receive six nutrition counseling visits with a registered dietitian or physician per calendar year. The cost for this service will be at the same co-pay as a visit to your primary physician. If you are covered by the Personal Choice Option 1 plan the cost would be $5 a visit, under Option 20 the cost would be $20 per visit and under Option 15/25/70 the cost would be $15 per visit.

The purpose of the benefit is to support our members in establishing good eating habits that will contribute to a healthier lifestyle. We recognize the impact of a well-balanced diet on good health, and we are proud to offer nutrition counseling visits as a core benefit to our already comprehensive benefits plans.

Participating providers for the nutrition counseling can be found on the Blue Cross website at: https://ibxpress.ibx.com/up/express/portal/ibx or call Blue Cross directly at 800-275-2583.

Prescription Drug Insurance Questions

Caremark administers your prescription benefit program. This program includes nationwide retail pharmacy participation, convenient mail order home prescription delivery, and access to your drug claims and pharmacy benefit plan information via their werbsite at Caremark. Click here for a Summary of Benefits

Click here for Prescription Claim Form.

Click here for Prescription Mail Service Order Form. All support, project and professional staff are required to have maintenance medication filled through mail order after three refills at the retail level. A maintenance medication is a drug that is prescribed for an extended period of time to treat an ongoing or chronic illness. Some examples of maintenance medication are drugs used to treat high blood pressure and heart conditions. Mail order can be set up in one of two ways: 1) send a mail order form with your prescription directly to Caremark or 2) call Caremark's "Fast Track" at 1-888-216-5022, and provide the physician's name, phone number and fax number, as well as your credit card number for payment. Caremark will then contact the physician to set up mail order.

If you have questions concerning your coverage, please call Caremark Member Services at 1-888-865-6590.

Additional Prescription Identification Cards

To order additional prescription cards, please call Caremark Member Services at 1-888-865-6590 to request a new card.

Your Prescription Drug Coverage and Medicare

Notice of Creditable Coverage is being provided to you as required by federal law. The information in this notice applies to you only if you, or one or more of your dependents, is eligible for Medicare.

If you or your dependents are not eligible for Medicare, this information does not apply to you.

Specialty Pharmacy Services

Caremark offers specialty pharmacy services for serious, chronic conditions. Plan members using the specialty pharmacy will be provided with a pharmacist-led Care-Team which reviews dosing and medication schedules, assists with injection-related issues, discusses side effect management, and reinforces treatment. (This service is required for support staff that use specialty drugs. The service is suggested for all other groups.)

Vision Insurance Questions

Our coverage is provided by Vision Benefits of America. Call 1-800-432 4966 or visit their web site at Vision Benefits of America. VBA has introduced a new e-Claims system which no longer requires a VBA benefit form when using certain providers. To use the new e-Claims system, log onto the website, determine your eligibility, then do a provider search in your area. All VBA providers who are capable of processing claims electronically will have their names listed in bold print. If you choose a VBA provider whose name is in bold, simply make your appointment, letting them know you have VBA coverage but will not be using the benefit form. The provider will render services and submit your order electronically. At this time, about half of VBA's providers are capable of using the e-Claims system. Employees who prefer to use the benefit form may continue to request claim forms from VBA, either by phone or through the website for any of the VBA providers. When ordering a claim form, you will be asked to provide your social security number, birth date, and zip code. The group number for professional, administrative secretaries, support staff and project staff is 788. The group number for administrators is 791.

Dental Insurance Questions

Our dental insurance coverage is provided by United Concordia. The IU offers a choice of two different dental plans:

1. Basic coverage
2. Basic coverage with a supplemental rider

Additional Dental Identification Cards

Call 1-800-332-0366 to request additional identification cards.

Participating Dentist

United Concordia does not provide a list of participating dentists. You can access their list of participating providers through their web site at http://www.ucci.com (our group is ADVANTAGE PLUS) or by calling United Concordia directly at 1-800-332-0366.

Click here for Dental Claim Form

Pre-determination of Benefits

If you are going to have extensive dental work, you should have your dentist submit a pre-determination of benefits to the dental carrier. The carrier will send you a statement either approving or denying coverage for the service prior to having work performed. The statement will also provide you with the amount they will pay for the service and the amount of your out-of-pocket expense.

Dental Claim Problems

Call 1-800-332-0366 for claim problems.

General Benefits Information

Open Enrollment

Open enrollment is the period of time when you can make changes to your insurance coverage. You can add dependents, change plans or opt back in to our insurance. Open enrollment meetings are held in May. Changes to the insurance generally take place on July 1 of each year. Instructional staff changes occur on September 1 of each year.

COBRA

The Cobra provision allows employees and their eligible dependents to continue their health coverage after termination of their benefits. Contact the Human Resources Department for additional information.

HIPAA

HIPAA is the acronym for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. The act’s primary purpose was to make it easier for employees to continue health care insurance with minimal disruption when changing employers. However, there were many other significant parts of legislation, including the nationalization of claims procedures and improvement of accountability. The Privacy Rule is just one part of the accountability rules.

The Privacy Rule creates national standards to protect an individual's medical records and other personal health information. The CCIU has adopted a number of practices that ensure compliance with the HIPAA Privacy Rule. The procedures adopted due the HIPAA requirements can be downloaded and viewed by clicking on HIPAA Employee Letter

The intermediate unit has also established a mechanism to allow the reporting of any matter that may be an issue of non-compliance with the intermediate unit’s HIPAA Privacy Policy.

Resolution of Privacy Complaints for Protected Health Information.

HMS - Human Management Services

HMS is an employee assistance program that offers confidential counseling and referral services to help employees and their eligible dependents successfully manage life's problems. The phone number for HMS is 610-644-6000 or (outside of Philadelphia) 1-800-343-2186. Visit their website at HMS, Username: CC and Password: IU.

Worker's Compensation

If you suffer a work-related injury, your health and well-being are our first concern. If an injury is of a less serious nature contact the worker's compensation carrier at 1-800-445-6965 ext. 101, then contact Pat McLaughlin at 484-237-5088.

The Human Resources Department will provide you with instructions for reporting the claim to the insurance carrier. You must treat with one of the approved worker compensation providers for the first 90 days of treatment to insure payment of the claim from the carrier. You will be sent a packet of worker compensation forms. These forms must be completed and returned to Human Resources immediately to insure prompt claim processing.