Insurance Benefits
The University of Mississippi provides comprehensive insurance plans that support you and your family. Prospective candidates and employees are encouraged to review and learn more about the insurance plans and associated costs.
Eligibility Requirements
Temporary and permanent faculty and staff employed a least 50% time for an anticipated 4 1/2 months are eligible to enroll in the following insurance plans. Participation is voluntary. Human Resources will determine eligibility status.
Premiums
Employee paid premiums are withheld from your paycheck. Faculty and staff are paid on the 15th and last working day of each month. One half of the monthly premium will be withheld from each check. Premiums are collected one month in advanced. New hires and employees who make a benefit change because of a qualifying event, may have an additional withholding to collect missed premiums.
Pre-tax Insurance Benefits
With enrollment in a pre-tax insurance benefit, the premium is deducted from the employee’s gross wages prior to taxes being withheld. Pre-tax deductions reduce an employee’s taxable income which means you may owe less income and/or FICA tax (which includes Social Security and Medicare) resulting in more net income (take home pay).
• State and School Health Insurance Plan
• Flexible Spending Accounts (Medical Reimbursement and Dependent Care)
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment
• Cancer, Dreaded Disease and Intensive Care
Post-tax Benefits
A post-tax premium is a deduction from an employee’s gross pay after taxes are withheld. This deduction has no effect on taxable wages and the amount of tax owed.
• State and School Employee’s Life Insurance Plan
Dates & Events
Benefits eligible employees may elect to participate or make changes to insurance plans due to the following qualifying events.
- Within 31 days of date of hire
- During Open Enrollment in October of each year for an effective date of January 1 of the following year
- Within 60 days of a family status change, as long as the insurance change is consistent with the status change
Status changes include, but are not limited to:
- Marriage or divorce
- Death of a spouse or dependent
- Birth or adoption of a child
- Employee or spouse employment status change
- Refused coverage for self or dependents at time coverage was offered but subsequently loses coverage due to termination of spouse’s employment
- Employee or spouse takes an unpaid leave of absence
Insurance coverage will not take effect until an application for enrollment is completed and received by the Department of Human Resources.