Administrative and Professional Faculty are employed according to the terms set forth in the VCCS/NOVA Faculty Handbook.

TAX DEFERRED ANNUITIES (403b): The College will make payroll deductions for tax-deferred annuities of participating companies. (MetLife, AIG-VALIC, TIAA-CREF.) The employee or the participating company pays an administrative fee.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN (457): The College will make payroll deductions for the Commonwealth of Virginia Deferred Compensation Plan. This plan is a defined contribution plan where the participant assumes the investment risk. The minimum an employee may contribute is $10 per pay period. There is also no loan provision in this plan and hardship withdrawals are more restrictive than 403(b) plans.

CASH MATCH PLAN: Employees who make a contribution to a 403(b) tax deferred annuity or 457 deferred compensation plan, are eligible to participate in the Commonwealth of Virginia's Cash Match Plan. Employees must have an account with a company 1) participating with the College and participating in the cash match program. Employees will receive each pay period, the lesser amount of $20 or 50% of the employee’s contribution amount.

WORKERS COMPENSATION: Under the Workers Compensation Act, medical bills and compensation for loss of pay are paid if injuries were received on the job or while on official College business. Accidents must be reported immediately to your supervisor to ensure coverage.

TUITION ASSISTANCE: The College provides tuition assistance to qualified employees who apply for it. Tuition assistance is available for credit bearing NOVA courses and for credit bearing courses at regionally accredited universities. Tuition assistance is neither a guaranteed benefit nor an entitlement of employment at NOVA and is limited by the availability of funds. Priority will be given to education or training directly related to job performances.

FLEXIBLE REIMBURSEMENT ACCOUNTS: A Dependent Care (eligible first day of first full month of employment) and/or Medical Account (eligible after six months of salaried employment) may be established with pre-tax dollars.

HEALTH CARE PLAN: Group health insurance is available through the Commonwealth of Virginia. In Northern Virginia employees can choose coverage either from the Commonwealth‘s Self-Insured (COVA Care) or from a HMO (Kaiser Permanente). Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield provide medical benefits for the self-insured plan. Other benefits - prescriptions drugs are provided through Medco/dental benefits through Delta Dental/ mental health through Value Options. Kaiser Centers are located in the Washington, D.C. metro area and provide health care and auxiliary coverage for prescription drugs, dental benefits and mental health.

The selected plan is effective the first day of the month following enrollment. Enrollment is done by using the web-based enrollment process (Edirect) or by submitting an enrollment paper form to Human Resources within 31 days of hire.

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP): Counseling and referral for problems such as alcohol or substance abuse, marital or family difficulties, financial problems, and mental and medical disorders are available. These services are provided by ValueOptions, Inc. Additional information is available by phoning 866.725.0602 or visiting the website at http://www.achievesolutions.net/covacare. For employees who have chosen Kaiser as their health benefit plan have EAP with Kaiser. For additional information, please visit them at www.kaiserpermanente.org.

GROUP LIFE INSURANCE: The College provides group term life insurance coverage at no cost for full-time employees. The amount of coverage is twice the employee's annual salary rounded to the nearest $1,000 for natural death and four times the rounded annual salary for accidental death. This insurance is provided without a medical examination. Employees may purchase additional life insurance for themselves, spouses and children at group rates.

VOLUNTARY LIFE AND ACCIDENTAL DEATH AND DISMEMBERMENT INSURANCE: Active employees eligible for group life insurance may participate in the Optional Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Plan. Insurance may be purchased for employee, spouse and children. Premiums are based on low group rates and are paid through payroll deduction. Enrollment forms must be completed within 31 days of hire date to ensure coverage without evidence of good health for most options.

LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE: The Commonwealth of Virginia offers long-term care insurance to eligible state employees with coverage available for their spouses, parents, parents-in-law, and state retirees and their spouses (if purchased before retirement date). Aetna U.S. Healthcare administers the long-term care coverage. Long-term care refers to a wide range of personal care, health care and social services for people of all ages who can no longer care for themselves. Employees enrolled in the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP) receives a $75 daily benefit at no cost. Additional coverage for employees or eligible dependents may be purchased. These benefit options range from a $50 to $200 daily benefit. For more information, contact Aetna at 877.894.2470.

RETIREMENT PLANS: Faculty members may choose the Virginia Retirement System or an Optional Retirement Plan

Virginia Retirement System (VRS)

• Full contribution paid by state
• Five years service to be vested
• Benefits determined by formula based on year’s service and highest salary average
• Benefit options available
• Cost of living Increase
• No portability between VRS and other state retirement plans
• May enroll in short/long-term care benefit (VSDP)
• May purchase prior service (See enclosed Purchasing Prior Service brochure or VRS website

Optional Retirement Plans
Companies: Fidelity Investments or TIAA-CREF

• Full contribution paid by state
• Vested immediately
• Benefits determined by invested amount, growth and loss factors, and life expectancy
• Benefits options available (distribution of funds upon leaving employment)
• No cost of living increase
• May transfer among companies on annual bases and possible roll into plans available at other institutions
• May start annuity payment when disabled

Fidelity
TIAA-CREF

ANNUAL LEAVE: A/P faculty accrue leave based on a state service months. If at the time of NOVA hire, there is a state service on employees record, the employee will be credited with that time in determining the leave accrual rate. At the time of leaving employment, employees may be paid the balance of leave not to exceed the service accrual fixed amount for the years of service. This is true regardless of whether the A/P faculty is covered by VRS or ORP pension plan.

SICK LEAVE: Traditional VCCS leave for A/P faculty is an accrual leave based on a fixed 5hours a pay period with carry over, thus cumulative. There are provisions to cover absences due to illness of a family member as defined. Payment for 25% of sick leave balance of the time of departure if service has been continuous for 5 years within VCCS.

ORP: A/P Faculty on twelve month appointments earn 5 hours of sick leave per pay period based on the amount of State Service (for a total of 120 hours per year). The amount can be accumulated, with no caps.

VRS: A/P Faculty selecting VRS have two options for sick leave; (1) participation in the same sick leave program described above for faculty in an ORP or (2) participation in the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP). Leave under the VSDP consists of two components, sick leave and family & personal leave.

VSDP Sick Leave: New employees are allotted eight days (64 hours) of sick leave each year if hired between January 10 and July 9. New employees hired between July 10 and January 9 are allotted five days (40 hours) of sick leave for the remainder of the year. Sick leave is credited each January 10 thereafter. You may use credited sick leave for absences due to personal illness or injury or for appointments with a physician. This leave does not carry forward into the next calendar year nor is a payoff made for unused sick leave upon separation.

VSDP Family & Personal Leave: New employees are allotted four days (32 hours) of family & personal leave if hired between January 10 and July 9. New employees hired between July 10 and January 9 are allotted two days (16 hours) of family & personal leave for the remainder of the year. Family & personal leave is credited each January 10th thereafter. Family & personal leave must be pre-approved by your supervisor and may be used for personal illness, family illness, bereavement or personal business. This leave does not carry forward into the next year nor is a payoff made for any unused leave upon termination.

For more information, contact the Department of Human Resources at 703.323.3110.