Benefits forEssex County Public Schools (VA)
Congratulations on your new employment!
Flex and Colonial – Please call the Service Center within 30 days of your date of hire. The Service Center number is located at the bottom of this page.
All Other Benefits – Please contact your Benefits Department within 30 days of your date of hire.
Benefits Plan Overview
Pre-Tax Benefits
Health Insurance: The Local Choice — Anthem
Health Savings Accounts
- Employee Maximum $3,600/year
- Family Maximum $7,200/year
HSA plans can only be established in conjunction with a qualified High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP)
Essex County Public Schools will provide a $500 HSA contribution to each employee enrolled in the HDHP. This will be contributed in two separate amounts throughout the year.
Flexible Spending Accounts*
- Medical Reimbursement Maximum $2,750/year
- Dependent Care Reimbursement Maximum $5,000/year
Dental Insurance: The Local Choice — Delta Dental of VA
Vision Insurance: The Local Choice — Blue View Vision
Cancer Benefits: Colonial Life
Accident Benefits: Colonial Life
Medical Bridge Benefits: Colonial Life
*You will need to re-sign for the Flexible Spending Accounts if you want them to continue each year.
Post-Tax Benefits
Disability Benefits: Colonial Life
Critical Illness Benefits: Colonial Life
Life Insurance
- Term Life Insurance: Colonial Life
- Whole Life Insurance: Colonial Life
Please note your insurance products will remain in effect unless you speak with a representative to change them.
Enrollment Period: April 15, 2021 – May 14, 2021
Effective Dates: July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022
QUALIFICATIONS:
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Employees must be contracted as a full-time employee to be benefit eligible.
IMPORTANT FACTS:
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The plan year for The Local Choice benefits (Anthem Health, Delta Dental and Blue View Vision), Health Savings Accounts, Spending Accounts Colonial Insurance products lasts from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022.
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Deductions for The Local Choice benefits (Anthem Health, Delta Dental and Blue View Vision) will begin June 2021. Deductions for Health Savings Accounts, Spending Accounts and Colonial Insurance products will begin July 2021.
- Health FSA Rollover Provision: Your employer provides the rollover option for your FSA plan. Please see the Flexible Spending Accounts section of your benefit booklet for more information on this provision.
- If signing up for any coverage on your spouse and/or children, please have their dates of birth and social security numbers available when meeting with the Benefits Representative.
- If you will be receiving a new debit card, whether you are a new participant or to replace your expired card, please be aware that it may take up to days following your plan effective date for your card to arrive. Your card will be delivered by mail in a plain white envelope. During this time you may use manual claim forms for eligible expenses. Please note that your debit card is good through the expiration date printed on the card.
- Elections made during this enrollment period CANNOT BE CHANGED AFTER THE ENROLLMENT PERIOD unless there is a family status change as defined by the Internal Revenue Code. Examples of a family status change are: marriage, divorce, death of a spouse or child, birth or adoption of a child, termination or commencement of a spouse’s employment, or the transition of spouse’s employment from full-time to part-time, or vice-versa.
- Once a family status change has occurred, an employee has days to notify the North Carolina Service Center at 1-888-662-7500 to request a change in elections.
- Flexible Spending Account expenses must be incurred during the Plan Year in order to be eligible for reimbursement.
- An employee has 90 days after the plan year ends to submit claims for spending account expenses that were incurred during the plan year. Please note that if employment terminates during the plan year, that employee’s plan year ends the day employment ends. The employee has 90 days after the termination date to submit claims.
- With Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, the maximum reimbursement you can request is equal to the current account balance in your Dependent Care account. You cannot be reimbursed more than has actually been deducted from your pay.
- As a married couple, one spouse cannot be enrolled in an FSA at the same time the other is contributing to an HSA.
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The Health Screening Rider on the Colonial Medical Bridge plan has a -day waiting period for new enrollees. Coverage, therefore, will not begin until July 31, 2021.
- Additionally, some policies may include a pre-existing condition clause. Please read your policy carefully for full details.
- Please be aware there are certain coverages that may be subject to federal and state tax when premium is paid by pretax deduction or employee contribution.
- An employee taking a leave of absence, other than under the Family & Medical Leave Act, may not be eligible to re-enter the Flexible Benefits Program until the next plan year. Please contact your Benefit Administrator for more information.