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Working at Cornell
Cornell Employment: Cornell Benefits
Cornell University provides faculty and staff with a wide-ranging benefit program to meet a broad range of family and individual needs, including many benefits for same-sex partners. Cornell University also provides benefits for staff and faculty at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. For more information, follow the links below. IF you have any questions or concerns, or need information on benefits for same-sex partners, contact Benefit Services, 607-255-3936 or e-mail benefits@cornell.edu.
Electronic Access to Benefits Information• Employee Essentials and eOpen Enroll
You may access your benefit information on-line through Employee Essentials, and enroll on-line through eOpen Enroll during specified enrollment periods. Employee Essentials allows you to view your personal data (such as address and birth date), limited job and payroll data, and the enrollment, coverage, deduction/contribution levels you have for health, dental, life, and disability insurance, as well as retirement and Select Benefits enrollments. Privacy is maintained by requiring your NetID and password.
Summary of Benefit Programs
Following are brief descriptions of the benefits offered at Cornell. For more information or for consultation concerning your benefits, contact Benefit Services at 255-3936, refer to the policies noted below and to the Benefit pages of the Office of Human Resources Web site, or go on-line to Employee Essentials at <eessentials.ohr.cornell.edu>.
Although the university intends to offer the following benefit programs indefinitely, it reserves the right to amend or terminate any plan at its own discretion. Benefits for members of collective-bargaining units may differ from those described below. Please refer to the appropriate contract for specific information.
• Auto and Homeowner’s Insurance
Automobile and homeowner’s insurance may be purchased at group rates through a program arranged by Marsh@Work Solutions and insured by Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates. Premiums are paid through payroll deduction. See the auto insurance section of HR Policy 6.7.16: Payroll Deductions and the benefits program web pages on auto and home owners insurance for details.
• Cornell University Child Care Grant Subsidy Program
Cornell recognizes that the cost of quality child care can be a substantial burden to employees. The Cornell University Child Care Grant Subsidy Program subsidizes the cost of child care based on employee need and fund availability. The grant covers child care for workdays, school holidays, summer vacations, and teacher workdays. See the web pages on the Child Care Grant Subsidy Program for details.
•Cornell University Health Care Plans
Cornell offers three health care plans, the HealthNow Point-of-Service Plan (which is a managed care plan), the 80/20 Plan (which is a traditional indemnity plan), and Aetna’s Open Choice Plan (which has some of the network savings of a managed care plan along with the choices of providers usually associated with a traditional indemnity plan). For benefits-eligible endowed staff and faculty the costs of the plans are shared by employees and the university. Endowed faculty and staff may also be eligible for dental insurance. See Benefits Endowed Health Web pages and HR Policy 6.8.11: Group Health Insurance Plans for details.
Eligible staff and faculty may participate in the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP), and may choose from two options: the Empire Plan or a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). Eligible employees are also eligible for dental insurance. See Benefits Contract College Health Web Pages and HR Policy 6.8.11: Group Health Insurance Plansfor details.
• Educational Programs and Assistance
Cornell has many programs that offer assistance, both informational and financial, to those seeking to enrich their lives by exploring the educational opportunities available at Cornell.
Guide to Workshops for Staff and Faculty
Cornell Children’s Tuition Scholarship ( CCTS) Program
Tuition Aid Reimbursement Program
• Group Term Life Insurance Plans
Basic Coverage
The university provides basic coverage equal to one-half your budgeted annual salary, up to a maximum coverage of $50,000. Group Universal Life (GUL) Coverage You may purchase additional insurance to supplement the basic coverage. Coverage for your dependent children, spouse/same-sex partner may also be purchased.
This insurance is designed specifically to cover the costs associated with extended long term care due to a chronic disease or long-lasting disability. While nursing home care may be necessary, services can also be provided in adult day care centers, assisted living facilities, or at home.
Endowed Staff
This program provides income replacement of 60 percent of an employee’s budgeted monthly salary, up to a maximum of $7,500 per month (combined with benefits from Workers’ Compensation, Social Security, other group disability, and employer contributory retirement plans) if the staff member is unable to work due to total disability. Benefits begin after six months of continuous total disability and generally continue until the staff member is no longer disabled or reaches age 65. See HR Policy 6.8.12: Long Term Disability Plan (LTD) for details.
Contract College Staff
Coverage is provided for Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) participants. Participants in the New York State Employees’ Retirement System (NYSERS) or the Federal Civil Service Retirement System have coverage prior to vesting. Once vested in NYSERS or the Federal Civil Service Retirement System, members have disability coverage provided through those programs. NYSERS and Federal Civil Service Retirement System participants who become vested may elect to continue coverage through the Cornell Long-Term Disability plan in addition to the disability coverage provided through these plans. Contact Benefit Services at 255-3936 for details.
• Personal Accident Insurance (PAI)
Staff may voluntarily purchase individual or family coverage for accidental death, dismemberment, or paralysis. Any coverage amount from $10,000 to $500,000 can be selected, but coverage above $250,000 cannot exceed ten times the participant’s budgeted annual salary. See PAI web pages and HR Policy 6.8.9: Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) for details.
Endowed
Cornell University Retirement Plan (CURP) Participation dates vary according to employment status. The university contributes an amount equal to ten percent of the staff member’s base salary to TIAA-CREF and/or Fidelity Investments. Participants allocate their contributions to a variety of accounts that are available through TIAA-CREF and Fidelity Investments. See retirement web pages and HR Policy 6.8.3: Cornell University Retirement Plan for Endowed Employees (CURP) for details.
Contract Colleges
New York State Employees’ Retirement System ( NYSERS) An individual participating in the NYSERS retirement option is provided coverage under one of the four available tiers. Tier 3 and Tier 4 participants are required to contribute three percent of their gross salary for the first ten years of their membership. New hires who are not previous members of NYSERS will become Tier 4 members. See retirement web pages and HR Policy 6.8.4: NYS Employees’ Retirement System (NYSERS) for details.
State University of New York Optional Retirement Plan (SUNY ORP) Cornell contract-college exempt full-time employees, including employees with a term appointment on a part-time basis, as well as cooperative extension agents who previously had an eligible contract, may choose to enroll in the ORP. Contributions made by both the State University of New York and the employee vary according to the tier in which they are a member. Tier 3, Tier 4, and Tier 4A participants are required to contribute three percent of their gross salary. Contributions are used to purchase individual retirement-annuity contracts from TIAA-CREF, which are owned by the participant upon satisfaction of vesting requirements. Vesting occurs immediately for employees who own preexisting contracts or have active membership in the NYSERS, and after a thirteen-month waiting period for all other participants. Contact Benefit Services at 255-3936 for details.
ING Financial Services, Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. (MetLife), and Variable Annuity Life Insurance Co. (VALIC)
These three additional firms provide alternate funding vehicles into which SUNY-ORP participants may transfer their CREF accumulations. Staff members enrolled in TIAA-CREF may continue all investments in TIAA-CREF or may choose to transfer all or a portion of their CREF accumulations to one or more of the alternative funding vehicles. Future contributions must be remitted to TIAA-CREF and may not be remitted directly to one of the alternate funding vehicles. See retirement web pages and HR Policy 6.8.4: NYS Employees’ Retirement System (NYSERS) for details.
Endowed and Contract Colleges
Tax Deferred Plan Cornell’s Tax Deferred Retirement Savings Plan offers the opportunity to save for retirement through before-tax contributions to a variety of investment options offered by TIAA-CREF and Fidelity Investments. Before-tax contributions are made from payroll, but are subject to federal FICA taxes. Before-tax contributions and investments grow tax-deferred until money is withdrawn from the account. See retirement web pages and HR Policy 6.8.5: Tax Deferred Plan for details.
Two flexible spending accounts are available to Cornell faculty and staff, should they wish to enroll. Funds accumulated in the Medical Care Reimbursement Account can be used to pay for certain medical, dental, and vision charges (such as eye glasses, hearing aids, health plan deductibles and dental out-of-pocket expenses) that are not otherwise covered by a health plan. Expenses incurred for dependent care services that allow you or you and your spouse to work are eligible for reimbursement under the Dependent Care Reimbursement Account. Eligible expenses for an employee's child (under age 13), disabled spouse or other disabled dependent include the cost of daycare centers, private baby-sitters and nursery schools.
In the event of a non–work-related disability, a benefit equal to one-half of an employee’s base salary is provided for up to twenty-six weeks after a waiting period of seven calendar days. This benefit may be supplemented with accrued sick leave or accrued vacation in half-day increments. See University Policy 6.9: Time Away From Work, Short Term Disability (DBL) section for details.
Income protection and medical and survivor benefits are provided for job-related illness or injuries. Any work-related injury or illness must be reported immediately to the supervisor, department chairperson, or director. See University Policy 6.9: Time Away From Work, Workers’ Compensation section for details.
DISCLAIMER: The policies contained in this handbook are not conditions of employment, and are not intended to create a contract between the university and its employees. The university reserves the right to amend or revoke the policies in this handbook at any time without notice. The university reserves the right to change the content of this handbook at any time. Nothing contained in this handbook constitutes a promise or guarantee of continuing employment or benefits.