Group Benefit Programs

Health Insurance

If you work at least 20 hours per week, you may participate in the State’s group health plans. If both you and your spouse are employed by the State, you and your spouse can enroll under the same family coverage. You cannot be covered as both an employee and a dependent under the State’s health benefit plans.

The portion of the premium paid by the State and the portion paid by you depend upon the number of hours you work and the health plan selected. If you are covered by the State Police Officers Council (SPOC) collective bargaining agreement, you have a separate group health plan. Contact your agency’s human resources associate to determine your eligibility and to determine the State’s premium contribution in your particular situation.

You must enroll within 30 days after your date of employment. (Note: This is the only time you may enroll unless an applicable collective bargaining agreement provides otherwise, or you experience a qualified life event.) Your coverage will become effective the first day of the calendar month following the day you complete one month of continuous employment. If the first day of your employment is the first working day of the month, your coverage will be effective the first day of the next month.

If you do not enroll when you are first eligible for health benefits, you may enroll during an annual enrollment and change period or 30 days following a qualified life event (60 days in the case of birth or adoption). Your benefit elections remain in effect through the end of the calendar year. More information is included in the Qualified Life Events section of this handbook.

Dental Insurance

If you work at least 20 hours per week, you are eligible to enroll in the State of Iowa’s dental insurance program. The State pays all or part of a single policy monthly premium, depending upon the number of hours the employee works. If both you and your spouse are employed by the State, you and your spouse may enroll under the same family coverage. You cannot be covered as both an employee and a dependent under the State’s dental benefit plans. The portion of the family premium paid by the State and the portion paid by you depends upon the number of hours you work. If you are covered by the State Police Officers Council (SPOC) collective bargaining agreement, you have a separate group dental plan.

You must enroll within 30 days after your date of employment. (Note: This is the only time you may enroll unless an applicable collective bargaining agreement provides otherwise, or you experience a qualified life event.) Your coverage will become effective the first day of the calendar month following the day you complete one month of continuous employment. If the first day of your employment is the first working day of the month, your coverage will be effective the first day of the next month.

You must make any qualified life event changes within 30 days of the event (60 days in the case of birth or adoption); see the Qualified Life Events section of this handbook for more details.

Dependent Verification

DAS-HRE maintains and verifies the eligibility status of you and your family members for purposes of insurance coverage. You may be asked to provide certain documentation to verify dependent eligibility. In the event this information is requested by DAS-HRE and all necessary form(s) are not completed and returned within the required timeframes, your dependent(s) may be terminated from the State’s plan.

COBRA

If you leave state employment or have certain “qualified events,” the federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) provides for continuation of health and dental benefits coverage to you and/or your eligible family members at the group premium rate after coverage with the State ends.

The State’s share of the premium payment for your health and dental benefits will cease at the end of the month in which the qualifying event occurs and you will be responsible for full payment of the premium. COBRA coverage begins the first of the month following the qualifying event. The COBRA election period ends 60 days from the later of:

• The date coverage would otherwise end; or
• The date of the “COBRA Notification/Election Form.”

If you divorce, reduce hours, or have a dependent who is no longer eligible for coverage, you must notify your agency’s human resource associate within 60 days following the event so the COBRA information can be sent to you. COBRA rights will not be extended to a domestic partner or his/her children.

Please visit https://das.iowa.gov/human-resources/employee-and-retiree- benefits/cobra to view the general notice of COBRA Continuation Coverage Rights or request a printed copy from your agency’s human resources associate.

Sick Leave Insurance Program (SLIP)

The Sick Leave Insurance Program (SLIP) offers retirement-eligible employees an option for using all or part of their unused sick leave balance to pay the state share of their group health insurance premiums after they retire. Pursuant to Iowa Code section 70A.23(3)c, payment of health insurance premiums will continue until:

• The available value of sick leave is exhausted, or
• The retiree becomes eligible for Medicare (age 65, or earlier, if approved for Social Security Disability), or
• The retiree dies, or
• The retiree returns to state government in a permanent full- or part- time position. (In this case, the returning retiree forfeits any remaining benefits.)

Executive branch state employees are eligible for the SLIP program, except elected officials, Board of Regents employees, and employees represented by the SPOC union. A similar program is offered to employees represented by the SPOC union.

For program information, visit the SLIP website at https://das.iowa.gov/human- resources/employee- and-retiree-benefits/retirees/sick-leave-insurance- program-slip, or consult the DAS-HRE rules and any applicable collective bargaining agreement.

Life Insurance

The State provides basic group term life insurance to you if you are regularly scheduled to work at least 30 hours per week. Additional supplemental life insurance is available at your expense. Supplemental life insurance premiums are paid through payroll deduction. You may enroll for the guaranteed issue coverage available to you without evidence of insurability if you enroll within 30 days after your employment date.

You cannot make changes to your supplemental life insurance until the annual enrollment and change period, unless you have a qualified life event. You must provide evidence of insurability and be approved for coverage by the life insurance carrier before any increase becomes effective. Visit https://das.iowa.gov/human-resources/employee-and-retiree- benefits/employees/group- insurance/life-insurance/life for more information.

Long-Term Disability Insurance (LTD)

Long-term disability insurance is provided if you are regularly scheduled to work at least 30 hours per week. A monthly benefit is paid for approved claims starting 90 workdays following your date of disability or after you have exhausted all of your unused sick leave, whichever is later. You are eligible for benefits when you are disabled due to injury either on or off the job or due to a serious illness. Visit https://das.iowa.gov/human-resources/employee-and-retiree- benefits/employees/group- insurance/long-term-disability-ltd for more information.

Qualified Life Events

When you enroll in benefits, your benefit election remains in effect through the end of the calendar year. You cannot change your benefit elections outside the annual enrollment and change period, unless you experience a qualified life event which is consistent with the type of change you wish to make to your benefits.

Qualified events are defined by Internal Revenue Code section 125, based upon individual circumstances and plan eligibility. The list may not apply to every benefit plan. Please see the life event matrix on the State of Iowa benefits website at https://das.iowa.gov/state-employees/human-resources/employee-benefits- programs/life-events, or ask your agency’s human resources associate for more details.

Supplemental Retirement Savings Program

The State’s supplemental retirement program is called the Retirement Investors’ Club (RIC). RIC contains three plans: 457, 401a, and 403b (Department of Education employees only). The program is voluntary and is designed to supplement IPERS and Social Security benefits at retirement. To be eligible for the 457/401a plans, you must be a permanent or probationary employee normally scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week or have a fixed annual salary. There are no eligibility requirements for the 403b plan.

While you are participating in RIC, payroll deductions in the amount you choose (up to the federal maximums) are taken from your check and deposited into an account in your name. You may make contributions on a pre-tax or post-tax (Roth) basis. The State will match contributions to your 457 plan up to a maximum amount each month and place the funds in a 401a account in your name for your exclusive benefit. There is no match for your 403b plan.

Enrollment is always open and you may change your contribution amount and investment selection at any time. You may direct your contributions to a number of competitive investments, including mutual funds, variable annuities, and fixed rate accounts. For more information, visit RIC’s website at https://das.iowa.gov/RIC or call 1-866-460-4692.

Flexible Spending Accounts

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) let you pay for certain health (Health FSA) and dependent care expenses (Dependent Care FSA) with tax-free dollars. 

To be eligible, you must be a non-temporary employee who works at least 1,040 hours per calendar year. 

This benefit saves you money by reducing your taxable income and increasing your spendable income. You may contribute to one or both of the State’s FSA accounts with pretax dollars and then you are reimbursed for qualifying expenses for you and your family. Pretax dollars are not subject to state, federal, or FICA taxes.

You may enroll within 30 days of your employment with the State or during the annual enrollment and change period. You must re-enroll every year in health and/or dependent care flexible spending. Changes can only be made during the enrollment and change period or at the time of a qualified life event. Contact

your agency’s human resources associate for more information, or visit the FSA website at https://das.iowa.gov/human-resources/employee-and-retiree- benefits/employees/additional- benefits/flexible-spending.

Premium Conversion Plan (Pretax)

You are eligible to participate in the Premium Conversion Plan (Pretax) if you work at least 20 hours per week (1,040 hours per calendar year). Pretax dollars may be used to pay for your share of health, dental, and supplemental life insurance while saving money on income and FICA taxes. This means insurance premiums are deducted from your salary before taxes are calculated. Please note, since you do not pay FICA on your insurance premiums, those amounts are not included in your wages for Social Security calculations.

You are automatically enrolled in Pretax when hired by the State. Changes in participation in Pretax can be made only during the annual enrollment and change period or within 30 days of a qualified life event. If you are a newly hired employee and do not want to participate, you must complete a form within 30 days of your employment date. Contact your agency’s human resources associate for more information.