State of
South Carolina
Employee
Benefits
Compensation
Flexible Work Schedules
Leave
Tuition Assistance
Retirement
401K
The State Health Plan
An overview of insurance, benefits,
and retirement programs available to
South Carolina state employees
South Carolina State Budget and Control Board
A joint publication of the
Office of Human Resources, Employee Insurance Program,
and South Carolina Retirement Systems
Revised August 2005
The Value of Your South Carolina
State Government Benefits
Your total compensation consists of your annual salary plus your fringe benefits.
Below is an example of the dollar value of salary and approximate fringe benefits in
one year for an employee whose annual salary is $30,000.
Fringe Benefits:
Single Coverage Value Full Family Coverage
15 Days Annual Leave
$1,730.77
$1,730.77
15 Days Sick Leave
$1,730.77
$1,730.77
Health, Life, Disability,
& Dental Insurance
$2,663.88
$5,784.96
Holidays
$1,384.62
$1,384.62
Retirement Match
$2,265.00
$2,265.00
Social Security Match
$2,295.00
$2,295.00
Workers' Compensation
$300.00
$300.00
Total Dollar Amount of
Fringe Benefits
$12,370.03
$15,491.11
Annual Salary
$30,000.00
$30,000.00
T otal Compensation
Package
$42,370.03
$45,491.11
Fringe Benefits as a Percentage
of Annual Salary
41%
52%
Compensation
South Carolina state government offers competitive hiring salaries as well
as options for pay increases. Pay raises may be awarded for cost of living
adjustments, performance, additional skills, additional duties, promotions,
retention, reclassifications, and transfers. In addition, several options are
provided for paying bonuses to employees.
Flexible Work Schedules
State agencies may offer flexible work schedules to employees. Each agency
determines the scheduling options that best meet the needs of its customers.
Holidays
The following holidays are granted by the General Assembly:
? New Year's Day - January 1
? Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday - Third Monday in January
? George Washington's Birthday - Third Monday in February
? Confederate Memorial Day - May 10
? Memorial Day - Last Monday in May
? Independence Day - July 4
? Labor Day - First Monday in September
? Veteran's Day - November 11
? Thanksgiving Day - Fourth Thursday in November
? Day after Thanksgiving
? Christmas Day - December 25
? Day after Christmas - December 26
If a holiday falls on a Saturday, it will generally be observed on Friday. If a
holiday falls on Sunday, it will generally be observed on Monday.
Tuition Assistance Programs
State agencies may offer tuition assistance programs for employees who
are pursuing further education. Each agency establishes guidelines for the
program that support the mission of the agency.
Leave
As a full-time state employee, you will earn one and a quarter days of
annual leave per month for a total of 15 days per year. After 10 years of service
with the state, you will begin to earn annual leave at a higher rate, which
increases annually for each year of service. When you leave state employment,
you will be paid for the leave you have accrued up to 45 days. A full-time state
employee will also earn one and a quarter days of sick leave per month for a
total of 15 days per year. This time may be used for personal illness or medical
appointments. You may use up to 10 days of that sick leave annually to care for
members of your immediate family. In addition, an adoptive parent may use up
to six (6) weeks of sick leave to take time off for the purposes of caring for the
child after placement. Annual and sick leave for a part-time employee in a
permanent position are based on the number of hours worked per week. A
maximum of 45 days annual leave and 180 days sick leave may be carried over
from one calendar year to the next.
If you qualify under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), you are
entitled to up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for the birth or adoption of a
child, to care for a spouse or immediate family member with a serious health
condition, or when you are unable to work because of a serious health
condition. You may be able to substitute your earned leave for unpaid leave
depending on your situation.
If you are a member of the United States Armed Forces Reserves or the
National Guard you will be allowed 15 workdays of leave with pay for annual
training. Thirty additional days are allowed in the event of a declared
emergency.
South Carolina state government offers leave for blood drives, bone marrow
donation, voting, court, death in the family, and for employees that are certified
disaster service volunteers for the American Red Cross. In addition, state agencies
have leave transfer programs that allow employees to donate leave to be used
by other employees in emergency situations.
As a state employee, you may take advantage of many opportunities for
professional development and training. Various developmental experiences are
offered through state agencies to their employees. In addition, the Budget and
Control Board's Office of Human Resources offers the following leadership
certification programs: the Associate Public Manager (APM), the Public
Professional Development (PPD), and the Certified Public Manager (CPM), to
government employees. See the Office of Human Resources website:
www.ohr.sc.gov/OHR for more information on professional development.
L
EAVE
C
OMPENSATION
F
LEXIBLE
WORK SCHEDULE
H
OLID AYS
T
UITION
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
P
ROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
R
ETIREMENT
PROGRAMS
D
EFERRED
COMPENSATION
W
The SC Deferred Compensation Program (SCDCP) offers two voluntary
supplemental retirement plans to South Carolina's public workforce. The SCDCP's 401(k)
and 457 plans are powerful tools through which you may save on a pre-tax basis for your
retirement.
Before you join, you decide what dollar amount of your pay you want to contribute
to the plan you select. The contribution amount will be deducted from your paycheck
before taxes are taken out. You can defer a minimum of 2% of your gross pay or $1 per
month up to a maximum of $14,000 per year (for 2005).
You can invest in fixed income investments, stock funds or bond funds. You may
borrow money tax-free from your account according to plan guidelines. When you retire
or leave state government, you may leave your money in your account, withdraw your
balance, or roll over your balance to another qualified retirement plan. For more information,
contact SCDCP at 866-826-7283 or 803-754-7997, or visit SCDCP's website at http://
scrs.csplans.com.
Y
OUR
STATE INSURANCE BENEFITS
ORKERS
' COMPENSATION
Newly hired state employees may elect membership in the SC Retirement
System (SCRS) defined benefit plan or the State Optional Retirement Program (State
ORP) defined contribution plan. Regardless of the plan you select, you contribute a
tax-deferred 6.25% of gross pay into your retirement account. Effective July 1,
2006, you will contribute 6.5%. Your employer contributes a percentage as well.
The retirement accounts of SCRS members who have not retired earn 4% interest
compounded annually. State ORP members' account balances are based solely on
their contributions and performance of the investments selected.
Each plan has advantages and disadvantages, depending on your situation.
SCRS provides members a guaranteed monthly pension based on a formula that
includes the member's average final compensation, years of service, and a 1.82%
benefit multiplier. A State ORP member's retirement benefit is based on the balance
in the member's account when he or she retires and will be paid so long as the
account has funds. The State ORP provides portability - if you terminate covered
employment, you have immediate vested rights to your account balance, including
your employee and employer contributions, while SCRS members will not receive
employer contributions unless they have at least five years of earned service and
elect to receive a deferred annuity upon reaching retirement age. State ORP members
have no disability protection, whereas SCRS members with at least five years of
earned service may apply for a disability retirement annuity if their disability is likely
to be permanent. SCRS members who are eligible for service retirement may participate
in the Teacher and Employee Retention Incentive (TERI) program for up to five
years. TERI allows SCRS members to retire and begin accumulating their retirement
benefit on a deferred basis without terminating employment.
If an active or working retired contributing SCRS member or a State ORP
participant whose employer has Group Life Insurance coverage dies in-service with
at least one year of service, a payment equal to the member's current annual earnable
compensation will be paid to the member's designated beneficiary or trustee.
For more information, contact the SC Retirement Systems at 800-868-9002,
803-737-6800, or at cs@retirement.sc.gov, or visit the Systems' website at
www.retirement.sc.gov.
Workers' Compensation was created to benefit you if you are injured or suffer
an illness arising out of and in the course of your employment. The benefits of
Workers' Compensation include medical expenses, and, in case of disability,
protection against total loss of income. Any injury, disease, or death which is not
job-related will not be covered under Workers' Compensation.
Your good health is important to you, to your family and to the state of South Carolina. That's why the South Carolina Budget and Control Board's Employee Insurance Program offers
the State Health Plan (SHP) to all full-time state employees.
The SHP is a comprehensive health plan that provides you and your covered dependents with medical benefits if you become sick or are injured. With the SHP you have freedom of
choice. This means you may choose your own healthcare provider, regardless of whether the provider participates in a SHP network. The SHP pays the same amount to network and nonnetwork
providers, so your benefits are not reduced if you use a non-network provider. Non-network providers, however, are free to charge you any price for their services, so you may pay
more.
The SHP offers two choices: the Standard Plan, which has higher premiums but lower deductibles, and the Savings Plan, which has higher deductibles but much lower premiums. Savings
Plan subscribers who have no other health coverage (including Medicare) may open a Health Savings Account, which can be used to pay medical expenses now and in the future.
Two traditional health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and an HMO with a Point of Service (POS) option are offered as alternatives to the State Health Plan. Companion HMO is
available statewide. CIGNA HMO and MUSC Options, a POS plan, are offered only in certain areas of the state. You must live or work in an HMO's service area to be enrolled in that plan.
For more information read the Insurance Benefits Guide or contact your benefits administrator or the HMOs.
The TRICARE Supplement Plan is available to TRICARE-eligible employees and covered employers' retirees until they become eligible for TRICARE for Life. TRICARE is the U.S.
Department of Defense's health insurance program for the military community. The supplement is an alternative to the SHP and the HMOs for those who are eligible.
Some Standard Plan and Savings Plan benefits require Medi-Call approval before you receive them. This program helps coordinate your medical care and ensure that you and your
covered dependents receive appropriate medical care in the most beneficial, cost-effective manner.
Getting your prescriptions filled is easy thanks to the Prescription Drug Program. If you are enrolled in the Standard Plan, there is no annual deductible. Simply show your SHP ID card
when you purchase your prescriptions from a participating pharmacy and pay a copayment of either $10 for generic drugs, $25 for preferred brand drugs and $40 for non-preferred brand
drugs for up to a 31-day supply.
If you are a Savings Plan subscriber you pay the full allowable cost for drugs, and the cost is applied to your annual deductible. If you have met your deductible you will be reimbursed
for 80 percent of the allowable cost of the drug. The remaining 20% will be credited to your coinsurance maximum.
Prescription drugs also are available by mail. Copayments for a 90-day supply are $25 for generic drugs, $62 for preferred-brand drugs and $100 for non-preferred brand drugs for up to
a 90-day supply. Remember, prescription drug benefits are only payable if you use a network pharmacy.
APS Healthcare, Inc., is the administrator for the mental health and substance abuse benefits. Claims for mental health and substance abuse are subject to the same deductibles,
coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximums as other medical claims. There is no cap on the number of provider visits allowed. There are no separate annual and lifetime maximums for mental
health and substance abuse benefits. When you need care, simply call toll-free 800-221-8699 to receive pre-authorization and to be directed to a network of providers. If you choose not to use
a network provider or fail to pre-authorize services, no benefits will be paid.
Preventive benefits of the Standard Plan include the mammography and Pap test benefits for eligible covered women and the Well Child Care benefit for covered dependent children
through age 12. The Savings Plan offers these benefits as well as a yearly flu shot for each eligible participant and access to a 24-hour Nurseline, through which Registered Nurses provide
immediate help. Savings Plan participants age 13 and older may receive a comprehensive annual physical from a network provider.
Prevention Partners, coordinated by EIP, is designed to help you and your family lead healthier lives. Prevention Partners sponsors chronic disease management workshops and the Spring
Wellness Walk. It also offers Preventive Worksite Screenings. These comprehensive health evaluations measure cholesterol levels, blood pressure, triglyceride levels, kidney functions and
red and white blood cell counts. This benefit is available for only $15 to subscribers whose primary coverage is the Standard Plan, the Savings Plan, Companion HMO, CIGNA HMO or MUSC
Options.
THE EMPLOYEE INSURANCE PROGRAM ALSO OFFERS THE FOLLOWING INSURANCE BENEFITS
State Dental Plan (SDP): Eligible employees are covered at no cost. You also can cover your
dependents for a monthly premium. Preventive, basic and prosthetic benefits are limited to
$1,000 each year. Orthodontia benefits for dependent children under age 19 are limited to a
$1,000 lifetime benefit for each covered child.
Dental Plus: Dental Plus provides a higher level of coverage at affordable rates for the same
services covered under the SDP except orthodontia. Under Dental Plus, reimbursement is
based on what your dentist charges up to the maximum Dental Plus allowance. That allowance
is based on what most dentists in South Carolina charge for particular services. If your dentist
charges more for covered services than Dental Plus allows, you will be responsible for paying
the difference. The combined annual maximum benefit for Dental and Dental Plus for preventive,
basic and prosthetic services is $1,500. There are no additional deductibles and coinsurance
under Dental Plus. The employee pays the premiums for Dental Plus in addition to any SDP
premiums. Dental Plus subscribers are required to carry the same level of coverage that they
are enrolled in under the SDP.
Basic Life Insurance: Employees enrolled in either the SHP or an HMO automatically receive
$3,000 in life insurance. This insurance is provided at no cost to you.
Optional Life Insurance: This program allows you to purchase additional life insurance
coverage for yourself. Benefit levels range from $10,000 to $500,000. You pay the premium for
this benefit.
Dependent Life Insurance: You can also purchase life insurance for your dependent spouse
and for dependent children who are between 14 days and 19 years old or up to 25 years old if
the dependent is a full-time student. You pay the premiums with no contribution from the
state.
Long Term Disability Insurance: This program helps you protect a portion of your income if
you are unable to work for an extended time. Employees enrolled in the SHP or an HMO
receive Basic Long Term Disability Insurance at no charge. You may purchase Supplemental
Long Term Disability Insurance to protect a greater portion of your income should you
become disabled.
Long Term Care Insurance: Long term care refers to a wide range of personal care services
for people of all ages who suffer from a chronic disease or a long-lasting disability. These
services may be provided in a nursing facility, an adult day-care center or at home. Long Term
Care Insurance is designed to help employees protect their financial resources from the
expenses of long term care. You can purchase this insurance for yourself, your spouse, your
parents and your spouse's parents. Premiums are based on age at enrollment and the benefit
level selected.
MoneyPlu$: This is the state's flexible benefits program. It enables you to save money by
using pretax dollars to pay insurance premiums, dependent care expenses, medical and dental
bills for which you are not reimbursed and to contribute to a Health Savings Account.
Vision Care Program: This program offers discounted vision care services when you use
participating ophthalmologists or optometrists. It is not associated with any state health
coverage, so all full- and part-time employees, retirees, survivors, COBRA subscribers and
their dependents can take advantage of it.
You are eligible to enroll in the state's insurance programs within 31 days of the date you are
hired or within 31 days of a special eligibility situation (marriage, birth of a child, etc.).
This is just a brief summary of your insurance benefits. For more information refer to the
Insurance Benefits Guide , visit www.eip.sc.gov or contact the Employee Insurance Program
at P.O. Box 11661, Columbia, SC 29211 or at 803-734-0678 in the Columbia area and toll-free
outside the Columbia area at 888-260-9430.
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