Benefits

College Holidays

All College offices will be closed on these days:

  • Memorial Day: May 27, 2024
  • Independence Day: July 4, 2024
  • Thanksgiving: Nov. 27-29, 2024
  • Winter Break: Dec. 24, 2024-Jan. 1, 2025

The following is a summary of benefits available to Sweet Briar College full-time faculty and staff.

  • Prospective employees may contact the Office of Human Resources for additional information.
  • Current employees can find additional information on their Sweet Briar College Employee Self-Service profile. Please note that a College username and password is required for access.

All employees are required to have a Sweet Briar College identification card. This card is useful for general identification purposes, but is also required for some of the services listed below.

Medical Insurance

The Sweet Briar College offers Anthem group health insurance. The employee and the College share in the premium, based upon annual salary, regardless of the level of coverage selected. Employees may elect to begin coverage on the first day of the month following or coinciding with the date of hire. Prescription drug services are included in the coverage. There are two insurance plans from which to choose:

  • PPO Plan 4 PPO:A type of health plan that contracts with medical providers, such as hospitals and doctors, to create a network of participating providers. You pay less if you use providers that belong to the plan’s network. You can use doctors, hospitals, and providers outside of the network for an additional cost.
  • Plan 6 HSA (Non-Embedded):A type of savings account that lets you set aside money on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified medical expenses. By using untaxed dollars in a health savings account (HSA) to pay for deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and some other expenses, you may be able to lower your overall health care costs. HSA funds generally may not be used to pay premiums. You may contribute to an HSA only if you have a high deductible health plan (HDHP)

PPO: Preferred Provider Organization
HSA: Health Savings Account

Dental Insurance

Dental insurance is available to the employee and family members through the Delta Dental PPO Plus Premier plan. There are two plans from which to choose:

  • Low Plan: Covers diagnostic and preventive services at 100%. Covers basic service, such as fillings, simple extractions, root canal therapy, etc., at 80%. Deductible is $50 per person and $150 per family per calendar year. Annual maximum per enrollee, per calendar year is $1,000.
  • High Plan: Covers diagnostic and preventive services at 100%. Covers basic services, such as fillings, simple extractions, root canal therapy, etc., at 80%. Covers major services, such as crowns, implants, and orthodontic services (for dependent children under age 19) at 50%. Deductible is $50 per person and $150 per family per calendar year. Annual maximum per enrollee, per calendar year is $1,500.

Vision Insurance

Vision insurance is available to employees and family members though UniCare.

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

The benefits offered through this plan allow payment to be made for uninsured health-related and dependent-care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

Retirement Plan

The College’s retirement plan is funded jointly by contributions from the University and the employee. Contributions are vested immediately.

  • The College provides a 4% contribution for full-time employees, without requiring any contribution by you.
  • If you elect to contribute to the plan, you may contribute a percentage or flat dollar amount of your salary.

Life Insurance

Group term life insurance is provided by the College at no cost to the employee and is effective the first day of the month following 90 days of employment. The coverage is an amount equal to 1 times annual salary, to a maximum amount of $300,000 in life insurance benefits. Coverage reduces on a graduated scale after age 65.

Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance

Accidental death and dismemberment benefits are provided by the College at no cost to the employee and are effective the first day of the month following 90 days of employment. The coverage is an amount equal to 1 times annual salary, to a maximum amount of $300,000 in accidental death and dismemberment insurance benefits . Coverage reduces on a graduated scale after age 65.

Long-term Disability Insurance

The College provides, at no cost to the employee, a long-term total disability policy which provides payment, after six consecutive months of continuous total disability, of a monthly income benefit which is equal to 60% of the monthly wage base. This benefit will not exceed a total of $10,000, less benefits received from Social Security and workers’ compensation. 

Worker’s Compensation Insurance

The College pays the full cost of workers’ compensation insurance to cover injuries that might occur while working on behalf of the College.

Unemployment Insurance

The College pays the full cost of unemployment insurance.

Sick Leave

Our sick leave policy is self-funded by the institution for personal illness. It is available according to the following schedule:

  • Full-time Staff (non-faculty) members: accrue 8 hours of sick leave per month beginning at hire and may beginning using the leave after 90 days of employment.

Three days per year may be used for illness of an employee’s immediate family member or household. The ill person or persons must be regularly dependnt on the employee’s care, requiring the employee’s absence from work. The College will provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to eligible employees for certain family and medical reasons, in accordance with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993. Employees can use their sick leave in conjunction with FMLA. Sick leave does accumulate and can be carried over from one year to the next.

Short Term Disability

Our short-term disability policy is self-funded by the institution for personal illness that qualifies for FMLA. Sick leave hour and short-term disability policy will run concurrently with the FMLA leave. Short term disability will be paid only after accrued sick leave has been exhausted. In conjunction with sick leave, the short-term disability policy will pay 60% of the staff members salary for up to 13 weeks.

Vacation

Staff employees are provided vacation benefits which can be used during the first year of employment. Vacation is allocated on a fiscal year basis (July-June). Remaining vacation from a fiscal year, can be carried over for six months, until the end of December.

  • Non-exempt positions are provided three (3) weeks of vacation accrued on a monthly basis; vacation use is available after ninety (90) days
  • Exempt positions are provided four (4) weeks of vacation accrued on a monthly basis; vacation use is available after ninety (90) days.

Holidays

Staff employees are provided 12 paid holidays, which include:

  • Independence Day
  • Thanksgiving break (Wednesday before, Thanksgiving Day, Friday after Thanksgiving)
  • Christmas and New Year’s break (usually 7 days)
  • Memorial Day

Payment Schedule and Method

Employees are paid on a biweekly frequency, based upon the total hours worked as reported or based on their salary. Employees may have their earnings deposited directly into their checking and/or savings account(s).

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

The College provides free services of the EAP to assist employees and their families for resolution of personal problems which may be interfering with work or home life.

Admission to Programs, Lectures, and Athletic Events

Free admission to all special events is provided for employees and members of their immediate family, with the exception of theatre productions.

Recreational Facilities

Employees and their families are eligible to take advantage of all recreational facilities on campus. This includes use of the fitness room, swimming pool, outdoor track, and tennis courts.

Meal Discounts

A discounted rate is charged to employees and members of their immediate family who pay for their meals using their Sweet Briar Meal Account which is a declining balance account.

Campus Store Discounts

A 10% discount is provided on most purchases, but excluding textbooks, in The Book Shop.

Free Parking

The University designates specific areas for faculty and staff parking. All employee vehicles must be registered with Campus Safety, and all operators of such vehicles are subject to campus traffic regulations.

Tuition Remission

Tuition Remission may be available for one dependent child after 3 years of full-time employment.

Moving Expenses

An allowance for reimbursement of moving expenses is available to new, full-time faculty and designated new, full-time staff, as outlined in the Moving Expenses Policy.