Benefits

Our benefits are an important investment for Smith College. We're proud of these offerings and know that, together with the continued dedication and support of our outstanding faculty and staff, they form the basis of what makes Smith College a great place to work.

For complete information on a particular benefit plan offered at Smith, please contact the Office of Human Resources at 413-585-2270.

Disclaimer

The benefits summarized here are not conditions of employment. Smith College, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to amend, modify or terminate any plan or provision at any time. (Smith College has the sole and absolute authority to interpret the terms of these plans, determine benefit eligibility and resolve any and all ambiguities on inconsistencies in the plans.)

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Family-Related Leaves

Childbearing and other family-related issues can present significant challenges to employees. Balancing work and other college commitments while coping with a new baby or a family emergency can be stressful. Smith works hard to achieve an environment that is supportive of family needs by offering family leave, paternal leave, adoption leave and flexible work schedules.

See the Employee Handbook for terms and eligibility.

Flexible Work Arrangements

Wherever possible Smith strives to be flexible to help employees achieve a balance between work and home responsibilities. Managers will carefully consider requests for arrangements such as flextime, job sharing and part-time employment.

Holidays

Smith observes a number of holidays throughout the year. Whenever possible, department heads are encouraged to grant time off for the observance of religious and other holidays that are not official college holidays. This time off may be taken as personal time, vacation or short-term absence without pay.

See the Employee Handbook for terms and eligibility.

2018–19 Holiday Schedule

2019–20 Holiday Schedule

Personal Time

Paid personal time is available for use in the case of family illness or emergencies, or to meet other personal obligations that arise. You may also use your personal time to observe a religious or other holiday that is not an official college holiday or in the event of inclement weather when the college is not officially closed. Additional personal time off is granted by Smith for bereavement leave, jury duty leave, military reserve training and active military duty leave.

See the Employee Handbook for terms and eligibility.

Vacations

Vacations are important for rest and relaxation and Smith encourages you to use your full vacation allotment each year. Vacation entitlement varies depending on whether you work an academic or full-year position. Administrative support staff in regular positions accrue vacation weekly, depending on years of service. Administrative staff in academic-year positions are entitled to approximately 10 recess days per year to be taken during official school recess periods. In regular positions, employees accrue vacation at 1.67 days per month up to 20 days per year.

See the Employee Handbook for terms and eligibility.

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The following are brief descriptions of the health and wellness plans offered by Smith College.

For additional information on these benefits please contact the health & wellness administrator, at 413-585-2275.

Health Care Plans

Smith offers three health plan options through Harvard Pilgrim. You may elect either a Point of Service Plan (POS), a HMO, or a Value HMO plan.

Health insurance premiums are deducted from your salary on a pretax basis. If your date of employment falls on the first day of a month, your eligibility begins on that day. Otherwise, your eligibility begins on the first of the month following your date of employment. There are no preexisting condition restrictions. In addition, the college provides a health expense subsidy (from $495 to $2,869 in 2019) for employees who carry double or family coverage and whose family income is less than $66,224.03. The application is located on our Forms page.

Contact Harvard Pilgrim

To learn about benefits, programs, and discounts offered through Harvard Pilgrim, or to find a physician, change your address, or change your Primary Care Physician (PCP), visit www.harvardpilgrim.org/smithcollege or call 888-333-4742.

Comparison Charts & Excel Cost Estimator

You can use the Health Plan Comparison Tool to determine which health plan (POS, Value HMO, or HMO) may be the best option for you. This tool will estimate your total out of pocket costs (combined premiums and cost of care) for all three plans. The tool allows you to estimate your health needs for 2018 and uses average costs for different services along with Smith's actual premiums to arrive at the estimated total cost for each plan selected. Click below to download the tool to your computer.

Consider Your Health Care Plan Carefully

The Value HMO plan offers you the option to save in premium costs even if you use deductible services.

Comparison Charts

Summary of Benefits

Affordable Care Act Notice of Exchanges

The following document contains general information as well as information on how to complete the Marketplace application based on Smith College's health coverage:

Find a Physician in Northampton

If you would like information regarding physicians in the Northampton area, please visit the Cooley Dickinson website at https://www.cooleydickinson.org/doctors-providers/.

Dental Plan

Smith offers two dental plans through Delta Dental. Both plans cover 100 percent of preventive dental expenses, and 80 percent of basic restorative dental expenses.

High Plan

The "High Plan" has a maximum benefit of $2,000 per family member per calendar year, includes 50 percent coverage for orthodontics (up to a lifetime maximum of $1,500) and 50 percent coverage for major restorative work.

Value Plan

The "Value Plan" includes a $50 per individual/$100 per family deductible, which is waived for diagnostic and preventative categories. The calendar year maximum is $1,000 per person. New dentures, bridges, implants and crowns are NOT covered. See coverage summaries below for details.

Summaries

To contact the Delta Dental customer service center, call 800-872-0500 or visit www.deltamass.com.

Vision Plan

Visit in-network providers for an annual exam (with dilation as necessary) at no cost, as well as allowances and discounts on eyewear. Download the EyeMed app to track claims, find a provider and save your vision prescription. For more information, visit Eyemed.com or call 1-866-804-0982.

Flex Spending Accounts

Smith's flexible benefit plans allow your medical and dental insurance premiums to be deducted from your paycheck before taxes are taken out. In this way, you never pay federal, state and Social Security taxes on these premiums. The flexible benefits plan also allows you to set up accounts that help you save tax dollars on your out-of-pocket medical/dental/vision care and employment related dependent care costs.

The money you elect to set aside is taken from your paycheck before taxes in equal increments throughout the calendar year. IRS regulations state that any unused funds remaining in the accounts at year-end must be forfeited, and the changes or terminations of contributions during the plan year can only be made under specific conditions.

Smith uses Benefit Strategies to administer our flexible spending account plans. To contact the customer service center for Benefit Strategies call 888-401-FLEX (3539) or visit their website, www.benstrat.com.

Health Care Spending Account

This account allows you to set aside up to $2,650 per year on a pretax basis to pay for out-of-pocket health, dental or vision care costs.

Dependent Reimbursement Accounts

To help with the high cost of day care, this account allows you to set aside up to $5,000 of your pretax earnings to pay for qualified dependent care expenses.

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Life Insurance

Effective January 1, 2018, the college selected Liberty Mutual to provide Group Term Life and Long Term Disability insurance. The life insurance coverage is equal to your annual salary rounded to the next highest $1,000. You have the option of purchasing additional coverage equal to one, two, three, four or five times your annual salary.

The college provides long-term disability insurance for all benefits-eligible employees. If a physician determines that you are physically or mentally incapable of doing your job and your claim is accepted by Liberty Mutual, you would continue to collect 60 percent of your salary tax-free. If approved, income benefits become payable 180 days from your last day worked.

Additional Services

To contact the Liberty Mutual customer service center, call 888-398-8924 or visit www.libertymutual.com.

For information about benefits eligibility, see the Employee Handbook.

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The decision to retire should be made after several years of careful thought and planning. Financial considerations are a major factor in this decision, and the retirement plan's options may help you to meet your goals.

The college's Retirement Plan provides a significant contribution to income replacement for employees upon retirement. The plan is fully funded by the college, and you are not required to make any matching contribution. The college contributes 9 percent of your eligible earnings up to an integration level, and 13.3 percent of your earnings above the integration level, to your retirement account. The college's contributions to your retirement account are fully vested beginning with the first contribution.

The integration level is established each year. It is $63,241 for 2018.

All employees are welcome to make voluntary contributions to the retirement plan. Contribution percentages may be changed at any time; participation is optional and there is no waiting period. To start, change, or stop making a voluntary retirement plan contribution, employees may submit a Retirement Plan Election Form, Salary Reduction Agreement to Human Resources, which is available on the Forms page.

Employees may also change their voluntary contribution percentage through their online Voya account. Using the myOrangeMoney tool, employees can use a slider to see how their contribution levels can change their retirement savings over time and make changes. Changes can also be made online through the Account Menu. Contribution changes submitted through your online account will take effect in the following pay period.

The IRS limits the amount of voluntary contributions individuals are allowed to contribute in any particular tax year. In 2018, it is $18,500 for those age 49 and younger, and $24,500 (including the $6,000 catch-up provision) for those turning age 50 this year or older.

Smith College Students Employed in the Summer

Smith College students who work at Smith in the summer are eligible to contribute a percentage of their summer earnings to the Smith College Defined Contribution Retirement Plan. Whether or not they wish to make contributions, students must complete a "Retirement Plan Election Form/Salary Reduction Agreement," which is available on the Forms page, before they may work in the summer.

Plan Information and Tools Available Online

Visit smithcollege.beready2retire.com for convenient access to a variety of information including an overview of the plan, frequently asked questions, and investment-related information. You may also schedule an appointment to meet with your local Voya Representative, Mary Ellen Gordon. Within My Learning Center, there are planning tools and calculators like My Retirement Outlook. This tool may help you identify any potential future shortfalls in your retirement savings and get a better understanding of what's needed to meet your retirement income objectives. Are you ahead, or do you have some catching up to do? It’s an easy and quick way to check where you stand. The Seminar Library provides online educational seminars covering a variety of financial education topics that you may view at your own pace whenever and wherever it is convenient for you.

Requesting A Retirement Plan Transaction

We have streamlined the process for participants to request rollovers out of the plan, and withdrawals. Simply contact the service provider directly (Voya, TIAA-CREF, Fidelity, etc.) Previously, participants were required to login to Planwithease to obtain a separate approval; however, due to these enhancements, this is no longer necessary.

Loans are limited and are only available through Voya. To apply for a loan, contact Voya directly.

Retirement Plan Investment Committee

Smith College, like other nonprofit institutions, is subject to increased oversight of its retirement plan. The college is required to review and monitor the performance of funds available for retirement investments instead of simply offering a menu of choices. To comply with these regulations, the president formed a Retirement Plan Investment Committee. The committee works with an investment or fiduciary advisory firm to establish Smith's internal governance procedures, and to select and monitor investment choices. The key objectives of the committee are to:

• Ensure that decisions about the retirement plan are in the best interests of the plan participants (employees)
• Select mutual fund investment offerings
• Monitor the retirement vendors and the funds offered using measures and benchmarks in various areas affecting plan assets, including investment performance, fees and expenses

Committee Members

About Voya

An overview of Voya, including the company's U.S. history and frequently asked questions can be found on its website, www.voya.com.

Account statements are mailed to participants' homes quarterly.

Moving Retirement Assets to Voya

You may exchange, or transfer, funds to Voya from American Century, Fidelity or TIAA-CREF for no fee; however, your prior retirement vendor may have fees or withdrawal restrictions on existing contracts. We encourage you to talk with a Voya representative to discuss your specific account to determine the best course of action for your situation. For instructions and information about the exchange, or transfer, process, contact one of Voya's dedicated specialists:

Contact Voya

866-865-2660
8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday–Thursday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday

Individual Consultations

To help with your retirement planning, we recommend meeting with your retirement service provider for an individual consultation. Please call the appropriate number below for the available appointment slots. All appointments will be held in the Office of Human Resources at 30 Belmont Avenue.

Voya

To choose from available appointment times with Mary Ellen Gordon, go to smithcollege.beready2retire.com or call 877-645-5206. You may also send questions to Mary Ellen by email at maryellen.gordon@voyafa.com.

TIAA

Scott Magnacca will schedule visits several times a year to meet with participants. To schedule an appointment, please call 800-732-8353.

Retirement Service Providers' Websites

Contact information is provided below for our current and previous retirement service providers. For detailed plan information, go to smithcollege.beready2retire.com.

• Voya: 1-800-584-6001 or smithcollege.beready2retire.com
• TIAA: 1-800-842-2776 or www.tiaa-cref.org
• Fidelity: 1-800-343-0860 or www.fidelity.com
• American Century: 1-800-345-3533 or www.americancentury.com
• Pax World: 1-800-372-7827 or www.paxworld.com

Getting Ready to Choose Your Retirement Date?

You will have many questions as you start thinking about when you want to retire. Human resources has prepared this document to assist you with your planning:

Health Insurance for Early Retirees (ERO)

Employees who retire from Smith College between the ages of 62 and 65, and who have a minimum of 10 years of consecutive service in a regular position at Smith College immediately prior to retirement, may continue to participate in the college's group health plan until age 65, with the college paying half its normal benefit. To enroll for this program, please contact Tina Benoit at 413-585-2275.

For other retiring employees, Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) are available beginning at age 65.

Retiree Supplemental Health Plan for Smith College Retirees

Smith College retirees and spouses may elect coverage for supplemental plans offered by MountainOne Insurance through the Benistar Employee Services Trust Program. The Benistar plans include two supplement plans that allow you to see any Medicare participating provider nationally. 

Questions?

For questions regarding retirement benefits, contact human resources at 413-585-2275.

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At times in our lives, we all have personal concerns that are too difficult to deal with ourselves.

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a free benefit provided by Smith College to help employees work through life's challenges. The program, offered through e4Health, is a confidential and voluntary counseling referral service provided free of charge to employees and members of their family household.

Eligibility

Employees and their dependents are each eligible for six sessions, per issue, per contract year (July 1 to June 30).* The EAP can help with a variety of issues including: anxiety, grief, communication problems, drinking or drug use, domestic violence, marital/family concerns, mood swings, depression, parenting, stress (at work or home, or financial), work issues, suicidal thoughts and more.

*If you think you may need more than six sessions with a counselor and you have Harvard Pilgrim, you may want to ask e4Health if they can help you set up an appointment with a counselor who is also a Harvard Pilgrim provider. After you have used your six sessions through the EAP you can utilize your mental health benefit through Harvard Pilgrim and continue to see the same counselor. For more information about the Harvard Pilgrim Mental Health Benefit, call 888-333-4742 or contact Human Resources.

Contact

To utilize this benefit, call e4Health, at 800-828-6025, identify yourself as a Smith College employee or dependent, and the staff will help you set up an appointment with a licensed counselor near your home or workplace.

You can call during regular business hours, Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, or if the matter is more urgent, call anytime, 24 hours a day, even on weekends and holidays.

Additional e4Health Benefits

e4Health's website also covers a multitude of subjects, from physical and mental health, college planning, automobile and home, financial questions, child and elder care and much more. To log in as a guest, the username is Smith College and the password is guest.

Emerson-Lewis Fund

The Emerson-Lewis Fund was established in 1921 by the Smith Class of 1901 in memory of two classmates. Income from the Fund, which is administered by a committee, is used to assist employees of the college community in times of emergency when a gift of money would come in useful. While the funds at its disposal are limited, the committee hopes that they will not only provide financial assistance, but will also convey the support of a caring community.

Written applications to the Fund may be made either by an individual or by the individual's supervisor. Applications should be addressed either to Susan Etheredge, Chair, Emerson-Lewis Committee, Morgan Hall 202 or to Elena Palladino, Board of Trustees Office, College Hall 207. They should explain the circumstances of the emergency, request a specific sum, and be accompanied by proof of expenditures.

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Smith's commitment to academic achievement and lifelong learning is what we are all about. In support of this commitment, we make a significant investment in providing employees with rich opportunities for professional growth and development. Tuition assistance is available to eligible employees, their spouse, and their children as follows:

Smith College Employees

• Tuition waiver for Smith College courses
• Tuition reimbursement for other colleges and universities

Spouses of Eligible Smith College Employees

• Tuition assistance for Smith College courses

College-Age Children

• grants for daughters attending Smith College
• grants for children attending other colleges and universities

School-Age Children

• Tuition discount for Campus School of Smith College

Infants & Preschool Children

• Tuition assistance at Fort Hill Center for Early Childhood Education

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Employee Discount Program

Smith partners with several vendors in the Northampton area to provide an Employee Discount Program. All discounts offered are individual by the respective vendors.

These discounts vary widely from vendor to vendor. Often the discount does not apply to all store items. Call ahead or ask whether the discount applies before making your purchase. For more information, contact Kate Harrington.

Auto & Home Insurance Discounts

Local insurance agencies offering insurance discounts to Smith College employees:

UMass Five College Credit Union

As a Smith College employee, you and your family may become members of the UMass Five College Federal Credit Union. The credit union offers many services and programs to assist members with college tuition costs:

Transit Subsidy Program

Smith College recognizes that faculty and staff commuting to campus as the sole occupants of vehicles has an impact to the environment and imposes stress to availability of campus parking.

This policy:

• Has been developed to complement a series of transportation demand management policies including parking opt-out, free passage on five college buses during the academic year, parking pass fees, free ride home and availability of two ride-sharing services all designed to work in concert to reduce the number of commuter trips by individuals in vehicles.
• Creates a more equitable transit subsidy system where employees who live in areas not served by Five College bus routes (those routes that are subsidized through Five Colleges, Inc. – PVTA routes B38, B39, M40 and B43) are eligible for reduced fares on other routes.
• Supports compliance with Massachusetts Rideshare regulations (310 CMR 7.16) (a state-wide air quality regulation and is part of the Commonwealth's plan to reduce air pollution and to achieve and maintain health-based federal quality standards).
• Satisfies Smith's commitment to the "Provision of Public Transportation," one of the "tangible actions" included within the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment. This action is defined as follows: Encourage use of and provide access to public transportation for all faculty, staff, students and visitors to your institution.

The subsidy is valid only for employees who do not live in the area served by the Five College bus routes (those routes that are subsidized through Five Colleges Inc. – PVTA routes B38, B39, M40 and B43) which already offer free passage during the academic year.

Maximum IRS reimbursement limit is $255 per month. Reimbursement is not subject to income taxes per IRS Publication 15-B.

To receive reimbursement for a monthly or weekly transit pass, employees must fill out and submit a Transit Pass Reimbursement Form and provide proof of purchase (receipt) to Human Resources.

MassRides

The NuRide ride share program offers rewards when you walk, bicycle, take public transit, carpool and more. The program allows you to earn points each time you take a "green trip" then, redeem those points for rewards like local and national restaurant coupons, retailer discounts, and tickets to shows and attractions. In addition, NuRide will help you find someone with whom to carpool.

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Get Fit Smith

The athletic department's Get Fit Smith classes are open to the entire Smith community on a drop-in, first-come basis. With fun and relaxation in mind, workshops include yoga, Pilates, awesome abs, strength and conditioning training, personal training and aerobics.

Employee Fitness Program

The ESS Fitness Program is open to all Smith College employees and their immediate families on a first-come, first-served basis. Class size is limited. Employees who participate in two sessions (spring, summer or fall) may be eligible for the $150 fitness reimbursement through Harvard Pilgrim. Visit the ESS Fitness Program, and log into your Harvard Pilgrim account for instructions and forms.

Exercise & Sport Studies Courses

Employees are eligible for employee tuition assistance when they enroll in courses offered through the Exercise & Sport Studies Program. Courses include yoga, fencing, golf, swimming, diving, aqua-aerobics, tennis, badminton, kick boxing, kayaking, canoeing and more. To find course listings, go to the Smith College Course Catalog.

For information on the tuition benefit policy, see the Employee Handbook.

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Harvard Pilgrim has created a website just for the Smith College community that offers information on health and wellness, member savings, the pharmacy program and plan information.

To view the online options for wellness, click on the link for "Health & Wellness." You do not need to be a Harvard Pilgrim subscriber to access many of the online tools such as:

• Disease, Condition & Preventive Care Programs and Tools
• Health Quizzes and Tools
• Preventative Care Recommendations
• Health Topics A–Z
• Health Education Materials

HPHConnect for Members Account

With your secure, password-protected account, you have access to plan information, plus health improvement and decision-making tools. Go towww.harvardpilgrim.org/smithcollege to create an account. You will enter your HP ID number (from your ID card) and birth date. Harvard Pilgrim will send you a password to activate your account.

Member Savings

Harvard Pilgrim members can receive a fitness reimbursement up to $150 per calendar year for membership at a qualified health and fitness club. Log into your Harvard Pilgrim account for instructions and forms

Local Health Education Classes

Harvard Pilgrim members can save on a wide variety of health education courses and preventive health services throughout the area. Preregistration is required for most classes. For dates, times or fees, call the phone number provided in the Complete List of Health Classes. For more information, call (617) 509-7311 or (800) 287-9793.

Webcasts

Strategies for Quitting Smoking

Stress Management

USDA

The USDA website offers you a personal eating plan with the foods and amounts that are right for you, as well as a detailed assessment of your food intake and physical activity level by using the food pyramid system.

American Heart Association

Visit the American Heart Association website if you want to know your risk of having a heart attack or dying from coronary heart disease in the next 10 years. You can also calculate your personal risks and dangers from high blood pressure, and learn what you can do to lower your risks.