Welcome to Colonial School District. You have made an excellent decision! This is a great place to work –and the benefits offered by Colonial School District are top-notched. Please remember that you have 30 days to complete your benefits selections.

Colonial School District offers full-time employees up to $160 per month to offset the cost of healthcare (which includes prescription) and up to $142.50 per month to offset the cost of local benefits (dental, vision and district life insurance). Yes, up to $302.50 per month to help you with your benefits premiums! Again, you made an EXCELLENT decision!

This newsletter includes an overview of each plan and enrollment forms. Detailed information will be provided in the New Hire benefits workshop.

Side note: Some groups have different stipend amounts, please see chart below:

• Secretaries --- Up to $160.00 (health) ---- Up to $142.50 (Local)
• Full-Time Employees ---- Up to $160.00 (health) ---- Up to $142.50 (Local)
• Specialists ----- Up to $160.00 *----- Up to $113.00
• Part-Time Employees ------ Up to $80.00 ------Up to $71.25
• Quarter-Time Employees ------Up to $40.00 ------ Up to $35.63
• Administrators -------Up to $125.00 -------Up to $113.00

Employees who transfer from one a Delaware school district/merit agency DIRECTLY to Colonial School District usually have uninterrupted benefits coverage. All transferring employees can verify if coverage will be interrupted by contacting his/her prior Ben Rep.

It is important to note, that all school districts/merit agencies DO NOT have the same benefits. It is imperative that all transferring employees participate in the enrollment process. In addition, all transferring employees should complete all enrollment forms. By completing enrollment forms, this creates a "double check" mechanism to ensure that all benefits transfer correctly.

As an employee of the State of Delaware (Colonial School District), you are afforded four different options for healthcare:

1. Highmark Comprehensive PPO
2. Aetna HMO
3. Aetna Gold
4. First Basic Highmark PPO

Please view the summary statements of each plan by clicking the link below and the online course video for each plan.

Cigna Dental Coverage, Group 3340873, Customer Service Telephone 800 345 4511

Colonial School District offers two dental plans:

1. Plan A
   
2. Plan B

You also have the option to waive coverage as well. The dental plans and rates are listed below. Please click on the Dental Comparison Link below for summaries of each plan. In addition, please note the dental rates.

VBA,, Customer Service Telephone 800-432-4966

Colonial School District only offers one vision plan. Please see the benefits summary for vision and rates below.

Please review the plan rates and the applicable stipend amounts.

Life Insurance is administered by Prudential Insurance. This coverage is for the employee only. This benefit is paid to the designated beneficiary(ies) in the event of employee's death while insured. The insurance benefits depends on the employee's age and is equal to the following amount:

1. Up to age 65 ----- Two times your salary

2. Age 64 -69 -------- One times your salary

3. Age 70 -74 -------- Half times your salary

4. Age 75+ ------------ $5,000

To calculate your salary, please follow these steps:

1. Multiply your salary by 2 (Example Salary 16,432.00 * 2 = $32,864.00)

2. Round to nearest 500 (Example $33,000)

3. Multiply by cost factor 1.444 (Example 33,000 * 1.444 = 47.52)

4. Divide by 12 for a monthly rate (Example 47.52/12 = 3.96)

As mentioned above, Colonial School District provides each full-time employee with a $142.50 monthly stipend to offset the cost.

For example, if an employee wanted employee only vision, dental and vision coverage, these benefits would be free ($60.10+$14.60+$3.96 = $78.66) The stipend amount ($142.50) would cover the costs of these benefits ($78.66).

To calculate the cost for local benefits, follow the following steps:

1. Calculate your life insurance monthly cost

2. Select your vision benefits and its applicable cost

3. Select your dental benefits and its applicable cost

4. Add the monthly cost for life, vision and dental benefits

5. If the total amount is less than $142.50, the benefits will be FREE

6. If the total amount is more than $142.50 - subtract $142.50 from line 4 to determine the monthly cost.

Congratulations on your nuptials!!

Make sure you click the button below to review the Spousal Coordination of Benefits Video.

There are two important questions to consider before enrolling your spouse in a State of Delaware health plan with prescription coverage:

1. Is your spouse employed full-time or retired from an employer that offers health insurance?

2. Is your spouse responsible for 50% or less of the premium for the lowest active or retiree health plan available to them?

If you answered “Yes” to both of these questions, then your spouse is most likely required to enroll in his or her employer’s coverage. Again, please review the Spousal Coordination Video for more information.

IMPORTANT: If you cover your spouse in one of the State of Delaware’s health plans, you MUST complete a Spousal COB Form during initial enrollment, EACH YEAR during Open Enrollment and anytime their employment or insurance status changes. Failure to complete the Spousal COB Form and/or provide additional documentation when required may result in a reduction of spousal benefits.

Again, take a moment to review the Spousal Coordination Video below.

Disability insurance pays a portion of your monthly earnings if you cannot work because of a disabling illness or injury that happens on or off the job.

Participants in the Delaware State Employees' Pension Plan (State agencies, school districts, charter schools, DTCC, DSU, UD and DSWA) are eligible for the DIP administered by the Hartford. Enrollment into the DIP is automatic for eligible employees hired on or after January 1, 2006.

The State of Delaware has partnered with Securian Financial to provide GUL insurance benefits, a type of permanent life insurance with the option for tax-deferred cash accumulation. This coverage will help protect your family against the unexpected loss of your life and income. Additional lifestyle benefits include legal, financial and grief resources, legacy planning and travel assistance services.

Benefit-eligible active State of Delaware and Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA) employees are eligible to enroll and make coverage changes for themselves, as well as their spouse and/or children, in the GUL plan anytime throughout the year. Employees have the option to take coverage with them when they leave or retire.

A new hire enrollment package will be mailed to all new hires within 30 days of hire day. If you are interested in this benefits, please follow the instructions in the mailing.

The State of Delaware has partnered with Securian Financial to provide Accident and Critical Illness Insurance for State of Delaware and University of Delaware employees. It is difficult to anticipate the extra expenses a serious accident or illness may bring, but with Securian Financial you can be prepared.

Accident and Critical Illness Insurance provide lump sum cash payments if you, or a covered dependent, suffer an injury from an accident or are diagnosed with a condition covered under the policy.

ASIFlex offers two distinct flexible spending account (FSA) options for benefit-eligible State of Delaware employees:

Health Care FSA: Qualified expenses include medical, dental, vision and prescriptions for you & your dependents.

Dependent Care FSA: Qualified expenses include care for the protection and well-being of a child (under age 13) or elder dependent while you work. Examples include before and after school care, child daycare and camps, and elder care.

Benefit eligible employees may enroll after completing the initial waiting period of 90 days.

Eligible employees interested in participating should complete the FSA Enrollment Agreement

Enrollment forms should be sent by the first of the month preceding the date of eligibility to ensure timely enrollment. If you fail to enroll within the time period described above, then you may not elect to participate in the Plan until the next FSA Open Enrollment Period or until a qualifying event occurs that would allow a mid-year election change.

The ComPsych® GuidanceResources® program is a FREE program available exclusively for State of Delaware Group Health Plan non-Medicare members and their dependents. The program offers someone to talk to and resources to consult whenever and wherever you need them. Members can call the toll-free number at 877-527-4742 directly for 24/7 access to a GuidanceConsultant℠, who will answer your questions and, if needed, refer you to a counselor or other resources such as work-life, legal and financial support. You also have access to the website at www.guidanceresources.com (WebID:State of Delaware), mobile app to consult articles, podcasts, videos, webinars, and other helpful tools.

HOW TO VIEW AND ACCESS YOUR PAYSTATEMENT AND PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION

All staff – (Part-Time, Full-Time, Casual/Seasonal, EPER & Student Workers) have access to Employee Self Service (ESS). This is where you will view your paycheck, access your personal information to update your contact information; home address, telephone and view your benefits. Access to ESS is through my.delaware.gov. ALL State of Delaware employees (Colonial School District staff) are required to setup their my.delaware.gov accounts. If you have not yet taken action to do this, please take a moment. There’s a video link below that will walk you through the step by step instructions on how to setup the account. This is a great tool for anyone who needs support with the process my.delaware.gov.

Link to Creating Your My.Delaware.Gov Account: https://youtu.be/4-Qm-b9edho

Link to My.Delaware.Gov: State of Delaware - Sign In

IMPORTANT TIPS:

• There is a 24-72 hour delay from when you complete the steps to setup and activate the account to when you will see the ESS tile appear within your my.delaware.gov account. If you are planning to attend and of the First Payday Workshops on Sept 9th, you MUST have taken action to setup and activate your account no later than Tuesday, Sept 6th
• If after the 24-72 hour wait timeframe you do not see the Employee Self Service tile/box, then message Shelley Vincent (michelle.vincent@colonial.k12.de.us) with the home email address you entered when registering for the account.
• You can also contact Dept of Technology (DTI) direclty at 1-866-751-7833 to request tech support. Please note Colonial School District Technology team is not responsible for my.delaware.gov – this is run through DTI.
• If you setup your account during the previous school year, OR you transferred to Colonial School District from another State of Delaware School District, Charter or Merit agency, then you will use the same information/account previously setup

Section 1512 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the HIPAA Privacy rule require employers to send several notices to employees upon their hire and/or enrollment in a health plan in order to remain federally compliant.

The Colonial School District shall not discriminate in its employment practices or its educational programs and activities of students on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, domicile, marital status, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any legally protected characteristic.