Insurance

Informational materials

• Welcome
• 2024 Benefits Orientation Video for Higher Education Agencies
• 2024 Benefits Orientation follow-along packet for Higher Education Employees
• 2024 Eligibility and Enrollment Guide
• Benefit To Do List
• Health Insurance Marketplace Letter
• TennCare Notice
• Return completed forms via email to hr@utsi.edu or set up an in-office appointment with Pam Ledford by emailing pledford@utsi.edu or call 931-393-7504.

Forms (Required)

Due within 30 days of hire date – Before filling out forms, please save to your computer to ensure that changes are kept.

• Insurance Enrollment Change Application – (enroll or refuse coverage)
• Dependent Eligibility Verification Documents
• Basic Term Life/AD&D Insurance Enrollment/Change Application – – Securian Handbook 
• Employee Checklist
• Designation of Beneficiary Form

Forms (Optional)

Due within 30 days of hire date

• Voluntary Accidental Death and Dismemberment Enrollment Application – – Securian Handbook
• Voluntary Group Term Life Insurance – Securian Handbook – Must enroll online. Premium rates on page 5 and enrollment details on page 6. Your Edison ID is required. Please contact Pam Ledford for your Edison ID.
• Voluntary Term Life Insurance Program Waiver Form
• MetLife State and Higher Education Short-term and Long-term Disability Handbook (2024)
  • Short-term and Long-term Disability Information
• 2024 Flexible Spending (FSA) (Enrollment form for new hires)
  • Flexible Benefits Account Information
• 2024 Health Savings (HSA) (Payroll Deduction Form)
  • Health Savings Account Information
• Biweekly Employee Holdback Form (can be submitted at any time)

Additional Resources

• Partners for Health website – Information on insurance options, providers, premiums, and pharmacy benefits etc.
• Partners for Health videos – Helpful videos about benefit options. Scroll down to Insurance 101 – Ignore videos about Edison and the state’s Long Term Disability plan.
• UT/UTSI Employment Benefits Overview – if questions regarding any of these topics, please contact Pam Ledford, pledford@utsi.edu or call 931-393-7504.
• UT Holidays and Administrative Closing schedule
• To request a Zoom benefit session, please contact Pam Ledford – pledford@utsi.edu or call 931-393-7504.
• UT Policies
• UTSI Human Resources Procedures
• UT Policy Highlights (Visit UT’s Human Resources Policy page to see these highlights)
  • Probationary Period information HR0135 (staff employees)
  • University Code of Conduct HR0580
  • Equal Employment Opportunity HR0220
  • Sexual Harassment and other Discriminatory Harassment HR0280
  • Grievance Policy and Procedure if non-exempt HR0640
  • Educational Assistance HR0330  – UTSI Procedure 0330
  • Educational Assistance for Spouse & Dependent Children HR0331 – UTSI Procedure 0331
  • Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Institutions
• Summary of Benefits Coverage
• UT Career Development Fund
• UTSI HR Staff Training & Development Program
• State of Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Program
• Employee Assistance Program – The State Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides free CONFIDENTIAL short-term counseling, financial counseling, and brief legal advice for regular employees who are scheduled to work at least 75% (30 hours per week) time.
• TNStars College Savings 529 Program
• UT Campus Chest
• Equity and Diversity / ADA information
• Title IX Sexual Harassment
• Submit Educational Degree for verification if required in job announcement to UTSI HR office.

Retirement

• Informational materials and forms:
  • Exempt Faculty & Staff: Regular faculty and exempt staff (those not eligible for overtime) can choose between membership in the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS) or the Optional Retirement Program (ORP).
    • Exempt new hire packet (offer included a monthly rate) (pdf)
    • Exempt New Hire Orientation Presentation (pdf)
  • Non-Exempt Staff: Regular non-exempt staff (those eligible for overtime) are covered in the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS).
    • Nonexempt new hire packet (offer included a hourly rate) (pdf)
    • Non-Exempt New Hire Orientation Presentation (pdf)
  • Retire Ready Tennessee for Higher Education Employees
  • RetireReadyTN Hybrid Plan (TCRS/401K) – 15 min new orientation video for the TCRS Hybrid Plan
• Return completed forms to the UTSI Human Resources office in Lower C wing or email to hr@utsi.edu. Type ENCRYPT in the subject line to secure the email.
• UT Retirement Services – For questions regarding the retirement, please email retirement@tennessee.edu or call 865-974-5251.
• Retiree health coverage is only available to employees hired before July 1, 2015. If you started working for the state of Tennessee or a participating local education agency for the first time on or after July 1, 2015, you are not eligible to continue or enroll in insurance at retirement. If you started working for the state of Tennessee or a participating local education agency for the first time before July 1, 2015, you will not be prohibited from continuing or enrolling in insurance at retirement, provided you did not accept a lump-sum payment from the TCRS before July 1, 2015 and that you satisfy all other eligibility requirements.
• UTSI main contact: Pam Ledford, UTSI Human Resources, email pledford@utsi.edu or call 931-393-7504.