Contact:  Marcy Grant-Reese

Principal Benefits Analyst

Phone: 609-656-4900 ext. 5730

Fax:  609-396-2819

Email: mgrant-reese@trenton.k12.nj.us 

• Horizon Enrollment/Change Request

• DSO - Eastern Dental Form

• Delta Dental Enrollment/Change Request

• Teacher's Pension and Annuity Fund Enrollment Application

• Benefits Waiver Option Form

• Aetna Enrollment/Change Request Form

EMPLOYEE HEALTH BENEFITS HANDBOOK

All new hires must attend the first “New Hire Benefits Orientation” held the first Thursday of each month scheduled right after their date of hire.

Eligible Employee's:

All Trenton Board of Education full time employees' are eligible for medical, prescription, and dental coverage beginning the first of the month following 30 days of their hire date.

Dependents of the employee are eligible for participation in the group medical, prescription, and dental program at no cost** to the employee if the following is true:

a)                The employee is full time

b)                The employee elects dependent coverage when enrolling in the plan.

c)                 Employee can provide dependent documents as follows:

             a.  Original Marriage Certificate for spouse enrollment

             b.  Original Birth Certificate for dependent child (ren) enrollment

             c.  Original Legal Court documents for adopted or legal wards

d)                The dependent satisfies the following definition:

             a.  The dependent is 26 years or less for medical coverage

             b.  The dependent is 19 years or less for dental coverage and 25 years or less

                  if a full-time college student

             c.  The dependent is not covering him/her self on their own individual health policy

** Unless otherwise stated in your union contract.

TBOE Health Plan Options:

Choosing a health plan is an important decision and one that requires careful consideration.  Because there is no single best plan, TBOE offers a selection of several quality health plans. One must first choose between the following coverage's:

          Horizon Blue Cross/ Blue Shield Traditional Plan

          Horizon Blue Card PPO Plan**

          Horizon HMO of New Jersey

          Aetna HMO

TBOE Dental Plan Options:

          Delta Dental of New Jersey

          Dental Services Organization, Inc.

          Horizon Dental **

TBOE Prescription Plan:

          Caremark

TBOE Vision Care Options:

       Vision Service Plan (VSP)

Please note:  Vision plans are dependent upon which medical plans you decide to select. 

** Not all employees are eligible for the listed benefits.  Please refer to your union contract for eligibility.

Example 1: A teacher who selects the PPO plan will automatically be enrolled into the Vision Service Plan High Option.              

Example 2: A secretary who selects Horizon HMO plan will automatically be entitled to a vision plan discount and reimbursement up to $50. 

TBOE Health Waiver Policy:

Any employee who waives medical or prescription coverage shall be entitled to a reimbursement of 50% of the lowest premium paid by the board.  Proof of other coverage must be provided along with dependency documents and a completed health waiver application on a yearly basis.

Pension Enrollment Policy:

All employees must enroll in the New Jersey State Pension Program. The TBOE offers Teacher’s Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) and Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS).  Enrollment applications are given to all employees’ during their benefits orientation and must be completed and hand in during that time.  Employees must select beneficiaries for the offered life insurance.

TPAF Life Insurance:

1 ½  times your salary is offered if there are no contributions.

3 ½  times your salary is offered if there are contributions.

Please note:  It is mandatory to contribute toward life insurance for your first year of employment with TBOE.  You can withdraw anytime thereafter.

PERS Life Insurance:

1 ½ times your salary is offered if there are no contributions.

3 times your salary if offered if there are contributions.

Please note:  It is mandatory to contribute toward life insurance for your first year of employment with TBOE. You can withdraw anytime thereafter.

Open Enrollment Policy:

Open enrollment is normally held during the month of May.  Carriers are scheduled to be in attendance sometime during the first two weeks of May.  This allows employees’ the opportunity to come out and ask any questions pertaining to their health and dental insurances.  Employees’ can make provider changes, add and/or delete dependents, elect to waive coverage, etc.  All benefits will become effective July 1 of that current year.

Changes outside of Open Enrollment:

TBOE employees can make changes outside of an open enrollment period only during a qualifying event.

What is a qualifying event?                 

Qualifying Events are as follows:

A)     Marriage

B)      Divorce

C)     Birth of a child (ren)

D)     Adoption/legal guardianship

E)      Spouse or dependents lost of coverage

F)      Legal child support orders

Employees who need to add their newborn (s) or adopted child (ren) must do so within 30 days of the event date. 

Employees who are recently married or divorced can add or delete dependents within 60 days of the event.

Please note:  If you do not add or delete dependents during this qualifying period, you must wait to make changes during TBOE’s Open Enrollment period.

DISABILITY INSURANCE:

Trenton Board of Education does not pay into the State Disability Program.  It is the responsibility of the employee to elect coverage through Prudential or Unum disability programs, or a disability company of their choice.  This is an optional benefit and is not mandatory for enrollment.  Prudential, AFLAC, American General, and Unum companies have a contract with TBOE to allow for payroll deductions only.  The elected disability programs are not administered by TBOE. Employees who choose to have a relationship with other disability carriers will not be able to take advantage of TBOE's direct payroll deductions.

COBRA ELIGIBILITY:

1)            Employee’s termination of employment - 18 months

2)            Employee’s reduction in hours – 18 months

3)            Disability – 18-29 months

4)            Death of employee – 36 months

5)            Loss of dependent status – 36 months

6)            Divorce or Legal separation – 36 months

7)            Medicare entitlement – 36 months        

Definition of COBRA:

Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA).  An employer must provide employees and their dependents the option to continue identical group health coverage, which otherwise would end due to a specific qualifying event.

Payment of COBRA Premiums:

The elector pays 100% of the premium plus a 2% administration fee.

Please consult with your benefits administrator if there are any questions or concerns pertaining to your employee benefits.