Information and How to...
Welcome to Collin College!
Here you will find information that will help you navigate your enrollment into the various benefits offered through Collin College. Health benefit enrollment must be completed within 30 days of when you became eligible (date of hire or date of promotion).
Our health benefits package is through the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) and their Group Benefits Program (GBP).
IMPORTANT: ERS partners with Alight Solutions to conduct a dependent verification. If you enroll dependents in health insurance,
please be on the lookout for materials from Alight Solutions about 30-60 days after
you complete your enrollment. Failure to respond will lead to dependents being removed
by ERS.
When enrolling a dependent child, you will be asked to also submit a Dependent Child Certification. This form is you certifying that the child you wish to enroll is eligible based
on the criteria listed. One form per child must be uploaded into the task in Workday.
Note: please combine all forms into one document as Workday limits only one attachment.
Health plans - Offered in the form of a point-of-service plan or high deductible health plan administered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. You have have the option of choosing a plan or waiving coverage. The plans includes comprehensive prescription drug coverage administered by Express Scripts.
| Healthselect of Texas | Consumer Directed Healthselect |
| PCP is required | No PCP or referrals required |
| Referrals required for specialty physicians | Coinsurance after deductible is met |
| No annual deductible | In-network preventive services covered at 100% |
| In-network preventive services covered at 100% | Mental health benefits |
| Mental health benefits | HSA |
To view a more detailed comparison of the two health plans, please carefully view the health plan comparison chart. This will help you decide which plan meets your and your family's needs.
Enrollment in the Consumer Directed HealthSelect plan includes enrollment in the HSA. Click here for more information on the HSA.
If you are waiving coverage because you have other coverage, you may be eligible for the Opt-Out Credit. Click here to see if you qualify!
Other things to keep in mind:
| In-network | Out-of-network |
| No Deductible | Deductible |
| + Low Coinsurance | + Higher Coinsurance |
| No Balance Billing | Balance Billing |
| = Lower Costs | = Higher Costs |
Tobacco User Premium: ERS charges a monthly premium for tobacco users. For more information, please view the ERS Tobacco Policy and Certification.
The benefits below are commonly referred to as "optional benefits".
Dental Insurance - you have the option of choosing between a dental PPO plan and a DHMO plan. The provider for all dental plans is Delta Dental. There are no cards issued by Delta Dental. To have a provider verify your dental coverage, they will need to use your name and/or date of birth or social security number and search the Delta Dental system.
| State of Texas Dental Choice PPO | Deltacare DHMO | |
| Primary Care Dentist | No* | Yes - make sure there is a PCD in your area |
| Deductible | Yes** | No |
| Copays/Coinsurance | Yes** | Yes - they vary by service |
| Maximum Calendar Year Benefits | $2,000 (includes routine exams) | Unlimited |
|
* The plan pays more if you use an in-network dentist. |
||
Collin College covers the employee only portion of either the PPO or DHMO plan. Should you cover dependents, your premiums will be only for the coverage of those dependents.
To view a more detailed comparison of the two dental plans, please carefully view the dental plan comparison chart. This will help you decide which plan meets your and your family's needs.
Vision Insurance - If you are enrolling in a health plan, you will have vision benefits to cover the cost of an annual eye exam and the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases and injuries. To have coverage for a contact lense fitting and materials, you can elect the State of Texas Vision plan.
To view a more detailed comparison of the vision benefits available to you, please carefully view the vision comparison chart. This will help you decide which plan meets your and your family's needs.
Life Insurance - there are three options for life insurance which offer life insurance coverage for you and your eligible dependents.
| Optional Term | Dependent Life | Voluntary AD&D | |
| Who can enroll: | You only | Dependent only | You only or You plus family |
| Premium: | Based on coverage selection | $1.45 per month | Based on coverage selection |
| Coverage Options: | Elections 1, 2, 3, or 4 | $5,000 | $10,000 up to $200,000 |
| Double Indemnity: | Yes | Yes | No |
Disability insurance - Within your first 30 days of eligibility, you are able to enroll in optional term life (up to 2x) and/or dependent life, with no EOI required. If waived and later elected, EOI will apply.
The Texas Income Protection Plan (TIPP) offers short-term & long-term disability coverage that protects your income by paying a percentage of your paycheck if you become disabled and can't work due to medical illness, injury, or pregnancy.
Short-term Disability - 30-day waiting period and 66% of your monthly salary
Long-term Disability - 180-day waiting period and 60% of your monthly salary
Flexible Spending Accounts - allow you to set aside pre-tax money to cover eligible out-of-pocket healthcare or dependent care expenses.
| Health Care FSA | Limited-Purpose FSA | Dependent Care FSA |
|
Use for eligible medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug expenses |
Use for dental and vision expenses only |
Use for dependent care expenses |
| Contribute $180 to $2,850 | Contribute $180 to $2,850 | Contribute $180 to $5,000 |
| Can use debit card for purchases | Can use debit card for purchases | No debit card |
| Carryover up to $570 | Carryover up to $570 | No carryover but there is a grace period |
Collin College full-time employees will participate in a retirement program through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS). Certain employees (faculty and administrators) have the option of choosing the Texas Optional Retirement Program (ORP) in lieu of TRS. This option is a one-time irrevocable decision.
| Plan |
Contributions (Employee / Employer) |
Website/Links for more information |
| TRS | 8.25% / 8.25% | www.trs.texas.gov |
| ORP | 6.65% / 6.6% / 1.75% (employer supplement) | ORP Brochure |
If you are ORP eligible, you will be enrolled in TRS immediately as you have a 90-day election period to choose between the two options. Should you choose ORP, you will then need to choose a financial provider with which you will open an ORP account.
You will need to complete a TRS-28, Election to Participate in ORP, and Salary Reduction Agreement and submit to HR/Benefits no later than your 90th day. This will let us know that you are choosing to waive all benefits through TRS and are choosing to manage your own retirement through the ORP.
- Should you take no action within these 90 days, you will remain in TRS.
- If you previously chose between TRS & ORP through another higher education institution, you will remain in the same option.
In addition to TRS or ORP, employees may also enroll in the College's 403b plan (Collin Invests) or in Texa$aver, the state's 457 program.
The Collin Invests plan, in partnership with Corebridge financial, allows employees to contribute up to 80% of their base salary. To enroll, please visit the Corebridge Financial website and enroll today! Employer Contributions: Collin Invests Enhanced Retirement Savings Plan will offer employer matching contributions to all full-time, benefits-eligible employees. Collin will match your contributions dollar-for-dollar up to 4% of your base salary. You must contribute to the 403(b) plan through Corebridge in order to receive the match. No employer match is paid for any month in which you have not contributed.
Full-time employees will need to use plan code 40521003 when enrolling. You are able to choose your investment option from those available. To meet with an advisor, you can reach out to Bentley or Luke.
| Name | Phone | |
| Bentley Craft | bentley.craft@corebridgefinancial.com | 972.567.8115 |
| Luke Logan | caleb.logan@aig.com | 469.271.0179 |
In addition to the 403b, you can enroll in the 457 offered through the State of Texas. Texa$aver offers 457 plan retirement benefits. To enroll in this program, please visit their website. To meet with a retirement plan advisor, you can reach out to Mike McLellan.
| Name | Phone | |
| Mike McLellan | michael.mclellan@empower-retirement.com | 469.350.8128 |
Time Off
In addition to sick, personal, and vacation time, the College makes available the following:
- Bereavement - 3 days, up to 2 additional days if spouse, parent, child. These hours are not taken from your earned time.
- Extended Family Sick Leave - can use up to 24 hours per fiscal year for the health care of an adult child or parent. This time is applied against your own sick balance.
- Critical Illness - can use up to 24 hours when an immediate family member is critically ill. These 24 hours are not taken from your earned time.
As a new employee, you will earn personal time on a prorated basis. Every 9/1, full-time employees are awarded 3 personal days. For the first year, your hours are based on the following:
| Month of Hire | Hours per month |
| Sept - Dec | 24 |
| Jan - Apr | 16 |
| May - Aug | 8 |
Sick time is earned at 8 hours per month.
Vacation time is earned at a rate based on your full-time years of service.
Non-exempt employees may earn compensatory time off when working over 40 hours in the work week. Overtime must be approved by your supervisor.
The College has 20 paid holiday days for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. These days off are above and beyond an employee's earned time off.
Time off is a great perk!
As a new employee, you may have up to 20 holidays, 12 vacation days, 12 sick days, and 3 personal... all in your first year! That's 45 days!
Employee Assistance Program - through Deer Oaks EAP offers full-time employees, and your household members, access to short-term counseling for up to 8 visits per service type per year. Service types include work/life balance issues, stress, grief, marriage counseling, family counseling. Additional services include assistance in locating community resources, estate planning/will preparation, Take the High Road program, Teen Line.
ERS Discount Purchase Program - discount purchase program coordinated between ERS and Beneplace. This program offers discounts on various products and services.
Once you are ready to make your selections, you will need to log into your Workday account. You will have an enrollment task in your Workday inbox. Should you have any questions, please call or email.
|
Benefits Team |
ext. 3152 |
972.599.3152 |
Michelle Benvie
Assistant Director, Benefits and HR Support
(972) 599-3164
mbenvie@collin.edu
Benefits Team
Main Line: (972) 599-3152
benefits@collin.edu
Tara Rice
HR Generalist, Benefits
(972) 758-3849
Fax (972) 599-3156
tcrice@collin.edu
Mili Kim
HR Coordinator, Benefits
(972) 758-3886
Fax (972) 599-3156
mkim@collin.edu
Vinna Cook
HR Generalist, Benefits (Part-time)
(972) 599-3152
Fax (972) 599-3156
vcook@collin.edu