Employee Benefits
Employee Benefits
Washington and Lee offers an extensive range of health care and life insurance benefits, retirement options, educational assistance programs, and other programs and services to our staff and faculty. Because we want to attract and retain the highest quality staff, we are committed to providing a competitive benefit package.
Although it is the intent of the University to continue the benefit plans described in this section, the University reserves the right to modify, amend, or terminate any benefit plan, with or without notice.
Health
Washington and Lee University offers medical insurance through Aetna. Employees can choose between two plans. The plans offer in-network and out-of-network benefits. Coverage levels in the plan are higher when you use in-network providers. The University pays 75% of the cost of the plan.
The Aetna plans contain some vision coverage. The prescription drug benefit is through CVS Caremark.
Dental
W&L offers dental coverage to employees through United Concordia.
Vision
If you are enrolled in the Anthem medical plan you do receive a vision benefit as part of that coverage. However, if you are not enrolled in medical, or if you are but wish to have a greater benefit, you can choose to enroll in the UniView Voluntary Vision Plan. With this plan you can choose to receive care from in-network or out-of-network providers.
Participants pay 100% of the premium.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) allow you to pay for eligible health and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars, eliminating federal and state income taxes and FICA tax on these expenses. They also offer the convenience of a debit card for transactions.
Washington and Lee's FSA program is administered by Flexible Benefit Administrators Inc. (FBA), which offers both Health Care and Dependent Care Spending Accounts. Participants must re-enroll annually to continue the benefit. All benefit-eligible employees are eligible to participate.
The University has partnered with Health Advocate, the nation's leading healthcare advocacy and assistance company, to assist employees with the complexities of the healthcare and health insurance systems. It's simple to use. When you call, you will talk with a Personal Health Advocate, typically registered nurses who are supported by Medical Directors and benefits specialists, who will personally help you with your issue.
Health Advocate can find qualified doctors and hospitals, locate and research treatments for a medical condition, resolve insurance claims, uncover billing errors, and help patients prepare for healthcare appointments. They can assist with elder care issues, identify and arrange wellness services, and much more.
The cost for this service is fully funded by the University. Assistance is available to benefit eligible employees, their spouses, domestic partners, dependent children, parents and parents-in-law.
The EAP offers professional and confidential counseling to benefit-eligible employees and their family members. Their services include, but are not limited to, stress management, substance abuse, depression, anger, anxiety and grief. Experienced counselors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by phone. When you call, a counselor will assess the situation, provide short-term counseling when appropriate, and assist you with scheduling visits with their staff or other counselors or resources as mutually agreed upon. The first four sessions when using the EAP services, are free. Additional sessions, if necessary, are billed to your health care provider.
Basic Life Insurance
The University offers a basic life insurance program through Symetra, with coverage that is directly related to base salary. Newly hired employees may be eligible immediately upon employment.
Supplemental Life Insurance
In addition to the basic life insurance benefit, eligible employees may purchase additional life insurance for themselves (up to $300,000), their spouse or domestic partner (up to $150,000), and their dependent children (up to $10,000).
Long Term Care Insurance
Employees may apply for a voluntary long term care policy with payroll deduction for premiums. This program pays for care in a variety of settings including care at home, in assisted living facilities, in adult day facilities, and in all types of nursing facilities. This benefit is also available to spouses/domestic partners, parents, parents-in-law, grandparents, grandparents-in-law, adult children and siblings – all of whom must be under age 75 at time of application.
Group Long-Term Disability
Should a lasting disability occur, the University's Long Term Disability Plan provides income for as long as the disability continues or until the employee is eligible for retirement benefits. The University's long term disability insurer has the right to review medical records and to assess whether the disability designation should continue.
The University pays the entire cost of employees' participation in this plan.
Social Security benefits are not substantial enough to be an individual's sole or primary source of retirement income; therefore, the University strongly encourages its employees to participate in the Washington and Lee University Defined Contribution Retirement Plan. The University offers retirement savings plans through TIAA and Fidelity.
To provide flexibility to employees for the use of time off, Washington and Lee offers a Combined Time Off (CTO) program. CTO can be used for vacation, personal illness and doctor's appointments, and other personal reasons. The University also offers a variety of leave options to accommodate individual circumstances, including extended sick leave, parental leave, family and medical leave and long-term disability.
Employees must have at least five consecutive years of full-time service at time of benefit is to be received. Eligible children may receive only one grant, even if both parents work for the University. Dependent is defined by IRS code and is verified from five years of employee tax records
The University will pay the lesser of 50% of the tuition of the institution that the dependent (child) is attending or 50% of Washington and Lee University's undergraduate tuition. The benefit may be reduced by scholarship and grant assistance that the child receives outside of Washington and Lee University.
For dependents whose parent(s) meet the eligibility guidelines outlined above and are admitted to Washington and Lee University for undergraduate study the student will receive tuition remission equal to 90% of Washington and Lee's undergraduate tuition.
The University participates in the Associated Colleges of the South's Tuition Exchange Program. Dependents whose parent(s) meet the eligibility guideline as outlined in the Educational Grant Policy may apply for participation in the exchange. Application does not guarantee a spot in the program, however.
Washington and Lee University provides housing loans to full-time employees. These housing loans may be used to purchase, build, or improve a principal residence in the Lexington-Rockbridge County area subject to the terms and conditions outlined below. (The Treasurer may, upon receiving an appeal, approve as an exception a loan for a residence outside the Lexington-Rockbridge County area when, in his opinion, there are compelling personal circumstances.)
Washington and Lee University employees are eligible for a variety of services and discounts as a result of their affiliation with the University. Vendors may ask to see your Washington and Lee ID card to verify your eligibility upon redeeming discounts or coupons.
On-campus, attend events, take advantage of access to on-campus dining and fitness facilities and access library and technology resources.
Discounts for fitness clubs, massage therapy, Enterprise car rental, select entertainment, insurance, and mobile phone services.