HEALTHCARE BENEFITS 
Provided by Blue Cross/Blue Shield HMO/EPO Program. New York residents currently are covered in the Blue Cross/Blue Shield HMO health plan, while New Jersey and Connecticut residents are covered in the Blue Cross/Blue Shield EPO plan. Both include prescription drugs. The basic plan is free, but there is an additional fee for family coverage along with some co-pays. For further information, please consult the Adjunct Health Benefits Packet available in the Human Resources Department. This plan does not include dental or vision care benefits.

Eligibility
Health benefits can be claimed in the third semester of teaching provided that you have taught at least one course (or worked in a non-teaching position for ten hours a week) during each of the two previous semesters and are currently teaching six hours or more or working ten hours (non teaching) in the current semester. Summer sessions are excluded when determining eligibility. 


Retirement Benefits

As of January 1, 1973, adjuncts became eligible to join Teachers' Retirement System (TRS), therefore service rendered prior to 1/1/73 is not creditable in TRS. Membership for adjuncts is optional, and begins on the date TRS receives the enrollment application.

Service Credit
To receive service credit for adjunct teaching service, at least 45 hours of service must be completed. However, for any service rendered prior to the 1992/93 school years, you must have rendered at least 90 hours of service in that position during a given school year. One full school year is equivalent to 360 hours. Service in excess of the applicable minimum, but less then 360 hours, would be prorated accordingly.

Enrollment Status
Tier IV
a) 9/1/83 - 6/30/92
b) 7/1/92 - current
· 3% employee contribution. Employer contribution determined by actuarial unit. Full pension: Age 62 + 10 years of service. Retirement health benefits are not available.

Tax-Deferred Annuity (TDA)
A Tax-Deferred Annuity may be purchased from TIAA/CREF - Supplemental Retirement Annuity Program, and Teachers’ Retirement Systems (must have membership in TRS pension) and the HRC. These are similar to IRA’s: you voluntarily set aside a percentage of your pay before it is taxed, and collect interest, which is also tax-deferred. Note: A pension non-member with a TDA equal to or greater then 7.5% of wages will not be subjected to FICA (social security) withdrawals. 

Tuition Waiver
An adjunct who has taught one or more courses in the same department at the same college for 10 consecutive semesters (not including summers) and who is appointed to teach a course of three or more contact hours per week in the Fall or Spring semester shall be entitled to tuition reimbursement for up to one course in that semester (for graduate courses this depends on availability.) An adjunct will lose eligibility if in any two out of three academic years the adjunct teaches in only one semester of the year at that college.