Listed below is general information on State employee benefits for eligible URI employees. For more specific information please visit our website or call 874-9054.

Internal Payroll (IP) employees are not eligible for benefits.

Health Insurance

Individual or family health coverage is available to eligible State employees (eligible is: 20 hours/week and with an appointment of 6 months or more.) Employees pay a co-share towards their heath coverage.

• Medical coverage is with Blue Cross Blue Shield RI (BCBSRI)
• Dental coverage is with Delta Dental
• Vision coverage is with Vision Service Plan (VSP)

Although coverage begins on your first day of employment or eligibility date, it may take up to 30 days from your hire date to receive your membership cards.

Employee Retirement System of Rhode Island (ERSRI)

A classified State employee who meets the State’s eligibility requirements, i.e., works 20 hours or more and employment is not limited to six months or less is required to participate in the ERSRI retirement pension.

New employees will contribute 8.75% of their salary before taxes. 3.75% goes towards a defined benefit pension plan and 5% is contributed to a 401(a) defined contribution retirement plan. An additional 1% will be contributed by your employer (there is a three year vesting period of this employer contribution.)

An application, beneficiary form and membership booklet will be mailed to the employee’s home by ERSRI.

Completed forms should be returned to the Employee Benefits unit in Human Resources.

Life Insurance (The Hartford)

Eligible employees may purchase basic and supplemental life insurance through payroll deduction.

Coverage is with The Hartford and employees pay the full cost for both basic and supplemental coverage (based on annual salary up to $150,000 each.)

Eligible employees are automatically enrolled in the basic group life insurance and premiums are payroll deducted unless application form indicates an election to waive coverage and form is submitted to the benefits rep.

Rates are available on our web site.

Tuition Waiver

URI State employee must work full time and be actively employed on the first day of class to be eligible.

Eligibility is dependent upon union status. More information at http://web.uri.edu/hr/tuition-2/ or call Laura Shea at 874-2513.

Flexible Spending Account

Employees are allowed to payroll deduct a portion of their gross income on a pre-tax basis for the payment of out of pocket medical expenses up to $3,050 per year.

Dependent Care

Employees can payroll deduct up to $5,000 per year on a pre-tax basis for dependent care expenses.

Other Voluntary Benefits

Available as a new hire or during open enrollment:

AFLAC offers: Cancer protection insurance plan, and

Short-Term Disability (available to employees working 30 or more hours a week) 

Available as a new hire or during open enrollment:

Legal Insurance (for personal legal issues, ex. wills, etc.) 

Available at any time:

• Group Supplemental Retirement Annuity 403(b) (TIAA, VALIC, Metlife)
• CollegeBoundfund – 529 plan
• Deferred Compensation 457(b) (Fidelity, VALIC, or VOYA)

Vacation

(check your union contract)

In general, based on full-time eligibility, classified employees receive 10 vacation days per year. Days increase every 5 years up to 25 years of service.

Prorated for part-time eligible employees.

Sick Leave

(check your union contract)

In general, based on full-time eligibility, classified employees receive 15 sick days per year.

Prorated for part-time eligible employees.

Personal Leave

(check your union contract)

In general, based on full-time eligibility, classified employees receive 4 personal leave days per year.

Prorated for part-time eligible employees.

Visit http://web.uri.edu/hr/benefits/ for more detailed information