Jefferson County Schools is dedicated to providing the employees and retirees of our system with comprehensive benefit information and assistance in an effective and efficient manner. Please contact the Employee Services and Benefits Coordinator for further information regarding employee benefits.

Health insurance coverage is provided through The West Virginia PEIA (Public Employees Insurance Agency). The health insurance monthly premium amount is based upon the plan and coverage that you choose, your annual salary, and your tobacco status.

The dental and vision plans are provided to employees and their dependents free of charge. The dental plan is administered through Sun Life and the vision plan through Vision Service Plan (VSP). The Section 125 Flexible Benefit Plan is administered through American Fidelity Assurance Company.

Employees may choose one of the following as their health insurance plan:

• Health Plan HMO Plan A

• Health Plan HMO Plan B

• Health Plan POS

• PEIA PPB Plan A

• PEIA PPB Plan B

• PEIA PPB Plan C

• PEIA PPB Plan D

There are four types of coverage under each plan:

• Employee Only

• Employee And Child(ren)

• Family

• Family With Employee Spouse (This coverage is for two married public employees who are both benefit-eligible under PEIA.)

• Family With Spousal Surcharge (Applied if your spouse is eligible for employer-sponsored coverage through his/her employer and has PEIA coverage)

All the insurance plans include different levels of payment for the following benefits:

• Physician Services

• Inpatient Services

• Hospital Outpatient Services

• Diagnostic Testing Services

• Mental Health & Chemical Dependency Benefits

• Outpatient Therapies

• Prescription Benefits

• All Other Medical Services 

The current "Shopper's Guide" to view benefits can be found on the PEIA website at peia.wv.gov.

Basic:
$10,000 worth of coverage is provided to all benefit eligible employees free of charge through PEIA (Public Employees Insurance Agency). Employees must sign up to receive the coverage.

Optional: 
Provides additional employee life insurance coverage ($5,000 - $500,000) through PEIA at a minimal cost. Premiums are based on age, amount of additional insurance selected, and tobacco status. Premiums for up to $40,000 worth of coverage are deducted pre-tax.

Dependent:
Provides spouse and/or child life insurance through PEIA at a minimal monthly cost.

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 requires that the Jefferson County Board of Education allow at least up to twelve weeks of unpaid leave in any twelve month period for defined circumstances.

A full-time employee may accrue up to fifteen (15) days per year for leave purposes. Credit will be given to all full-time employees for one and one-half (1½) days leave for each employment month.

Five (5) of these leave days are allocated as “Leave-Without-Cause” and may be taken without regard to the cause for the absence. However, it may not be taken on consecutive work days unless authorized or approved by the employee’s principal or immediate supervisor.

The remaining ten (10) days may be used in the following manner:

• Sick Leave – due to personal illness or accident

• Death in the Immediate Family – includes husband, wife, son, daughter, mother, father, sister, brother, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, granddaughter, grandson, or any relative living in household of employee.

• Critical Illness in the Immediate Family – critical illness shall be interpreted to mean confinement to hospital or under doctor’s care at home.

• Emergency Leave – includes a maximum of five days per year. Requests for additional days may be submitted in writing to the superintendent. Examples of emergency leave include family emergency, illness in immediate family, legal actions, doctor appointments, quarantine, funerals and critical illnesses. Unused leave will be accumulated without limitation and shall be transferable within the state.

All regular employees (employed since July 1st, 2015) are covered under the West Virginia Teachers Retirement System. The employee has six (6) percent deducted from each pay to contribute to the retirement plan. The employer contributes an amount equal to seven and one-half (7½) percent of the employees pay to the retirement plan. You are 100% vested in the retirement plan upon completing 10 years of service.

403b Annuity Plan

Jefferson Co. Schools has a 403(b)-retirement annuity plan available to its employees.  A 403(b) plan is a tax-advantaged retirement savings plan available for public education organizations which allows employees to make pre-tax contributions to an individually managed retirement account.  Employees who elect to participate in the 403(b) plan have various participating vendors from which to choose.  A list has been provided below for your convenience.

1. MetLife – Group Number: 0829465.  Contact Service Center at 1-833-642-1008, between 9am and 6pm, EST, Monday through Friday for assistance. Enroll online at www.metlife.com/enrollnow.

2. American Fidelity Assurance Company – Case Number: 76259, Contact info.:  
   Michael Bakun, 513-445-65936

3. Thrivent Financial – Group ID: 002403250-001, Thrivent ID: 505932664. 
   Contact info: Casey Belzer, 1832 W. Plaza Dr., Winchester, VA 22601, 540-417-9141 https://connect.thrivent.com/casey-belzer

4. AIG American General (VALIC) – Company Identification – WV2018. Enrollment Center, M-F, 7:30 am - 7 pm (Central Time), 1-888-569-7055

5. AXA Equitable – Unit Number: 073592 001, Retirement Program: TSA Public School, Professional: Nicholas Aberegg, Phone: (304) 274-3327, cell: (304) 582-1371, Nicholas.aberegg@axa-advisors.com.

6. Horace Mann – State/group #47093, www.horacemann.com

7. Security Benefit – Old Dominion Insurance & Investments, 420 West Jubal Early Drive, Suite 202, Winchester, VA 22601. Jim Patton/Bruce Allen, Phone: 540-545-8915 or 800-621-3863, Fax: 540-545-8917, e-mail: jpatton@olddominionii.com

8. National Life Group (ValuTeachers) – Retirement Specialist, Chad E. Dixon, CRPC, Phone: 904-543-6401, Fax: 770-683-4015, Email: chaddixon@vtnmo.com

9. ASPIRE Financial Services - Financial Advisor, Amanda Ryder CFP (Edward Jones), 75 Maddex Square Drive, Shepherdstown, WV   25443, Bus. 304-876-1961, Fax 866-462-2503

How to Set up a 403(b) account:

Chose an approved provider from the list above

Contact your chosen provider and set up an account

Complete the Salary Reduction Agreement process with OMNI+TSACG. This allows you to indicate the amount that you want deducted each pay(no deductions in July and August) and whether the deduction should be pre or post-tax.

See the following link for instructions: https://5il.co/2ajzj

West Virginia Retirement Plus is a supplemental retirement plan designed to provide an extra savings alternative for all state, county, city, and other political subdivision employees. This retirement program is similar to a 401(k) plan in structure except that it is designed to supplement a participant's primary retirement plan. Employee contributions to the Plan are managed via convenient payroll deductions. There are a variety of quality investment options including one stable value fund and twenty-five mutual funds representing various asset classes.
Learn more at www.wv457.com.

Contact your local representative to participate.
Catherine Preston (304) 904-1845 or catherine.preston@empower.com.

West Virginia Retirement Plus (457) Info - Images.

You have the option of having your monthly insurance premium deducted with pre-tax dollars. You may make pre-tax contributions for dependent care and medical expense reimbursement.

Dependent Care:
Set aside pre-tax dollars for eligible dependent care expenses. If you are married and file taxes separately, you may deposit up to $2,500 per plan year. If you are single or married filing jointly, you may deposit up to $5,000 per plan year.

Medical:
Set aside pre-tax dollars for medical expenses not reimbursable under your health plan. You may deposit up to $2,500 per plan year.

Full-time employees may make a contribution of their leave days and become members of the Sick Leave Bank. This bank may be used in 30-day increments (up to a total of 90 per year) for paid time off due to an employee being incapacitated by a long-term illness or injury.

Tort Liability Insurance:
The School Board policy carries $1,000,000 of coverage for all employees per each occurrence. 

Worker’s Compensation

Long-Term Disability:
School Board paid benefit. Employees become eligible to apply for the benefit after being unable to work for 90 days. The maximum benefit pays 66 2/3% of the employee’s salary. Employer paid benefit.