Benefits FAQ
Medical Insurance
General Questions
- Who are the health insurance providers that I am able to select for my medical insurance at the University of Notre Dame?
- Who do I call if I am unable to receive an acceptable answer from my insurance company?
Meritain Health PPO
- How do I contact Meritain Health ?
- What is Utilization Management?
- Who should I contact for Utilization Management?
- When should I contact Utilization Management?
- What networks are associated with the Preferred Provider Organization Plan?
- How do I locate a provider in the Select Health Network?
- How do I locate a provider in the Beech Street Network?
- How do I locate a provider in the New Avenues Midwest Behavioral Health Network?
Meritain CHA and Select HMOs
- How do I contact Meritain Health ?
- How do I know if a specific doctor / specialist / hospital is a CHA in-network provider?
- How do I find out if a specific doctor/specialist/hospital is in the Select network?
- What are the local (South Bend / Mishawaka) hospitals that are in the CHA network?
- What are the local (South Bend/Mishawaka) hospitals that are in the Select network?
- How much do I pay for a routine physician office visit?
- What should I do if I have an emergency? (This includes a vacation situation)
- What do I pay for an emergency room visit?
- What is the cost to me for an urgent care facility visit?
- How much will I pay for an out-patient procedure?
- What are the preventative care benefits?
- How long are my children covered on my Meritain Health Plan?
- Do I need a referral to see a specialist?
- How do I replace my ID card if I should lose it?
- If I retire under age 65, can I retain my Meritain Health insurance coverage?
Dental Insurance
Delta Dental Premier
- What is Delta Dental Premier?
- What are the advantages of choosing a Delta Dental Premier dentist?
- How can I find a participating dentist?
- What if I go to a nonparticipating dentist?
- Do I need to tell my dentist my coverage has changed?
- Do I need an ID card to receive care ?
- What if I have other questions?
Delta Dental PPO (Point-of-Service)
- What is Delta Dental PPO (Point-of-Service) Preferred Plan?
- What are the advantages of choosing a Delta Dental PPO dentist ?
- What are the advantages of choosing a Delta Dental Premier dentist in the PPO plan?
- How can I find a participating dentist ?
- What if I go to a nonparticipating dentist ?
- Do I need to tell my dentist my coverage has changed?
- Do I need an ID card to receive care ?
- What if I have other questions?
Flexible Spending Accounts
General Questions
- How do I find out what my current available balance is?
- How do I file a claim?
- What information do I need to turn in for reimbursement (NAA PPO/Meritain Health Plan/Advantage, etc.)?
- Are there specific deadlines to submit my claims?
- What dates can I expect to receive a reimbursement check?
- Will my check be mailed to my home or be direct deposited?
- Where do I send the claim forms and receipts for reimbursement?
- What dates of service can I submit for reimbursement?
- Can I increase/decrease my spending account deductions in the middle of the calendar year?
Health Care
- What are the eligible expenses for health care that I can submit for reimbursement?
- What are the ineligible expenses for health care that I cannot submit for reimbursement?
Dependent Care
- What are the eligible expenses for dependent care that I can submit for reimbursement?
- What are the ineligible expenses for dependent care that I cannot submit for reimbursement?
Life/Travel/Long Term Care Insurance
Group Life Insurance
- How do I change my current beneficiary elections?
- If I have the free, "basic" life insurance coverage, how much coverage do I have?
- What are the optional group rates available and how would I calculate the monthly premium I would pay?
- I would like to see an example of how the optional life insurance rates are calculated.
- What is the Living Choice benefit?
- Is my life insurance considered a term insurance policy?
- Can I keep my life insurance should I decide to leave my employment at Notre Dame?
- When can I sign up for life insurance?
Travel Accident Insurance
Long Term Care Insurance
- What is Long Term Care Insurance?
- How do I apply for Aetna Long Term Care?
- Where do I get the details for the Long Term Care plan?
- Can I keep the Aetna Long Term Care if I leave the University of Notre Dame?
- How can I find out what the cost would be for Aetna Long Term Care?
Time Away From Work
Sick and Vacation Time
- How do I complete the Absence and Overtime form?
- How do I know how much sick and vacation time I have taken / remaining?
- How do I accrue sick time?
- How is my vacation time calculated?
- When can I start using sick time?
- What are the payroll deadlines for submitting my absences and overtime?
- What is the difference between Regular time and Overtime?
- My sick and vacation banks are incorrect. How do I get them corrected?
- What happens to my remaining personal days, family sick days and vacation time at the end of the calendar year?
- What happens to my sick and vacation banks if my number of hours worked per week is modified during the course of the year?
- When does the work week at the University begin and end?
- Can I change my vacation days to sick time if I become ill while on vacation?
- Does my supervisor have the right to tell me when I can take vacation/breaks/ etc.?
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
- What is the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)?
- When do I become eligible for FMLA?
- How much time can I take under the FMLA?
- Is time taken under the FMLA paid or unpaid?
- What happens to my benefits while I am on Family and Medical Leave?
- What health conditions are covered by FMLA?
- What happens if I am not released to come back to work after my twelve weeks of FMLA leave?
- How do I apply for FMLA?
- How is FMLA time counted when I am off work intermittently for a chronic health condition?
- Am I entitled to twelve weeks of FMLA leave for each condition for which I am approved?
- What is my responsibility as an employee?
- What steps must I take when I come back to work?
Leaves
- Under what circumstances can I take a personal leave of absence?
- How do I apply for a personal leave of absence?
- I was/will be unpaid for a few pay periods. How do I pay for my insurance?
- Do I lose my years of service if I take a personal leave of absence?
Holidays
Jury Duty
- I have been called for jury duty. What do I need to do?
- I have received a check from jury duty. What do I do with it?
Educational Benefits
Educational Benefits for Children
- Am I eligible to receive tuition assistance for my child who will be attending Notre Dame?
- How do I apply for tuition benefits for my child who will be attending Notre Dame?
- Am I eligible to receive tuition assistance for my daughter who will be attending Saint Mary's College?
- How do I apply for the tuition benefit for my daughter who will be attending Saint Mary's College?
- Does the benefit also cover my child's summer classes at Notre Dame or Saint Mary's College?
- My child is a Notre Dame student, and is going on a study-abroad program during his/her Sophomore, Junior or Senior year. How does he/she fulfill the student job requirement?
- Am I eligible to receive tuition assistance for my child who will be attending a school other than Notre Dame or Saint Mary's?
- How do I apply for tuition benefits for my child who will be attending a school other than Notre Dame or Saint Mary's?
- What colleges can my child attend in order to receive the benefit?
- Can I receive the tuition benefit for my stepchild who is attending a college other than Saint Mary's?
- Does the benefit also cover summer classes at a college other than Notre Dame or Saint Mary's?
- Does the tuition benefit cover room and board or books?
- My child is attending a college other than Notre Dame or Saint Mary's. How much does the tuition benefit pay for?
- If my child is attending the same school and there is no break in his/her attending that school, do I still need to submit an application every school term?
- I have submitted my application form, but still received a bill from the school for the other College/University benefit. What do I do?
- My child dropped out of classes after the deadline. How does this affect my benefit?
- Is there a minimum grade that is required to continue to receive the tuition benefit for my child?
- My child is attending a college other than Notre Dame or St. Mary's. Does he/she need to be in a full-time status to receive the benefit?
- How long can my child receive the benefit?
- My child has taken a break in his/her schooling, but has decided to come back to school. Would I still be eligible for tuition benefits for him/her then?
- My child is no longer a dependent. Can I still receive the benefit?
- My child is attending graduate school. Can I receive the tuition benefit to cover his/her tuition expenses?
- Does the University provide tuition benefits for correspondence classes?
Educational Benefits for Employee
- I would like to take courses at Notre Dame, am I eligible for assistance?
- How do I apply for tuition benefits at Notre Dame?
- How can I find out what classes are offered at Notre Dame?
- How many classes and credits are covered by the benefit if I am taking classes at Notre Dame?
- What is the deadline for applying for the tuition benefit if I am taking a class at Notre Dame?
- Do I need to be accepted in a particular program in order to take a class?
- Can I use the tuition benefit towards getting a degree from Notre Dame?
- How is the taxability of the benefit determined?
- I am taking an undergraduate class and the tuition benefit covers 90% of the cost. What is the dollar amount I will have to pay?
- I would like to take courses at another college. Am I eligible for assistance?
- How do I apply for tuition benefits if I am attending another school?
- What are the deadlines so that I can be considered for the tuition benefit for the classes I am taking at another school?
- How many classes and credits are covered by the benefit if I am taking classes at another school?
Educational Benefits for Spouse
- My spouse would like to take courses at Notre Dame. Is he/she eligible for assistance?
- My spouse would like to take courses at another college. Is he/she eligible for assistance?
- How do I apply for tuition benefits for my spouse?
- How can my spouse find out what classes are offered at Notre Dame?
- How many classes and credits are covered by the benefit?
- What is the deadline for applying for the tuition benefit if my spouse is taking a class at Notre Dame as a non-degree seeking student?
- Can my spouse use the tuition benefit towards getting a degree from Notre Dame?
- How is the taxability of the benefit determined?
- Does my spouse need to be accepted in a particular program in order to take a class?
- My spouse is taking an undergraduate class and the tuition benefit covers 90% of the cost. What is the dollar amount he/she will have to pay?
Fred Freeman Scholarship Fund
- What is the Fred Freeman Scholarship Fund?
- When am I eligible for this benefit?
- How do I apply?
- Who should I contact with questions?
Employee Tuition Reimbursement for Non-Notre Dame Course Work
- What is the benefit?
- Who is eligible for this benefit?
- How do I apply?
- Who should I contact with questions?
Life/Family Events
Status Changes
- I recently got married. How can I add my new spouse to my benefits?
- I just had a new baby. How do I add him/her to my insurance plan?
- I will be getting divorced in the near future. Can I change my elections to reflect this change?
- My spouse passed away. Am I able to make a change to my benefit elections at this time?
- When can I change my insurance elections?
Adoption Benefit
- Am I eligible to receive assistance for adoptions?
- I adopted a child two years ago. Is the benefit retroactive?
- How does the benefit work?
- What types of expenses would be eligible for reimbursement?
COBRA Insurance
- What is COBRA coverage?
- When am I eligible for COBRA insurance?
- Where do I send my payments and who are they made payable to?
- What are the COBRA rates?
- How long can I continue on the COBRA insurance?
- Can my dependent who is no longer eligible on my insurance be covered through COBRA?
- How do I apply for COBRA insurance?
Early Childhood Development Center
Retirement
Defined Contribution Retirement Plan for Faculty and Administrators
- How much will the University contribute to my retirement account, and how much am I required to contribute?
- What are my retirement vendor choices?
Fidelity Investments
- What are my investment options with Fidelity?
- How do I contact Fidelity Investments?
- What fees, if any, does Fidelity charge?
- How do I change my allocation with Fidelity?
- Can I take a loan from my account with Fidelity?
TIAA-CREF
- What are my investment options with TIAA-CREF?
- How do I contact TIAA-CREF?
- What fees, if any, does TIAA-CREF charge?
- How do I change my allocation with TIAA-CREF?
- Can I take a loan from my account with TIAA-CREF?
Vanguard
- What are my investment options with Vanguard?
- How do I contact Vanguard?
- What fees, if any, does Vanguard charge?
- How do I change my allocation with Vanguard?
- Can I take a loan from my account with Vanguard?
- When am I 100% vested in the plan?
- What happens to the University's and my contributions if I leave the University?
- How do I change my allocation between the three vendors?
- Can I make a withdrawal on my retirement account?
- How do I withdraw my money at retirement?
- What happens to my retirement account when I die?
Supplemental Retirement Account (SRA)
- What is the Supplemental Retirement Account (SRA)?
- How can I increase my SRA?
- What is the minimum amount I can contribute?
- What is the maximum amount I can contribute?
Staff Pension Plan
- When can I retire?
- I am a participant in the Employees' Staff Pension Plan? How is my pension calculated?
- What constitutes a year of service for the Employees' Staff Pension Plan?
- How is my final average salary calculated?
- When am I vested in the plan?
- How is the Employees' Staff Pension Plan funded?
- What happened to the contributions I made before 1997?
- How often will I receive a pension statement?
- What if I leave the University before I am eligible for retirement?
- What happens to my pension if I die?
- Can I borrow from my pension?
- Is there a reduction in my pension amount if I begin receiving it before age 65?
- What happens if I become disabled?
New Faculty/Staff
New Hire Questions
- I am considering or have already accepted a position at the University. For what benefits am I eligible?
- I recently accepted a position at the University. Who do I contact to schedule my orientation?
- What are the dates, times and locations of the orientations?
- Should I complete any paperwork prior to attending the orientation?
- I am not sure what the title of my position is. Who should I contact?
Benefit Orientations
- What are the dates and times of the orientations?
- May I bring my spouse/family to the orientation with me?
- Where are the orientations located?
- Do I have to stay for the entire orientation?
- Do I still need to attend orientation if I am a returning faculty/staff member?
- I do not speak English very well. Will I need to bring someone to translate?
- Is there an agenda of the topics that we will cover during orientation?
- What paperwork/documents should I bring with me to orientation?
- Am I required to have direct deposit?
- When I will be paid?
- When will I get my ID card?
- How do I receive my parking pass?
- How will I receive my password to log onto my computer?
- When are my benefits effective?
Miscellaneous
Employee ID Card
- I've lost my card and I need a replacement. What is the process to follow?
- Where do I get my new staff/faculty/retiree ID Card?
Affiliate ID Card
- Who is eligible to receive an affiliate ID card?
- I work for an affiliate of the University of Notre Dame. Am I eligible to receive an affiliate ID Card?
- What are the campus privileges for those with affiliate cards?
Athletic Tickets
- Am I eligible to receive a discount on athletic tickets at the University of Notre Dame?
- How do I pay for my tickets?
American Express
- Am I eligible to receive a Corporate Card?
- How do I apply for the American Express Corporate Card?
- How do I change my address where the bill is sent to?
Garnishments
- Who do I contact regarding payments of garnishments?
- I have already paid this account in full, however, Notre Dame is continuing to take payments from my pay. How do I handle this?
- More money has been taken from my paychecks than I owe. How do I get reimbursed?
- I received a Proceedings Supplementary. What do I need to do to stop the payments from being deducted from my paycheck?
- I filed bankruptcy. To whom at Notre Dame does the paperwork need to be forwarded?
- I pay child support and I want the money to be deducted automatically from my paycheck. How do I set this up?