Employee Benefits Summary

Every employee of KCTCS is valued for their essential role in the overall accomplishment of the system’s major goals and objectives. This summary will provide you with an overview of the benefits available, as of the time of publication, to regular, full-time employees and their families. The descriptions in this summary are only highlights of the benefit plans. Details about plan
provisions and administration are contained in the Summary Plan Descriptions available at the time of hire.

Pay Cycle/ Annual Increases

• Pay days are the 15th and 30th of the month.
• Paid on an arrears basis. (Ex: Time worked the 1st thru 15th is paid on the 30th of that month; time worked the 16th thru 30th is paid on the 15th of the next month.)
• Employees must be employed in a regular, full-time position prior to March 31st to be eligible for any annual salary increase.
• Annual salary Increases are awarded In July of each year, if applicable

Direct Deposit

• KCTCS requires all newly hired employees to have payroll funds directly deposited into a bank account(s) of their choice.

Holiday Leave

• KCTCS recognizes 11 ½ holidays per year, and Presidential Election Day every four years.
• Employees are eligible for holiday pay beginning the date of employment.

Institutional Closing

• Determined annually. Traditionally falls between the Christmas and New Year holidays.
• Employees are eligible for institutional closing pay beginning the date of employment.

Staff Vacation Leave

• Vacation leave accrues on the 15th of each month.
• For 1-5 years of service employees accrue an equivalent of 15 days/year.
• Beginning with the 6th year, employees accrue an equivalent of 20 days/year.
• The maximum number of vacation days allowed to be accrued is 40 days.

Faculty Vacation Leave

• Regular Faculty are granted 22 days of vacation leave annually.
• Except for emergencies, faculty may not take vacation while classes are in session.
• Faculty vacation will not be carried year to year without prior written authorization.

Staff Temporary Disability (Sick) Leave

• Paid temporary disability leave (sick leave) accrues at the rate of one day (7.5 hours) per month.
• Temporary disability leave (sick leave) accrues on the 15th of each month.

Faculty Temporary Disability (Sick) Leave

• After 3 months of employment, Faculty may be absent up to five (5) continuous working days with pay within a
  six (6) month period…
  • Because of personal illness or injury, or
  • For the purpose of tending to a serious illness suffered by an immediate family member.
• Faculty who are totally disabled for longer than 5 working days may apply for up to 30 calendar days of sick leave
  with pay not to exceed a maximum of 6 months.

Staff Sick Leave Pool & Leave Sharing

• A source of salary continuance for participants whose serious personal health conditions prevent them
  from working.

Family / Medical Leaves of Absence

• Entitles eligible employees to job-protected family/medical leaves of absence.

Health Insurance

• Various plan choices available in four levels of coverage.
• Monthly employer premium contributions vary by level of coverage.
• Employees electing to waive the health coverage, will have a portion of the employer contributions placed into a Healthcare Reimbursement Account.
• Coverage begins the 1st day of the second calendar month following employment. (Ex: employees hired anytime in January, coverage begins March 1st.)

$50 Benefit Allowance

• Employees electing single health coverage or waiving health coverage will receive a maximum monthly $50 benefit allowance.
• To be used for Health, Dental, Flexible Spending Account Healthcare contributions and/or purchase of a supplemental benefit.

Dental Insurance

• Various plan choices available.
• At competitive monthly rates paid.
• 100% paid by the employee.

Flexible Spending Account

• Reimbursement program that allows employees to pay for certain qualified expenses with tax-free earnings.
  Expenses allowed are:
  • Medical expenses
  • Child care/dependent care expenses

Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance

• Life and Accidental Death/Dismemberment Insurance in the amount of $20,000 is provided at no cost.
• Employee has option to purchase additional individual or spouse and/or dependent children coverage.

Retirement Plans

• Participation in a KCTCS retirement plan is a condition of employment.
• Individuals must enroll within the first 30 days of employment.
• Required to contribute a percentage of their salary each pay period.
• Individuals enroll in either a Defined Contribution Plan 403(b) or a Defined Benefit Plan:
  • In the Defined Contribution Plan employees contribute 5%, the employer match is 10%.
    • Vesting in the defined contribution plan(s) is as follows:
      • Employee portion – immediate
      • Employer portion – 100% vested after 5 years of service
    • Current providers are TIAA-CREF, American Century, ING, and Fidelity.
  • In the Defined Benefit Plan enrollment is either in the:
    • Kentucky Employee Retirement System (KERS) with a 6% employee contribution and a
      23.61% employer match; or
    • Kentucky Teachers Retirement System (KTRS) with a 7.16% employee contribution and a
      14.84% employer match.
      • Vesting is after 5 years of service and contribution rates are set under state statute.
      • Eligibility for KERS/KTRS is dependent on the position, with the majority of
        staff positions being eligible for KERS.

Supplemental Retirement Accounts

• Supplemental retirement contribution choices are also available.

Long Term Disability Insurance

• Long-term disability (LTD) is provided in conjunction with the retirement plan chosen.
  Eligibility is dependent upon the retirement plan type chosen:
  • With the defined contribution retirement plan, employees are eligible after one year of service.
  • With the defined benefit plan, employees are eligible after vesting requirements are met. (currently after 5 years of service).

Supplemental Long Term Disability Insurance

• Supplemental income protection to complement the employer provided LTD benefit.

Supplemental Vendors

• A variety of supplemental benefits are available, such as cancer, long-term care, life, heart attack, and more.

Tuition Waiver

• Available for up to 18 credit hours per year (six hours in the fall, spring, and summer) per person.
  • Employees may attend any KY public postsecondary institution.
  • Spouse and dependent children (age 23 or less, as defined by federal financial aid guidelines) are limited to attending KCTCS institutions.

Employee Assistance Program

• Provides confidential and professional consultation or counseling, 24 hrs/day, 365 days/year, at no cost to the employee.

Employee Discount Program

• Discounts and incentives available to KCTCS employees by a variety of vendors, parks and zoos.

Wellness Program

• Comprehensive health promotion program focusing on all aspects of health, including physical fitness, nutrition, disease prevention and care is available.

Additional Information

• KCTCS policies and procedures

If there are any discrepancies between these highlights and policies or plan documents, the policies and plan documents take precedence. KCTCS reserves the right to terminate or amend these policies and plans at any-time. To prospective employees: This employment overview is strictly for information purposes only. This is not an “intent to offer” and should not be construed as an indication that an offer will be made.