This year’s annual benefits enrollment period is July 14Â through July 27. Employees can access benefit information and change their plan enrollment by going to the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) website.

Changes made during annual enrollment are effective September 1 for plan year 2015.

Important plan changes:

• Medical insurance rate increases range from 7 percent to 11 percent, and dental DHMO rates will increase 9.25 percent. Most of the rate increase is absorbed by ACC. ACC pays for medical, dental, life, long-term disability, and accidental death & dismemberment coverage for full-time employees (member only).
• Careington is now the provider for the Dental Discount Plan, which offers discounted services — including cosmetic dental services — by in-network dentists. It is not insurance. View more information at State of Texas Dental Discount Plan.
• New rules apply to PayFlex (TexFlex) flexible spending accounts. Starting with plan year 2015, employees can carry over up to $500 of unspent TexFlex funds to the next plan year. This change will replace the current grace period in which you are allowed to use unspent funds. The grace period is still in effect for this plan year; the carryover starts at the end of plan year 2015, or August 31, 2015. The account fee is waived for plan year 2015.

During the annual enrollment period, employees cannot change their family status due to qualifying life events through the ERS website. Contact HR benefits staff to make these changes during the enrollment period.

For additional details about benefits enrollment and rates, view the benefits enrollment webpage. For assistance making changes or questions about benefits, contact the HR benefits staff or email [email protected].

Teacher Retirement System of Texas rate increase

The employee contribution rate for the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) plan will increase from 6.4 percent to 6.7 percent effective September 1. The employer contribution rate will remain 6.8 percent.

The change does not require any action by employees; those who contribute to TRS will see the increase reflected in their September paycheck.

Dependent Eligibility Audit

The Dependent Eligibility Audit deadline has been extended to July 10. Employees who were contacted by Aon Hewitt must certify the eligibility of their dependents by providing the required documents. Unverified dependents will lose group benefit program insurance, including health, dental, and dependent term life.

For more information, go to the Dependent Eligibility Audit webpage on the ERS website. For questions, contact Aon Hewitt directly at (800) 987.6605, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

How can ACC’s Employee Assistance Program benefit you?

ACC’s EAP program provides employees and their dependents with free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, prevention, and education services.

EAP services also include:

• Work/life balance coaching
• Child care/elder care resources
• Substance abuse services
• Legal and financial consultations
• A retiree assistance program

Help is just a phone call or click away. Access Deer Oaks EAP services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (866) 327.2400. Find additional information and resources on their website. To log in, use “ACCD” as your user ID and password.

Gain supervisory skills through certificate program

ACC non-faculty employees on a supervisory career path who want to build their supervisory experience are invited to apply to the college’s new Supervisor’s Certificate program.

The program will provide basic supervisory knowledge and experience to those who aspire to supervisory positions but have limited supervisor experience. Participants must be on a supervisory career path and meet the educational requirements for supervision but lack the required experience. Most ACC supervisor positions require at least a bachelor’s degree and one year of supervisory experience. Upon completion of the program, participants will earn credit for one year supervisory experience toward ACC-posted supervisory positions.

HR Professional Development and Evaluation is hosting information sessions about the program at each campus beginning Monday, June 23 (see below). Applications will be accepted Monday, July 7, through Friday, August 8.

For more information, email Nicole Bell, [email protected], or Nana Gaviria, [email protected].

Supervisory Certificate information sessions