Employee Benefits
Medical, dental and vision benefits are generally effective on the employee's first day of employment. All other benefits are effective on the first day of the month after the first day of employment (e.g., March 1 for an employee starting Feb. 6), unless the first day of employment is on the first day of a month (e.g., Feb. 1 for an employee starting Feb. 1).
Employees who do not enroll within the first month of their initial eligibility must wait for either open enrollment in the fall or a qualifying life event before enrolling.
benefits annual disclosure notice (pdf)
Discounts and Special Rates
Brandeis employees can avail themselves of discounted museum and movie theater passes, T passes and homeowners insurance as well as special rates on products ranging from Apple and Dell computers to Verizon wireless plans.
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Procurement and business services has negotiated special rates on a variety of goods and services with many of our preferred vendors to include discounted pricing that is extended to faculty and staff of Brandeis University. These include:
- Apple
- AT&T Wireless
- Dell
- Enterprise National Car Rental
- GovConnection
- UPS
- Verizon FiOS
- Verizon Wireless
- WB Mason
- Wyndham Hotel Group
Flexible Spending Accounts
Flexible spending accounts enable employees to pay for eligible health (medical, dental and vision) and/or dependent care expenses with pretax dollars, thereby reducing their tax burden.
See overview of flex spending accounts
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Flexible spending accounts allow employees to pay for eligible dependent care expenses up to $5,000 per year with pretax dollars, thus reducing their overall tax burden. Eligible expenses include:
- Before- and after-school programs for children
- Child or adult day care
- Day nursing care, if primarily for dependent adult(s)
- Preschool for children
- Summer day camp for children
See list of eligible dependent care expenses
Flexible spending accounts allow employees to pay for eligible health care expenses up to $3,050 per year with pretax dollars, thus reducing their overall tax burden. Eligible expenses include:
- Health care, including acupuncture, chiropractic treatments, laser eye surgery, orthotics, prescription drugs and many over-the-counter medications
- Dental care, including orthodontia
- Vision care, including contacts, glasses and laser eye surgery
See list of eligible health care expenses
Health Insurance (Dental, Medical, Vision)
Brandeis offers eligible employees a choice of three medical plans, two dental plans and a voluntary vision plan.
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Good health can actually cost less if we take greater control through healthy life styles and smart health care decisions.
Brandeis University will offer a consumer driven High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) for the 2024 plan year. The HDHP will be offered as a new option in addition to the existing medical plans.
The HDHP will allow employees to be more active in decisions regarding their health care with lower employee rates and a higher deductible before coverage starts. Enrolling in the HDHP will also allow you to open a Health Savings Account (HSA) where you contribute pre-tax dollars to offset your out of pocket costs.
As an additional benefit, the University will also contribute to the HSAs for employees who enroll in the HDHP and elect the HSA.
The HDHP is structured very differently than our other medical options and it will be important for you to understand the plan in detail before enrolling. Starting soon, and through the open enrollment period (October 30th through November 10th) you will be hearing much more about the new plan offering via InBrief and informational sessions.
HDHP-HSA announcement letter HDHP-HSA letter(PDF)
Brandeis offers eligible employees the option of choosing a voluntary vision plan through VSP Vision Care.
Maximize your VSP benefits and save!
Employees can maximize their benefits with an extra $40 to spend on any of these five featured frame brands -Columbia, Longchamp, McAllister, Nike and Pure® now through January 31, 2023.
To take advantage of this offer, employees simply select one of these brands at a VSP network doctor's office and $40 will automatically be applied to their purchase.
And the savings don’t end there! Employees can continue to receive an extra $20 to spend on all other featured frame brands through December 31, 2023. Get the coupon here.
Plan description and rates are listed below.
2023 VSP Plan
Life and Disability Insurance
Brandeis provides group term-life insurance and group long-term total disability insurance to eligible staff and faculty.
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Brandeis University provides group term-life insurance to eligible staff and faculty. The formal plan governs entitlement to benefits, benefit levels and other life-insurance coverage matters.
Effective January 1, 2022
The university provides group long-term total disability insurance to full-time staff (both nonexempt and exempt) and faculty. Follow these links for details:
Retirement Savings Plans
Brandeis University provides a 403(b) defined contribution retirement plan that enables eligible employees to direct contributions to investment options sponsored by Fidelity Investments.
See overview of retirement savings plan benefit
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All regular faculty and exempt staff who are scheduled to work half-time or more for not less than 39 weeks per year are eligible to participate in the basic retirement plan upon completion of one year of service and attainment of 21 years of age.
Faculty and exempt staff who make a contribution of at least 5% of their salary will receive an 8% university contribution. For participants over age 50, the university contribution increases to 10%.
Visit the university's retirement savings portal
All regular nonexempt employees who are scheduled to work half-time or more for not less than 39 weeks per year are eligible to participate in the basic retirement plan upon completion of one year of service and attainment of 21 years of age.
Nonexempt employees who make a contribution of at least 3% of their salary will receive a 6% university contribution. For participants over age 50, the university contribution increases to 8%.
Visit the university's retirement savings portal
Time Off and Leaves of Absence
All regular benefits-eligible staff earn paid vacation, sick and personal days as well as leave time for military service, educational advancement, family and medical emergencies, becoming a parent or losing a family member.
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All regular benefits-eligible staff earn time off on a per-pay-period basis based on time worked or paid leave. Accruals are prorated for part-time employees. Employees may track time taken in Workday.
Regular faculty and staff will be granted leave with pay up to five calendar days in the event of the death of a family member depending upon circumstances and custom.
Learn more about bereavement leave policy
An unpaid leave of up to six months may be granted to employees who wish to pursue educational advancement in an area or field that is work-related. Such leaves are granted only when the employee intends to return to the university following the leave.
learn more about educational leave policy
In accordance with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, eligible faculty and staff are eligible for up to 12 weeks of family and medical leave during a 12-month period.
Brandeis University is committed to protecting the employment rights of employees absent on military leave. In accordance with federal and state law, no employee or prospective employee will be subjected to any form of discrimination on the basis of that person's membership in or obligation to perform service for any of the uniformed services of the United States.
learn more about military leave policy
Eligible new parents may take up to eight weeks of unpaid leave for the birth of a child or the adoption of a child under the age of 18, or for a child under the age of 23 if the child is mentally or physically disabled.
Learn more about parental leave act
It is the policy of Brandeis University to allow employees time off for certain family-related purposes in accordance with the Small Necessities Leave Act of 1998. This policy is designed to guarantee eligible employees up to 24 hours of time away for specific purposes not covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
learn more about the small necessities leave act
Brandeis employees are covered by the laws of the commonwealth of Massachusetts relating to workers' compensation insurance. The coverage provides a weekly cash benefit and payment for medical expenses relating to an accidental injury while at work for the university. Brandeis has elected to self-insure for workers' compensation.
Learn more about workers' compensation plan
Tuition Remission
Brandeis offers tuition remission — financial help to take undergraduate courses— to many employees and their spouses and children. Employees also are eligible to receive tuition remission for graduate courses.
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Spouses of full-time employees may enroll in Brandeis University undergraduate courses on a space-available basis and receive a 75% tuition remission. Courses may be taken through either the School of Arts and Sciences or the Rabb Summer School program.
learn more about tuition remission for employee's spouse
Dependent children of qualifying staff may receive tuition-remission benefits after being accepted and enrolled in a full-time undergraduate academic program at Brandeis University.
Dependent children of eligible full-time faculty members (excluding full-time faculty in the Rabb School) and senior management may receive tuition-remission benefits when they are accepted and enrolled in a full-time undergraduate academic program at Brandeis University or another higher educational institution.
learn more about tuition remission for dependent children enrolled in full-time undergraduate programs
Work-Life Balance
To help balance work achievements and life activities, Brandeis offers a variety of programs, services and resources to help our employees attain a healthy lifestyle.
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Dependent Care Resource and Referral Program
Bright Horizons provides back-up child care and adult and elder care for dependents of benefits-eligible faculty and staff as well as full-time PhD students. See details about the program.
On-Site Child Care
Quality, dependable child care arrangements are a major consideration when you’re a parent.
The Gersh and Sarah Lemberg Children's Center, located directly across from campus, offers employees full- and part-time care for children 6 weeks to 6 years. Along with parents and Brandeis students, professional child care providers operate this nonprofit, accredited, licensed day care center, with payment based on income.
The center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. You can reach them at 781-736-2200.
Resources
It is important to us at Brandeis that staff and faculty are well-supported in all they do — on and off campus, and in every stage of their lives. With the help of New Directions, the university offers employees new-parent coaching, child care referrals, short-term counseling and help with family, financial or substance-abuse issues.
These employee assistance services are free, confidential and available 24 hours a day, every day. Login to the New Directions website (company code: Brandeis University) or call 800-828-6025
Financial Well-Being Webinars
Fidelity continues to offer very informative live and on demand webinars. Watch and participate in practical web workshops, where you’ll learn strategies and tips to help manage your financial future with confidence.
Financial Planning Webcasts
Faculty, staff, and postdocs enrolled in a Tufts health plan through the university are eligible for a reimbursement of up to $150 per family, per benefit year for fitness center membership fees and/or exercise classes.
To qualify for the fitness rebate, you must complete 4 consecutive months of membership with Tufts and 4 months with the gym in the applicable benefit year. You will have 24 months from the date you paid your fitness club fees to submit your request for the fitness rebate. The rebates applies one time per family, one time per benefit year. The rebate is paid to the The Tufts Health Plan subscriber after fitness cost are paid.
Tufts Health Plan Member Fitness Rebate Form
Brandeis University has partnered with KnovaSolutions a confidential and voluntary health service provided by an independent team of nurse clinicians, pharmacists, diabetic educators, and medical research librarians.
Your KnovaSolutions team dedicates the time and has the expertise to answer questions about:
- Health care and treatment options
- Medical care decisions
- Medication
- Work-life balance
Your nurse is available by telephone, email and mobile app and can answer both major and minor health questions.
Working with Tufts, KnovaSolutions can identify participants through claims data that may indicate the presence of significant health challenges. KnovaSolutions will then reach out to eligible participants via letters and/or phone calls to explain the services they offer and to answer any questions.
This is a completely voluntary service and is intended to help individuals to better understand and manage their medical care, treatments, and medications. The services are provided by a team of health care professionals, including a nurse and a pharmacist. They provide education that can enable members to better communicate with their providers - information about the risks and benefits associated with multiple providers, tests, procedures, and medications. These services are intended to enhance, not replace, the patient-doctor relationship.
Please be assured that this service is COMPLETELY CONFIDENTIAL and no personal health data, nor names, will ever be shared with Brandeis. All such data is maintained in accordance with strict HIPAA privacy standards.
We believe KnovaSolutions can be beneficial to our employees and/or dependents who have serious health issues, and we encourage anyone who is contacted by them to have a discussion in order to see if their services might be helpful. Again, these services are voluntary and can be discontinued at any time.
For more information please visit our Human Resource Benefit page under Work-Life Balance.
If you have questions about how to live a healthier lifestyle, you can call 1.800.355.0885 or email contactknovasolutions@workpartners.com, and your team can provide advice and suggest resources to help. Visit the KnovaSolutions website to learn more.
Tufts: Well-Being Webinar Series
The free webinar series has been expanded to offer several programs each week, including regular sessions of guided mindfulness, Zumba, yoga and rotating health and wellness topic. To enjoy a variety of topics please visit the Tufts Health Plan Living Well at Home page.
Healthy You!
Tufts Health Plan and Brandeis University are pleased to offer the updated Healthy You program (pdf) to support your wellbeing! Start earning points for participating in a variety of informative, fun, and interactive online activities. The Healthy You digital engagement platform is easily accessible from most devices so you can participate and stay on top of your goals wherever you are.
Other Benefits
The list of benefits keeps going: ATMs, a credit union, parking and more!
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ATMs are located in the Shapiro Campus Center lounge (Citizens Bank) and in the basement of the Usdan Student Center, outside the university print shop (Santander Bank).
Metro Credit Union allows employees to save, borrow, obtain a VISA card or use a variety of other available banking services. Transactions are processed through payroll deductions. Employees interested in opening an account with Metro Credit Union can go directly to the Metro Credit Union Website.
Brandeis offer its community a world-class dining program, featuring great menu variety, the highest quality products and service, in a relaxed setting.
Employees may have their paychecks deposited directly into up to three different checking and/or savings accounts. Enroll online through Workday (login req.) or contact the payroll office.
Free parking is available to all employees who operate or park a motor vehicle (automobile, truck, motorcycle, motor scooter or motor bike) on university property. Vehicles must display a valid permit, which are available from the Department of Public Safety.