MEDICAL INSURANCE
Do employees have vision coverage?
Do all BGSU employees pay into Medicare?
Do part-time employees get insurance?
Do employees have short-term disability?
Where are medical claim forms located within the office?
What type of funding is used for the University's health care plan?
What does COBRA stand for?
When does an employee meet the criteria for eligibility for COBRA?

FEE WAIVERS
When can a BGSU employee begin to use the fee waiver?
How often do you need to turn in a fee waiver?
Does the fee waiver cover instructional fees for dependents?
Where does an employee obtain a fee waiver?
How many credit hours a year is a full-time employee eligible under an employee fee waiver?
When can a dependent of BGSU employee begin to utilize the dependent fee waiver?

FMLA
What is Family Medical Leave?
Do I have to take FMLA if I have time to cover my absence?
What are the benefits to being on FMLA?
Is everyone eligible for FMLA?
If someone is in an unpaid FMLA leave status, are they still required to pay the employee portion for health care?
What happens if an individual is not eligible for FMLA?
Why do I need to fill out FMLA forms when I have sick leave?
Can you send me FMLA forms?

SICK, VACATION, AND OTHER LEAVE OF ABSENCES
How much vacation/sick leave do I have?
Do Administrative staff members earn sick leave while they are on Leave without Pay?
When does my vacation accrual increase?
Where do I get administrative leave reporting forms?
What are the maximum vacation hours I can accrue (Administrative Staff)?
As a part-time employee, how long do I have to work before I can use vacation?
At retirement can administrative staff choose to have their vacation payoff deferred to the following calendar year?
When do I get a personal leave and how does it work?

RETIREMENT
How many years do I have in OPERS?
How long do you need to be out of the OPERS or STRS system after retirement before you can be hired into another OPERS or STRS covered position?
What is ARP?
Who is eligible for the Alternative Retirement Plan?
Does a full-time employee earn more service credit than a part-time employee?
At retirement can administrative staff choose to have their vacation payoff deferred to the following calendar year?

Top of page

WORKERS COMPENSATION
Who is Gates McDonald and what do they do for BGSU?

DISABILITY
What does ADA stand for?
Under ADA laws, do we have to create a position for some who cannot perform the essential functions of their current position?

COMPENSATION
Who do I speak with if I have a question about my Job Analysis Questionnaire or need help writing one?
For Administrative Staff, what is the process for re-evaluating a position?
For office re-organizations, similar analytical questions, recommendations on salary, etc, whom would you talk to?
Does HR normally do market surveys for individual administrative positions?
If someone inquires that they have a salary survey that they would like BGSU's Office of Human Resources to fill out, whom should you send them to?
Where is the easiest place that I can obtain a blank copy of the JAQ?

---

MEDICAL INSURANCE
Q. Do employees have vision coverage?
A. No, this coverage was dropped January 1, 2001, based on price.

Q. Do all BGSU employees pay into Medicare?
A. No, only those hired after April 1, 1986, pay 1.45% of their gross wages

Q. Do part-time employees get insurance?
A. No, only full-time employees are eligible.

Q. Do employees have short-term disability?
A. No

Q. Where are medical claim forms located within the office?
A. They are located in the turn style by the front door in room 100 College Park.

Q. What type of funding is used for the University's health care plan?
A. Self-insured with a stop loss.

Q. What does COBRA stand for?
A. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act.

Q. When does an employee meet the criteria for eligibility for COBRA?
A. Upon termination or reduction of hours.

Top of page

FEE WAIVERS
Q. When can a BGSU employee begin to use the fee waiver?
A. A BGSU employee can utilize the fee waiver upon hire for him/herself.  If the employee's date of hire is after classes have begun for a specific semester, the fee waiver can be utilized beginning with the subsequent semester.

Q. How often do you need to turn in a fee waiver?
A. Every semester that it is used by the employee or dependent.

Q. Does the fee waiver cover instructional fees for dependents?
A. Yes, the fee waiver covers the instructional and general fees for employees, and instructional fees only for dependents.

Q. Where does an employee obtain a fee waiver?
A. You can obtain a fee waiver from your department secretary. Fee waiver forms can be purchased from printing services.

Q. How many credit hours a year is a full-time employee eligible under an employee fee waiver?
A. 15 hours per academic year (fall, spring, summer), but no more than 8 per semester.

Q. When can a dependent of a BGSU employee begin to utilize the dependent fee waiver?
A. A dependent can begin to utilize a fee waiver once the employee has completed three (3) years of full-time service at BGSU.  If the employee's 3 year full-time anniversary is after classes have begun for a specific semester, the dependent fee waiver can be utilized beginning with the subsequent semester.

FMLA
Q. What is Family Medical Leave?
A. Family Medical leave or FMLA allows eligible employees up to 12 work weeks of said or unpaid job and benefit-protected leave due to:

" Birth or adoption of child
" Serious illness of family member
" Serious illness of employee

Q. Do I have to take FMLA if I have time to cover my absence?
A. Yes, FMLA runs concurrent with all leaves of the University that are over (3) three days in duration (i.e. maternity, worker's compensation, etc).

Q. What are the benefits to being on FMLA?
A.FMLA allows those with little or no sick and vacation accruals to scatter time in such a way as to remain in a paid status. As long as they earn $250.00 per month in gross wages, they receive credit. Remaining in an active pay status also allows them to pay the lower premium for the health care coverage.

Q. Is everyone eligible for FMLA?
A. No. To qualify for FMLA, you must have worked for BGSU for 12 months and have worked at least 1250 hours in the 12-month period prior to the requested leave. This applies to both part time and full time faculty and staff.

Q. If someone is in an unpaid FMLA leave status, are they still required to pay the employee portion for health care?
A. Yes they are, however, they are eligible for medical coverage only (they would be responsible for the entire cost of life insurance)

Q. What happens if an individual is not eligible for FMLA?
A. They need to contact our office to determine what available alternatives they may have.

Q. Why do I need to fill out FMLA forms when I have sick leave?
A. It is a federal requirement and works concurrently with BGSU sick leave.

Q. Can you send me FMLA forms?
A. Yes, or you can print them from the Benefits page on the OHR website.

Top of page

SICK, VACATION, AND OTHER LEAVE OF ABSENCES
Q. How much vacation/sick leave do I have?
A. Vacation/sick leave varies by person, check your pay stub.

Q. Do Administrative staff members earn sick leave while they are on Leave without Pay?
A. Only for time worked.

Q. When does my vacation accrual increase?
A. After your 6th year, 11th year and 16th year of service.

Q. Where do I get administrative leave reporting forms?
A. From the Office of Human Resources website on the Forms page.

Q. What are the maximum vacation hours I can accrue (Administrative Staff)?
A. 352 hours for administrative staff. It varies for classified staff according to length of employment.

Q. As a part-time employee, how long do I have to work before I can use vacation?
A. You have to work until your probationary period is over.

Q. At retirement can administrative staff choose to have their vacation payoff deferred to the following calendar year?
A. No.

Q. When do I get a personal leave and how does it work?
A. Personal Leave is base on the amount of unused sick leave you have on Dec. 31st of each year. Based on a graduated chart in the Employee Handbook, the appropriate number of hours is taken from sick leave and added to Personal Leave. If personal leave is not used by Dec. 31st, the hours are put back into sick leave and rewarded for the following year if applicable. Personal time can be taken in 1 hour or more increments.

Top of page

RETIREMENT
Q. How many years do I have in OPERS?
A. You may contact OPERS 1800-222-7377

Q. How long do you need to be out of the OPERS or STRS system after retirement before you can be hired into another OPERS or STRS covered position?
A. Two (2) full months - This changed September 14, 2000, from the previous 6 month requirement.

Q. What is ARP?
A. ARP or the Alternative Retirement Program is a defined contribution plan. Under this plan, the employee chooses one of seven (7) approved companies to which the retirement contributions from both the employee and BGSU are invested. The employee is "vested" immediately for all monies deposited by both BGSU and the employee.

Q. Who is eligible for the Alternative Retirement Plan?
A. All full-time administrative staff and faculty, hired after January 1, 1999, on a full fiscal or academic year basis who are not already receiving a retirement pension from or STRS.

Q. Does a full-time employee earn more credit than a part-time employee?
A. No, as long as an employee earns at least $250.00 per month in gross wages, he/she receives one month of service credit.

Q. At retirement can administrative staff choose to have their vacation payoff deferred to the following calendar year?
A. No

Top of page

WORKERS COMPENSATION
Q. Who is Gates McDonald and what do they do for BGSU?
A. Gates McDonald is BGSU's managed care organization for our workers compensation claims. They pay the medical bills for an allowed claim through the Ohio Bureau of Worker's Compensation

DISABILITY
Q. What does ADA stand for?
A. American with Disabilities Act

Q. Under ADA laws, do we have to create a position for some who cannot perform the essential functions of their current position?
A. No

COMPENSATION
Q. Who do I speak with if I have a question about my Job Analysis Questionnaire or need help writing one?
A. Pat Kelly

Q. For Administrative Staff, what is the process for re-evaluating a position?
A. There is a document in the Administrative Staff Compensation Plan ( which is located in Appendix G of the Administrative Staff Handbook) that explains the policy of the re-evaluation process. The first step of a re-evaluation for administrative staff is discussing this with the supervisor, then completing a Job Analysis Questionnaire. The JAQ is submitted here to HR. Questions regarding re-evaluations first go to Pat Kelly and then to Donna Wittwer. You can obtain a JAQ from our website or can ask for an electronic version from Pat Kelly.

Q. For office re-organizations, similar analytical questions, recommendations on salary, etc, whom would you talk to?
A. Pat Kelly

Q. Does HR normally do market surveys for individual administrative positions?
A. No (only if working with a supervisor and mitigating circumstances occur). Calls to be forwarded to Pat Kelly.

Q. If someone inquires that they have a salary survey that they would like BGSU's Office of Human Resources to fill out, whom should you send them to?
A. Pat Kelly

Q. Where is the easiest place that I can obtain a blank copy of the JAQ?
A. Download it off of the Office of Human Resources website.

Top of page