Compensation Consultant

Debra Boyd is our new compensation consultant. She is the person to contact if you have questions about compensation or the UUA Health Insurance Plan. You can contact Debra by email at dboyd at ohiomeadville.org

All resources for the Fair Compensation Program - Fair Compensation Report and Guidelines by the five Geo Indices, the Compensation Management article, Capsule Job Descriptions, Geo Index listing of communities and the Fair Compo Self-Assessment Worksheet are available for downloading from the UUA Website at www.uua.org/leaders/leaderslibrary/compensation or from the Compensation Consultant.

UUA Benefits Enhanced

Note: the open enrollment for these benefits has been extended until March 12th.

The UUA has just announced significant enhancements to its benefit plans. Please read below for further details.  (The new UUA web-site www.uua.org  now has easy access to Compensation/Benefits information.  Just scroll down to the Most Viewed information section and check under the Leaders.)

Benefit Plans Eligibility

Otherwise eligible staff can now be enrolled in any UUA plan (retirement; health insurance; group term life, disability, and dental) if they are working at least 750 hours per year.  Enrollment is open for all newly eligible staff

UUA Health Plan Benefits Enhanced

Over the three years that it has been in place, the UUA Health Plan has grown to cover 300 congregations, related organizations, and the UUA national staff.  It currently covers nearly 800 employees and their families.  The plans rate increases–only 15.5% total over the past three years–have been far below national trends. 

In 2010:

• benefits are improved for the third consecutive year. The standard PPO plan—the choice of 90% of participants — will now cover all in-network diagnostic procedures in full, with no deductible or coinsurance. 
• other deductibles, co-pays and out-of-pocket limits are being held steady for the third consecutive year.  Many commercial plans have raised all of those cost-sharing elements to hold rate increases down, passing the added costs on to members. 
• the base premium rate increase will be 11.5%, well below the projected average increase across other health insurance plans. From 2007 to 2010, the plan raised rates a total of 16% compared to the roughly 40% increase for commercial insurers over the same period.

UUA Term Life & Long Term Disability Insurance Benefits Enhanced

Through a recent contract with UNUM, we have been able to significantly enhance the life insurance and disability packages, at no increase in cost to your employees.  These plans will be available for open enrollment during the month of February (see below).

Long-term Disability replaces income for employees unable to work. The new program:

• will now be available to employees who work at least 750 hours per year (was 1000 hours)
• will now provide 66.67% of the salary (previously 60%)
• will provide up to $600/month to pay your health insurance premium for up to 30 months if you are participating in your employer’s health plan at the time of disability.
• offers a work/life balance Employee Assistance Program and Worldwide Emergency Travel Assistance Services to participants in the LTD insurance at no additional charge.

Term life insurance provides protection for the survivors of employees. Upgraded benefits now include:

• a benefit of 200% times salary (salary and housing ordained ministers) up to $200,000 (former benefit was $150,000)
• portability -- Employees can now purchase this insurance if they leave their job. They will pay an individual premium which is higher than your current group rate.

These enhanced benefits add no cost to your program -- premiums for both the LTD and group term life coverage remain the same.

Dental insurance

Dental insurance benefits remain the same. However, there will be a rate increase. The dental premium is now $46.50 for individual employees or $112.75 for families of any size, including domestic partners.

Open Enrollment

Normally employees must enroll within the first 60 days of employment to enter these insurance programs without a medical exam. Because of the changes we are making, all three programs, long-term disability, group-term life and dental insurance will now offer an open enrollment period from February 1 through February 26.

Need Help?
You may contact Linda Rose, Insurance Administrator, lrose at uua.org, 617-948-4265 for additional information or to enroll in any of group insurance programs. For health insurance assistance contact the Health Plan Coordinator at healthinsurance at uua.org and for retirement plan assistance send a note to ocsf at uua.org . 

As always, you're welcome to contact me, your compensation consultant, with any questions about any compensation issue.