My Medical Benefits
Vermont Law School offers one (1) medical plan to its eligible faculty & staff. Coverage is provided through Cigna. Below is a snapshot of the benefits. For more complete information, refer to the SBCs and/or Certificate of Coverages.
Vermont Law School will support your decision to set aside pre-tax dollars into an individual account with the financial institution of your choice by withholding contributions and forwarding the contribution to the HSA trustee on your behalf. Employees will need to fill out a payroll deduction form to initiate the contributions being forwarded to HSA account.
Contributions
Eligibility
Faculty & Staff who work a minimum of 30 hours per week are eligible for this benefit on their date of hire.
HRA Information
Pharmacy Information
Other Plan Information
Network Information
Forms
My HSA Benefits
My Health Savings Account Benefits
Vermont Law and Graduate School will set aside an employer contribution into an individual Health Savings Account with a partnership between TIAA-CREF and Health Equity. VLGS provides $2,500 toward your individual Health Savings Account and encourage employees to do the same.* The IRS has increased the maximum contribution for 2024 to $4,150 for individual and $8,300 for a family. The maximums include the contribution that VLGS gives employees. For participants over the age of 55 the IRS allows an additional $1,000 to be contributed. The funding provided by Vermont Law and Graduate School will be prorated for 2024 new hires.
Anyone who is ineligible for a Health Savings Account will receive a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA). VLGS will put $2,500 into this account for eligible medical expenses.
*If you are enrolled in the HSA plan you are not eligible for SmartConnect. However, employees enrolled in the HRA plan are eligible for SmartConnect.
Eligibility:
Faculty & Staff who work a minimum of 30 hours per week are eligible for this benefit on their date of hire if enrolled in the Health Savings Account medical plan.
My HRA Benefits
My Health Reimbursement Account Benefits
Vermont Law and Graduate School employees who enroll in medical coverage and who elect the Health Reimbursement Account due to enrollment in Medicare will receive $2,500 of funding to assist with reaching their annual deductibles. The funding provided by Vermont Law and Graduate School will be prorated for 2024 new hires.
*If you are enrolled in the HRA plan you are eligible for SmartConnect. If you are enrolled in the HSA plan you are not eligible for SmartConnect.
Eligibility:
Faculty & Staff who work a minimum of 30 hours per week are eligible for this benefit on their date of hire if enrolled in the Health Savings Account medical plan.
My FSA & DCA Benefits
An FSA is an annual election whereby an employee can elect to make pre-tax contributions to:
- The IRS does not allow an employee to have a Health Savings Account and a Medical Flexible Spending Account (FSA). Due to this change, VLGS will only allow FSA accounts for employees who are ineligible for a Health Savings Account and who will receive a Health Reimbursement Account in lieu of an HSA.LIMITED PURPOSE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT (LPFSA)Funds may be used for only vision and dental expenses. Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Accounts may be used alongside your Health Savings Accounts. When coordinated with an HSA, the LPFSA can further reduce your taxes while allowing you to allocate HSA funds for other purposes – including retirement.Funds are available in full on January 1st and must be used by December 31st of the same year.Maximum Election is up to the IRS maximum for LPFSA.*Participants may roll over $640.00 into the following plan year. DEPENDENT CARE ACCOUNT (DCA)VLGS will continue the Dependent Care Account (DCA) with Health Equity. You may use these contributions to pay for expenses associated with providing care to children under age 13. You may elect up to a maximum of $5,000, depending on your tax filing status. Any unused dollars will be forfeited.Maximum salary reduction:$5,000 for a single employee or a married employee filing a combined tax return$2,500 for a married employee filing a separate tax return
Eligibility:
Faculty & Staff who work a minimum of 30 hours per week are eligible for this benefit on their date of hire.
Plan Information
FSA/HSA Store
The Richards Group has entered into a partnership with Health-E Commerce, also known as the FSA/HSA Store. This gives you access to hundreds of products that have been pre-vetted & approved for use with your Flexible Spending or Health Savings Accounts.
Did you know you could use your FSA/HSA to save money on everyday health essentials like baby health items, health trackers, pain relief products and more?
Here are just a few benefits of using the FSA/HSA Store:
- No Receipts Needed
- 2,500+ FSA Eligible Products
- 100% Eligibility Guaranteed
- Skip the claims process when you use your FSA/HSA card
This partnership also allows access to their Caring Mill products. Caring Mill is a line of premium healthcare products that support a healthy lifestyle and on average is priced 30% less than branded equivalent products.
With every Caring Mill purchase, a donation is made to Children’s Health Fund, providing necessary treatments to thousands of children in need, throughout the United States.
Curious what your FSA/HSA dollars can cover? Simply enter the product you are looking for in the eligibility list below.
To access the FSA Store please visit: https://fsastore.com
To access the HSA Store please visit: https://hsastore.com
Additional Information
My Dental Benefits
The Vermont Law School offers two (2) dental plans to its employees:
Local Dentist Search – Please be aware that you can choose from PPO or PREMIER networks.
Contributions
Eligibility:
Faculty & Staff who work a minimum of 30 hours per week are eligible for this benefit on their date of hire. Eligible dependents include spouse and dependent children to age 26.
Plan Information
Northeast Delta Dental Videos
My Vision Benefits
Plan Information
My Group Life and AD&D Benefits
Vermont Law School provides Basic Life & Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance to all eligible employees at 2 x your annual earnings, up to $300,000 .
Contributions
Group Life premium is paid by the company.
Eligibility:
All employees who work a minimum of 30 hours per week are eligible for coverage on their date of hire.
Your Short Term Disability Benefits
Vermont Law School provides Short Term Disability Coverage to eligible employees.
Contributions:
Short Term Disability Premiums are paid for by the employer.
Eligibility:
All staff who work a minimum of 30 hours per week are eligible for coverage on their date of hire. Faculty are not eligible for this benefit.
Your Long Term Disability Benefits
Vermont Law School provides Long Term Disability Coverage to eligible employees.
If you are unsure which class you are a part of, please contact Human Resources.
Contributions:
Long Term Disability Premiums are paid for by the employer.
Eligibility:
All employees who work a minimum of 30 hours per week are eligible for coverage on their date of hire.
My Voluntary Life and AD&D Benefits
Employees can elect a benefit amount for voluntary life and/or voluntary accidental death and dismemberment in $10,000 increments to a maximum of 5x your annual earnings up to $500,000. Any amounts over $200,000 will be subject to Evidence of Insurability.
Employees can elect voluntary life and/or voluntary accidental death and dismemberment on their spouse in $5,000 increments. The benefit must be the lesser of 100% of the Employee’s Voluntary Life benefit or $250,000. Any amounts over $30,000 will be subject to Evidence of Insurability.
Employee can elect voluntary life and/or voluntary accidental death and dismemberment on their child.
- Birth to 14 days: $1,000
- 14 days to 6 months: $1,000
- 6 months to 19 years (26 years if Full-Time Student): $2,000 increments up to $10,000.
Contributions:
This is an employee paid benefit.
Eligibility:
Faculty & Staff working 30 hours per week are eligible for this coverage on their date of hire.
My Voluntary Accident Benefits
Voluntary Accident
Group Accident insurance is designed to help covered employees meet the
out-of-pocket expenses and extra bills that can follow an accidental injury, whether minor or catastrophic. Indemnity lump sum benefits are paid directly to the employee based on the amount of coverage listed in the schedule of benefits. The accident base plan is guaranteed issue, so no health questions are required.
Accident Contributions:
Eligibility:
Faculty & Staff working 30 hours per week are eligible for this coverage on their date of hire.
My Voluntary Critical Illness Benefits
Voluntary Critical Illness
Critical Illness insurance is designed to help employees offset the financial effects of a catastrophic illness with a lump sum benefit if an insured is diagnosed with a covered critical illness.
Critical Illness Contributions:
Eligibility:
Faculty & Staff working 30 hours per week are eligible for this coverage on their date of hire.
My Pet Insurance Benefit
Vermont Law School is now offering Pet Insurance through PinPaws!
Benefits of Pet Insurance through Pin Paws:
- Coverage for Cats and Dogs of All Ages and Breeds*
- No Initial Exam/ Past Vet Notes Required
- Accident Coverage Starts at Midnight
- Customizable Deductible and Out- of- Pocket Max
- Annual Max Payouts as Opposed to Per Incident
- Choose Your Reimbursement Percentage
- Multiple Value- Added Benefits Included
- Routine Care Option Available with Customized Plans*
- Available in all 50 States!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a claim take?
The average time from start to finish when submitting a claim to MetLife is 10 business days.
What is Pin Paws Pet Care and what are the different options?
The Pin Paws Pet Care (pet insurance) plan is an accident and illness policy for dogs and cats. We do offer a Wellness Rider for an additional cost. Our Standard Wellness Rider is an excellent choice for pet parents who would like coverage for routine and preventative expenses in addition to their pet insurance coverage.
What does standard wellness cover?
Standard Wellness covers the cost of the following:
- Annual vet exam
- Lab work
- Recommended vaccinations
- Teeth cleaning
- Spay and Neuter Services
- Flea, Tick, and Heartworm Prevention
Your Employee Assistance Program Benefit
Vermont Law School provides all employees with an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through ESI Employee Group, an independent, industry-leading company that specializes in total care management. EAP is a voluntary, confidential service that provides professional counseling and referral services designed to help with personal, job or family related problems.
EAP consultants are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Any services provided by the EAP counselors are at no charge to you or your family members.
In addition to phone-based help, a lot of information can be found online, such as self-assessment tools, interactive databases, health and wellness calculators, webinars and podcasts.
Licensed professionals provide confidential support and guidance related to:
- Family, relationship and parenting issues
- Basic child and elder care needs
- Emotional and stress-related issues
- Conflicts at work or home
- Alcohol and drug dependencies
- Personal development and general wellness issues
- Financial issues
- Legal issues
- They can also refer you for in-person counciling
Vermont Law School’s EAP through ESI Employee Group is a confidential service. No one will know if you use the EAP-not your supervisor, Vermont Law School, or your family members.
Contributions
Premiums are paid for by the employer.
Eligibility
All employees who work a minimum of 30 hours per week are eligible for coverage on their date of hire.
Plan Documents
Your Travel Assistance Benefit
Travel Assistance is available to employees and their dependents who are traveling 100 or more miles from home. Travel Assistance helps you locate hospitals, embassies and other “unexpected” travel destinations. One phone call connects you and your family to medical and other important services 24 hours a day. You will have access to hospital admission assistance, prescription replacement assistance, care and transport of unattended minor children, emergency message services, emergency trauma counseling, legal and interpreter referrals, and more.
Eligibility
All employees who work a minimum of 30 hours per week are eligible for coverage on their date of hire. Employees must participate in the basic life to receive this benefit.
Contributions:
There is no cost associated with Travel Assistance.
Your Identity Theft Recovery Benefits
Vermont Law School offers Identity Theft Recovery Services through Mutual of Omaha to all VLS Employees at no additional cost.
Eligibility:
All employees who work a minimum of 30 hours per week are eligible for coverage on their date of hire. Employees must participate in the basic life to receive this benefit.
Contributions:
There is no cost associated with ID Theft Recovery Services.
Your Retirement Benefits
Vermont Law School offers a retirement plan to employees through TIAA CREF.
Employees may elect to make tax-deferred contributions as soon as administratively feasible following hire. To be eligible for discretionary employer contributions employees must complete two (2) consecutive years of service. Your initial eligibility measuring period will be the 12-month period beginning with your date of hire. If you do not satisfy the eligibility requirements during that first measuring period, eligibility will be calculated based on the Plan Year. Employees will be credited with a year of service if they work at least 1,000 hours during the eligibility measuring period.
All new hires who are hired to work 20 hours or more per pay period will be automatically enrolled in the VLGS 403(b) through TIAA at a 3% salary deferral.
Mid-July each year, VLGS auto-escalates all enrolled participants in the 403(b) by 1%, up to a ceiling of 10%.
Employees may make pre-tax contributions up to a maximum of $23,000 for 2024. This includes contributions made to other deferral plans. If an employee turns age 50 before the end of any calendar year, they may defer up to an extra $7,500 each year.
In addition to tax-deferred contributions, employees may not have total contributions of more than $68,000, plus any age 50 catch-up contributions or an amount equal to 100% of compensation, whichever is less.
Vermont Law School will select the investment vendors and options that will be available under the plan.
Eligibility:
Eligibility may vary. Please see human resources for more information. There is no waiting period.
Your Will Preparation Benefits
Epoq offers a secure account space that allows you to prepare wills and other legal documents. Create a will that’s tailored to your unique needs from the comforts of your own home.
- Epoq provides the following FREE documents:
- Last Will and Testament
- Power of Attorney
- Healthcare Directive
- Living Trust
- Here’s how it works
- Log on to www.willprepservices.com and use the code MUTUALWILLS to register
- Answer the simple questions and watch the customization of your document happen in real time
- Download, print and share any document instantly
- Don’t forget to update your documents with any major life
changes, including marriage, divorce, and birth of a child - Make the document legally binding — Check with your state
for requirements
Contact Information
Create your will at www.willprepservices.com and use the code MUTUALWILLS to register.
SmartConnect - Medicare Resource
The Richards Group has partnered with SmartConnect™, an exclusive, no-cost program created specifically to connect Medicare-eligible working adults to the world of Medicare benefits. Whether an employee plans to continue working or is transitioning to retirement, we tailor solutions designed around their needs. Our agents provide an unfiltered view of the entire range of options and prices available to the employee.
*If you are enrolled in the HRA plan you are eligible for SmartConnect. If you are enrolled in the HSA plan you are not eligible for SmartConnect.
SmartConnect Contact Information
For more information or to get started, please click on the following link:
Additional Information
Other Documents
My Tuition Assistance Benefit
Tuition Reimbursement
The Vermont Law School tuition assistance program is designed to help employees pay back student loan debt and improve their financial well-being.
Utilizing Vermont Law School’s relationship with The Richards Group, consultation services provided through GradFin are provided free of charge. GradFin is a new employee benefit program that is revolutionizing the way employees can reduce their student loan debt.
GradFIN will provide:
- One-on-one education consultations with GradFin Consultation Experts to review your current loan status and discuss personalized payoff options to save on your loans.
- GradFin will offer a competitive interest rate reduction when you refinance your loans.
- GradFin will offer the lowest interest rates in the industry through their lending platform which is made up of ten lenders to maximize the chances that you will be approved for a new loan.
For more information or to schedule a one-on-one consultation visit:
Eligibility:
In order to participate in the plan, you must satisfy certain age and service conditions under the plan:
Minimum age requirement: In order to participate in the plan, you must be at age 21.
Contact Information
GradFIN
For more information or to schedule a 15-minute appointment with a GradFin Consultation Expert click HERE!
Phone: (844) GRADFIN
Plan Information
My Perks & MemberDeals Discounts
For more information please contact Human Resources
Perks
America Mattress
In support of our local businesses and colleges, we would like to offer a 10% discount to employees and students on purchases at our West Lebanon location.
For more information:
Liberty Mutual
As an affiliate of Vermont Law School, you could save up to 10% on quality auto and 5% on home insurance tailored to your needs. This includes valuable protection you can trust and service when & where you need it.
For more information visit: www.libertymutual.com/Vermont-Law-School
Irving Oil
Vermont Law School and Irving Energy have teamed up to offer you special discounted pricing on fuel and home heating equipment. You can save 15 cents per gallon off heating, or 30 cents per gallon off propane. Other savings include gas and equipment.
For more information:
Working Advantage
Vermont Law School is pleased to offer Working Advantage. Save up to 60% on tickets, travel and shopping.
For more information:
MemberDeals Discounts
Vermont Law School employees have now access to huge savings on nationwide entertainment through MemberDeals. Find exclusive discounts, special offers, preferred seating, and tickets to top attractions, theme parks, shows, sporting events, hotels and much more.
- Save up to 40% on Top Theme Parks Nationwide
- Save up to 60% on Hotels Worldwide
- Save up to 40% on Top Las Vegas & Broadway Show Tickets
- Huge Savings on Disney & Universal Studios Tickets
- Preferred Access Tickets™ Find great seats to your favorite concerts, sports and more!
My Wellness Outlet
Vermont Law School offers employees discounts through the Wellness Outlet!
Enter account code RICHARDSGRP at The Wellness Outlet for access to discounts of 18-40% off retail price of fitness trackers from Fitbit and Garmin, plus free shipping to your home.
