SPFPA & POA Benefits
SPFPA (Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America) employees work as police or security supervisors, while POA (Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Officers Association) employees are patrol offices, police specialists or security officers.
ESU offers an excellent benefits package for SPFPA & POA employees including health care, company paid life insurance, retirement benefits, and leave time.
See further details regarding State System employee groups SPFPA and POA.
See below for:
- Health Benefits
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Life, Accidental Insurance & Long-Term Disability
- Retirement
- Sick Time & Leave
- Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) / Sick, Parental or Family
- Worker's Compensation
- Tuition Waivers
- State Employee Assistance Program (SEAP)
- Other Benefits
Health Benefits
Health care benefits are offered to POA & SPFPA employees and their families:
Medical Benefits
Medical benefits are provided via Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, a PPO (Preferred Provider Organization).
Flu Shot Information
- ESU provides assistance with Flu Shot Opportunities
- ESU has a list of Pharmacy Vaccination Suppliers
Prescription & Hearing Benefits
An employee is automatically enrolled in prescription and hearing coverage once they are enrolled in a medical plan.
The Prescription Drug Program is administered by Highmark Blue Shield.
In order to receive hearing benefits, you must be enrolled in an active health plan.
Dental & Vision Benefits
- Dental Coverage - United Concordia
- Vision Coverage- NVA (National Vision Administrators)
Dental and Vision coverage may be picked up without electing medical benefits at no charge.
Life Events
A major life event allows employee to make a change in health insurance, without having to wait for Open Enrollment. Major life events include marriage, divorce, birth, adoption, death.
The employee will need to provide proof of verification to Human Resources within 60 days of the major life event, in order to make a change.
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
There are two types of Flexible Spending Accounts: Healthcare FSA and Dependent Care FSA.
This benefit is a convenient way to set aside money on a pre-tax basis for eligible medical, dental, vision and dependent care expenses. Employees can sign up within 30 days of hire, or during open enrollment period. Once enrolled, the employee will be covered for one calendar year.
Detailed information, including lists of eligible and ineligible expenses can be found in the Flexible Spending Account Handbook. For the handbook please email us at askhr@esu.edu
Life, Accidental Insurance & Long-Term Disability
ESU offers paid basic group life through MetLife for all permanent, full-time employees. Coverage amounts vary by employee group.
Voluntary Insurance programs are overseen by CIGNA. These benefits financially help families in case of an employee’s death, or if employee suffers a serious injury due to a covered accident. The following voluntary insurances offered are:
MetLife
At no cost to employee:
- Basic Group Life Insurance – permanent employees are automatically enrolled
- Group Life Insurance Summary Sheet email askhr@esu.edu
- To make any changes to your account, beneficiary, or to file a claim, visit MetLife.
Cigna
Employee pays bi-weekly premiums:
Retirement
Retirement Plans are offered to ensure an employee begins to save and invest money for retirement. When an employee is first hired, it is required that they select a retirement plan. Once a decision has been made, the employee cannot change their plan.
The retirement plans offered to employees are:
- SERS (State Employees’ Retirement System)
- A5 Hybrid
- A6 Hybrid
- Straight Investment
- ARP (Alternative Retirement Plan)
- TIAA
- Fidelity
If employee does not choose within 30 days of hire, they will automatically be enrolled in the SERS (A5 Hybrid) retirement plan.
Voluntary Retirement Plans
Employees are offered additional options to save and invest money with Voluntary Retirement Plans.
- Deferred Compensation – 457 (b) Plan
- Tax Sheltered Annuity (TSA) – 403(b) Plan
- TIAA
- Fidelity
Sick Time & Leave
POA & SPFPA employees are eligible for the following leave:
Annual Leave
- Up to 3 years of service – 2.70% of hours paid, 7 days per year
- 3-15 years of service – 5.77% of hours paid, 15 days per year
- 15-25 years of service – 7.70% of hours paid, 20 days per year
- Over 25 years of service – 10% of hours paid, 26 days per year
Sick Leave
- 5% of regular hours paid, 13 days per year
Bereavement and Sick Family Leave
- Death of relative 3-5 days depending on relationship
- Sickness of immediate family – 5 days per calendar year
Personal Leave
- Depends on number of years of employment
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) / Sick, Parental, or Family
FMLA allows employees who are eligible to take up to a 12 weeks of leave (with or without pay) with benefits for:
- the birth or adoption of a child,
- recovery from a qualifying medical illness,
- providing care for a seriously ill family member.
To request FMLA, the required two forms to be submitted to Human Resources are:
- FMLA – Request for FMLA/SPF Absence – (this form needs to be completed by the employee)
- and the applicable certification form, completed by the health care provider:
- FMLA Employee Serious Health Condition Certification
- FMLA Family Member Serious Health Condition Certification
Worker’s Compensation
If an employee suffers a work related injury, Worker’s Compensation provides wage loss and medical benefits to employee.
- Report the injury
- When an employee suffers a work related injury, employee must report it to their supervisor.
- Please contact HR for the Accident/Incident Report.
- Submit Accident/Incident Report form to HR
- The Accident/Incident Report Form needs to be submitted to Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP), who will provide employee with claim number. The HRBP will provide the workers compensation employee notification and workers compensation forms for you to review, sign and return.
- Seek Treatment
- If employee has not already gone to emergency room for treatment, HRBP will instruct employee to see one of the doctors from our Panel List of Physicians.
- Provide Doctors Note to HR
- The doctor will provide documentation to the employee, which must be submitted to HR. It is very important that the employee provides this documentation, to determine if the employee is okay to return to work, or needs to be placed on any type of restrictions.
Tuition Waiver
A waiver of tuition to the fourteen State System universities is available to eligible employees and their dependents. Eligibility guidelines differ according to the employee’s collective bargaining agreement or non-represented status. Please review the Tuition Waiver policy for complete eligibility rules.
Please see the various tuition waivers ESU has to offer:
- Application for Dependent Tuition Waiver
- Faculty/Staff Application for Tuition Waiver
- Staff/Faculty Tuition Waiver for other State System university
State Employee Assistance Program (SEAP)
The SEAP program is free and confidential, offering personal support and guidance in a variety of issues, problems, and concerns that one deals with on a daily basis. The program can be beneficial to employees or their immediate families, providing services such as legal advice, drug and alcohol counseling, assistance with financial planning, stress management, depression, and many more.
Other Benefits
Dining Meal Plan
A meal plan in which employees can enjoy meals at dining areas on campus, without having to pay upfront. Charges for meal plan are deducted bi-weekly from paycheck.
Employees must sign up for Dining Meal Plan every semester
Just bring your Employee ID and you can enjoy a variety of meals in areas such as Dansbury Commons, Center Court, or even Starbucks.
If you would like to sign up for the Dining Meal Plan please email askhr@esu.edu
Employee Discounts
Take advantage of discounts offered to East Stroudsburg University employees, at select restaurants, bars, attractions and more.
Promotional Flyers from Vendors:
Please note that each savings program has its own restrictions. The discount provider imposes these restrictions. In some cases the discount providers limit discounts to only employees and their families. Information on how to redeem each discount can be retrieved via the vendor’s website or calling them directly. While the University has made an effort to check each offering, it does not warrant or endorse any goods or services provided by any business participating in the Employee Discount Program. It is your responsibility to careful check good and services offered.
Contact Us
Contact Information
- Campus Address
- Reibman Administration Building
- Phone:
- (570) 422-3422
- Fax:
- (570) 422-3450 (Fax)
- Title of Department Leader
- Director, Human Resources
- Name
- Yvonne Catino
- E:
- askhr@esu.edu
- Phone:
- (570) 422-3422