• General Benefits
• Health Plan
• Open Enrollment

• Retirement Plan
• Tuition Remission Program
• Web Site/Technical

Question: What happens to my benefits and deductions if I am on a leave of absence without pay?

Answer: While you are on an unpaid leave of absence, most of your benefits will continue unless you request that they stop. (Retirement plan contributions are made only if you are paid; consequently, there will be no contributions if you are not paid.) Double deductions will be taken from your pay when you return to work from a leave that is for less than 3 months. During a longer leave, you will be billed directly for your portion of the cost of the benefit. See Life Events for more information about taking a leave of absence.

Question: How do I change my beneficiary designations for my benefit plans?

Answer: You may change your beneficiary designation at any time by completing a Beneficiary Designation form, which is available in the Forms/Print Library. The form should be completed and submitted directly to the Boston University Office of Human Resources, 25 Buick Street, Boston, MA 02215.

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Question: When can I change health plans?

Answer: You may change health plans at open enrollment, which is generally held in the Spring of each year. The Office of Human Resources will send you an announcement, notifying you of the opportunity to make a change in your health plan coverage at that time.

Question: How do I change my Primary Care Physician (PCP)?

Answer: Contact Member Services at your health plan directly. You may contact Blue Cross Blue Shield at 1-800-814-4371; Boston Medical Center Preferred at 1-888-333-4742.

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Question: When is open enrollment for the benefit plans?

Answer: The open enrollment period for the Health Plan and Personal & Family Accident Insurance is in the Spring, usually during the month of April for changes to be effective May 1st. The open enrollment period for the Dental Health Plan and the Reimbursement Accounts is held from the middle of November to the middle of December for changes to be effective January 1st. If you don't make changes in coverage during the open enrollment period, you will have to wait until the next year, unless you have a qualifying change in status during the year.

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Question: Can I access my retirement plan savings to purchase a home?

Answer: Your required contribution and the University's contribution to the Boston University Retirement Plan are not accessible to you for any reason prior to age 65, while you are employed at the University. However, you may withdraw funds from your Supplemental Retirement and Savings Plan to purchase your primary home. You will be required to pay a 10% tax penalty plus ordinary income tax on any funds withdrawn prior to age 59½, per Internal Revenue Service regulations.

Question: How do I change the investment of my retirement plan funds?

Answer: You may change your fund allocation within Fidelity or TIAA-CREF simply by calling their customer service number, or you may establish a PIN (personal identification number) online and make changes directly on the Fidelity Web site or TIAA-CREF Web site.

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Question: When are taxes withheld from my paycheck for graduate tuition remission benefits?

Answer: Taxes are withheld from April through August for graduate level courses taken during the Spring semester, in September and October for courses taken during the Summer sessions, and in November and December for courses taken during the Fall semester. Taxes are due on the full value of tuition remission which your spouse uses for graduate courses. For you, only tuition remission amounts in excess of $5,250 are taxed as ordinary income.

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Question: What browsers does the site support?

Answer: This site will support Internet Explorer 4.0 and Netscape 4.0, or a more recent version of either browser. The site will also support the AOL browser.

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Question: Is there a way I can bookmark the site so I can find it easily in the future?

Answer: Yes. It's easy to bookmark Web sites that you expect to visit frequently. The process you need to follow depends on the browser you use.

• If you're using Microsoft Internet Explorer:
  • Return to the Home Page.
  • Click and hold on the word "Favorites" in the browser menu bar at the top of the screen; move down the list displayed with your mouse until "Add To Favorites" is highlighted in blue; and let go.
  • A box will come up on the screen with the name of the site.
  • Click on "OK" and the site is bookmarked.
  • Whenever you want to visit the site, go into "Favorites" and click on the site name.
    
    
• If you're using Netscape:
  • Return to the Home Page.
  • Click on the "Bookmarks" button on the browser toolbar.
  • Click on the words "Add Bookmark."
  • Whenever you want to visit the site, go into "Bookmarks" and click on the site name.
  
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Question: What do I need in order to access this site at home?

Answer: All you'll need is a computer that has Internet access and an ISP (Internet Service Provider), such as AOL. If you don't have an ISP, there are many to choose from. See the Yellow Pages in your local phone book for a list of ISPs that service your area. As an active or retired faculty or staff member, you may also use the academic computing system for internet access. You must set up a login account and Kerberos password. For more information, refer to the Information Technology web site.

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Question: Are there any Web security issues I should be concerned about (e.g., logging in with a password) with this site?

Answer: Currently, the Office of Human Resources Web site does not contain any personal or private information. Therefore, you do not have to be concerned with entering a password or other forms of Web security. However, security measures are incorporated in the Employee Link (to which, there are links from the Human Resources site) to ensure that all personal data is protected. The Employee Link contains screens allowing you to view your pay stub, enroll in the annual Health Plan and Personal and Family Accident Insurance Plan, and make changes to your personal information on file with the Office of Human Resources. You will need an ACS login account and Kerberos password to access these pages. For more information about setting up your account, refer to the Getting Started section of the Employee Link.

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Question: How does the search function work?

Answer: If you wish to look for a particular word or topic within the Office of Human Resources site, simply enter your search query in the text field at the top of the Human Resources home page and click "Go." A new page will open that will contain a list of links to all the pages where your search query was found. Simply click on one of these links to open up any of the selected pages. You will need to use the "Back" button to return to the search query list. Similar searches are built in to each of the main sections of this web site to find information just within specific sections.

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Question: What is the "Index?"

Answer: The Index is a list of every page within the Benefits site. Each page is linked, organized by topic and listed by title. The Index is just another way to navigate this site and to help you find the information you seek.

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Question: What can I expect to find in the "Forms/Print Library" feature?

Answer: The Forms/Print Library feature contains links to various sources of information and forms including:

• Each benefit plan description from the Faculty and Staff Benefits Handbook
• Important benefit and other Personnel and Payroll forms, such as beneficiary designation, enrollment forms, direct deposit forms, etc.
• Various benefit plan comparison charts and rate schedules

The file format allows for easy viewing and printing of entire documents. However, you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader program installed on your computer to view these files. See the Adobe Acrobat Help Page for additional information.

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