Welcome to Blinn College
Employee Benefits
Employee Benefits
Insurance Information
HealthSelect and Consumer Directed HealthSelect (BlueCross BlueShield of Texas)
Adding or Changing a Beneficiary in ERS
Retirement Information
Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS)
403(b) Tax-Deferred Account (TDA) Program
Authorized Companies for Tax Deferred Annuities and Optional Retirement Plans
Holiday Schedule
Labor Day
Monday, September 2, 2024
Thanksgiving Break
Wednesday, November 27 - Friday, November 29, 2024
Winter Break
Wednesday, December 18, 2024 - Sunday, January 5, 2025
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Monday, January 20, 2025
Spring Break
Monday, March 10 – Friday, March 14, 2025
Good Friday
Friday, April 18, 2025
Memorial Day
Monday, May 26, 2025
Juneteenth
Thursday, June 19, 2025
Independence Day
Thursday, July 3 – Friday, July 4, 2025
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Blinn Employee Discounts
Fitness
Apartment Living
Preferred Discount Program
No deposit and waived administration fees
Preferred Employer Discount Program
Employer Verified, $20/ month discount
Car Rentals
AVIS Car Rental
Employees can save UP TO 25% OFF Base Rates at Avis. Click on the link below or call 800-331-1212 and use discount code AWD#: D134100.
https://rentalperks.com/discounts/avis
BUDGET Car Rental
Employees can save Up to 25% OFF Base Rates at Budget. Click on the link below or call 800-455-2848 and use discount code BCD#: Z408900.
https://rentalperks.com/discounts/budget
HERTZ Car Rental
Employees can save Up to 25% OFF Base Rates at Hertz. Click on the link below or call 800-654-2210 and use discount code CDP#: 1742729.
https://rentalperks.com/discounts/hertz
Hotels
EXPEDIA.COM
Employees can save 8% OFF select hotels at Expedia.com.
https://rentalperks.com/discounts/expedia
BOOKING.COM
Special employee pricing of up to 40% off select hotels worldwide on Booking.com.
https://rentalperks.com/discounts/booking-com
CORPORATE SHOPPING COMPANY EMPLOYEE DISCOUNTS
Corporate Shopping connects employees to over 250 top national retailers offering incredible employee discounts and private offers.
A few popular retailers include: Costco, Sam’s Club, Chase Mortgage, Lands’ End, Avis, Hertz, Budget, Hotels.com, Ralph Lauren, AMC Theatres, Brooks Brothers, 1800Flowers, Walt Disney World, HP Employee Purchase Program, Dell Member Purchase Program & Many More!
Register now and enjoy incredible savings! It’s easy…simply click on the link below and you can access the site from both work and home.
https://corporateshopping.com
Home
Dynamic Drains of Texas LLC 10% off plumbing
1800FLOWERS.COM
Enjoy 15% OFF purchases at 1800Flowers. Click on the link below and enter code: CORPSHOP at checkout.
https://rentalperks.com/discounts/1800flowers-com
Computer Services
Microsoft:
https://my.blinn.edu/TechnologyServices/Pages/Microsoft-Licensing.aspx
Dell:
https://my.blinn.edu/TechnologyServices/Pages/Dell-Personal-Purchase.aspx
HP EMPLOYEE PURCHASE PROGRAM
The HP Employee Purchase Program (EPP) offers HP consumer products at discounts typically up to 10% off starting prices. Use Code: EP17047 when registering.
https://rentalperks.com/discounts/hp-employee-purchase-program
LENOVO
Employee discounts on innovative tech by Lenovo, the #1 PC maker in the world. Take advantage of everyday savings up to 35% off while supplies last, with additional savings monthly and seasonally.
https://rentalperks.com/discounts/lenovo
Wireless Services
AT&T Discount- Save 15%-18% on qualifying wireless service at AT&T, Verizon, Sprint
Additional Employee Savings
Discount Purchase Program by Beneplace Find discounts on a variety of products and services, with no fees or membership requirements.
CORPORATE SHOPPING COMPANY EMPLOYEE DISCOUNTS
Corporate Shopping connects employees to over 250 top national retailers offering incredible employee discounts and private offers.
A few popular retailers include: Costco, Sam’s Club, Chase Mortgage, Lands’ End, Avis, Hertz, Budget, Hotels.com, Ralph Lauren, AMC Theatres, Brooks Brothers, 1800Flowers, Walt Disney World, HP Employee Purchase Program, Dell Member Purchase Program & Many More!
Register now and enjoy incredible savings! It’s easy…simply click on the link below and you can access the site from both work and home.
https://corporateshopping.com
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Employee Handbook
Download Blinn College’s Employee Handbook (PDF)
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Pay Schedules
Download Blinn College’s Pay Schedules (PDF)
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Insurance Overview
Blinn College provides an attractive benefits package to meets the needs of employees and their families, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, dependent life, and disability insurance.
Blinn College offers eligible employees insurance plans provided by the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) through their state-mandated plan referred to as the Group Benefits Plan (GBP). An employee may choose to enroll or decline any insurance coverage with ERS for themselves and their eligible dependents.
Medical insurance and the TexFlex Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) may be subject to a waiting period of 60 days. For most new employees, this means that your ERS Health insurance coverage and TexFlex Health Care FSA will not be effective until the first of the month following a 60-day waiting period from your date of hire. However, optional coverages may be effective on the date of hire.
New employees have 60 days to elect health insurance and 31 days to select optional coverages. Thereafter, an employee may only make changes to their coverage during an annual enrollment period or within 31 days of a qualifying life event (QLE). Evidence of Insurability may be required for certain coverages at the time of enrollment.
Health and other insurance benefits for Blinn College employees and retirees are subject to change based on available state funding. The Texas Legislature determines the level of funding for such benefits and does not have a continuing obligation to provide those benefits beyond each fiscal year.
Refer to the ERS insurance booklets, contact ERS online at www.ers.texas.gov or contact Human Resources for a more detailed explanation.
Resources
Health Insurance Plans
The medical plans offered by Blinn College are administered by the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS). Most employees have a choice of two (2) comprehensive medical plans that provide coverage for preventive care, doctor visits, and hospital care and prescription drugs. Your ERS medical coverage includes $5,000 of Basic Life insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment coverage.
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HealthSelect and Consumer Directed HealthSelect (BlueCross BlueShield of Texas)
Resources
- HealthSelect Highlights
- Summary of Benefits (English)
- Summary of Benefits (Spanish)
- HealthSelect℠ Prescription Drug Program
- Notice of Creditable Coverage (Medicare/Prescription Drugs)
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is the HealthSelect plan administrator. You should register for a Blue Access for Members℠ online account. To register:
- go to www.healthselectoftexas.com
- at the top right of the homepage, click the Log In button.
- follow the directions in the drop-down menu.
Once registered, you will be able to log in from your phone, computer or tablet any time to:
- order a replacement ID card or print a temporary card
- check claims status
- review Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statements
- confirm employee and dependent coverage
- find a doctor or hospital and get driving directions using Provider Finder®
- use the Provider Finder tool to research and estimate costs for common health care services and treatments
If you need assistance, they can call a BCBSTX Personal Health Assistant toll-free at (800) 252-8039, Monday–Friday 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. CT or Saturday 7 a.m.–3 p.m. CT.
Consumer Directed HealthSelect
Consumer Directed HealthSelect SM is a high-deductible health plan paired with a health savings account (HSA). If you are enrolled in Medicare, you are not eligible for this plan. Consumer Directed HealthSelect has the same provider network as HealthSelect of Texas, which includes more than 50,000 providers throughout Texas. You do not need to choose a primary care physician. You will pay less for your health care if you see providers who are in the HealthSelect network.
You are responsible for paying the full cost of health care (except preventive care) and prescriptions until you reach your annual deductible of $2,100 per individual or $4,200 per family for in-network services and $4,200 per individual or $8,400 per family for out-of-network services. Deductibles reset on January 1 each year.
Be prepared for out-of-pocket expenses with a health savings account
To help cover the possibly higher out-of-pocket health expenses, Consumer Directed HealthSelect is paired with a health savings account (HSA). You can use funds from your HSA to pay for qualified medical expenses.
Each month, the State of Texas contributes to your Consumer Directed HealthSelect HSA pre-tax ($45 per individual, $90 per family for eligible members). You can also make tax-deductible contributions to your HSA up to a certain amount determined each year by the IRS. The unused balance can be carried over from year to year.
HSAs are portable. If you change to a different health plan or change employers, the money in your HSA stays with you.
Learn more about opening a Consumer Directed HealthSelect HSA or visit your online account.
Resources
Mental Health
Mental health Virtual Visits Consult with a licensed mental health professional any day of the week online. Mental health Virtual Visits are video conference appointments through either Doctor On Demand® or MDLIVE® .
You must make appointments in advance. Appointments are typically available within five to seven days, but could take up to two weeks. If you are enrolled in HealthSelect of Texas® , HealthSelectSM Out-of-State or HealthSelectSM Secondary, mental health Virtual Visits through Doctor on Demand and MDLIVE are covered at 100%. This means you will pay nothing for medical and mental health Virtual Visits. If you are enrolled in Consumer Directed HealthSelect, you will pay 20% of the allowable amount after meeting the annual deductible. To find benefit details, visit the HealthSelect website.
Medical and Prescription Drug ID Cards
Separate ID cards for medical and prescription drug coverage will be mailed to every covered member, and their covered dependents, enrolled in HealthSelectSM of Texas and Consumer Directed HealthSelect SM. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas will mail medical ID cards; Express Scripts will mail prescription drug ID cards. You should receive both ID cards within a month of enrollment.
ID cards will be mailed to the address ERS currently has on file. If you do not receive new ID cards, please call:
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas at (800) 252-8039, (TDD: 711) for medical ID cards; or
- Express Scripts at (800) 935-7189 (TTY:711) for prescription drug ID cards.
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Adding or Changing a Beneficiary in ERS
ERS Beneficiaries
It’s important to select the individuals who will receive your retirement account and life insurance benefits in the event of your death. This person is called your beneficiary. You can have more than one beneficiary. You can change your beneficiaries at any time.
1. Log in to your ERS OnLine account- Click “My Account Login” in the upper right corner,
- Select “Proceed to Login” if you have an ERS Online account, or select “Register now” if you do not have an account,
- Enter your username and password, and Click “Sign in.”
- Click “Beneficiary Summary” under “My Beneficiaries” on your home page,
- Click “Change Information or Add New Beneficiary” button at the bottom of the page,
- Click "Add a New Beneficiary,"
- Enter beneficiary's personal data (Social Security number and date of birth are required),
- Click "Save,"
- Click “OK,” and
- Click "Return to Summary of Beneficiaries."
- Click “Beneficiary Summary” under “My Beneficiaries” on your home page,
- Review your beneficiary designations,
- Click the blue link under the Plan Description for the benefit you would like to assign,
- Click “Request Designation Change,”
- Select your beneficiary(ies),
- Click “Save Beneficiary Elections,”
- Click “Return to Beneficiary Plan Summary,”
- Click "Submit Changes" at the bottom of the page,
- Click “Submit Changes,”
- Click “OK,” and
- Receive the beneficiary designation form by email or mail if you do not have an email address on file.
- Review the form,
- Print and sign your name,
- Have an unrelated witness (not you or the beneficiary) sign his or her name, and
- Return the form to ERS.
If you have questions about designating beneficiaries, please contact the appropriate benefits office below.
- HHS Enterprise Employees: call accessHR toll-free at (888) 894-4747
- Retirees: call ERS
- All Others: contact your Benefits Coordinator’s office
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COBRA
Resources
After you leave employment, you may be eligible to continue coverage under COBRA for a maximum of 18 months by paying your premiums directly to ERS. COBRA is limited to the benefits you had when you leave employment. If you choose COBRA continuation coverage, you will pay the full cost of your premium(s).
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) gives workers and their families who lose their health benefits the right to choose to continue group health benefits provided by their group health plan for limited periods of time under certain circumstances such as voluntary or involuntary job loss, reduction in the hours worked, transition between jobs, death, divorce, and other life events. Qualified individuals may be required to pay the entire premium for coverage up to 102% of the cost to the plan.
COBRA generally requires that group health plans sponsored by employers with 20 or more employees in the prior year offer employees and their families the opportunity for a temporary extension of health coverage (called continuation coverage) in certain instances where coverage under the plan would otherwise end.
COBRA outlines how employees and family members may elect continuation coverage. It also requires employers and plans to provide notice
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Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS)
https://www.ers.texas.gov/Active-EmployeesBack to top
Retirement Plan Options
Teacher Retirement System (TRS) and Optional Retirement Program (ORP) Annuity for Active Employees
ERS administers the Texas Group Benefits Program (GBP) benefits, including health insurance for eligible retirees of higher education institutions.
As an employee of an institution of higher education, you have the option of contributing to the TRS or participating in the ORP. This means your annuity will come from either TRS or your ORP, not from ERS.
Eligibility for retiree insurance
As a TRS or ORP retiree, you may be eligible for GBP retiree insurance if:
- you have at least 10 years of service with an agency that participates in the GBP; and
- you last place of public employment was with an agency or higher education institution that participates in the GBP (independent school districts, the University of Texas and Texas A&M don’t participate in the GBP).
If you participate in the ORP, you will need an ORP account from which you’re eligible to start drawing payments. If you withdraw or roll over your account to another account at retirement, you will not be eligible for retiree insurance through the GBP.
Resources
- Ready, Set, Retire - For Employees of Institutions of Higher Education presentation
- Ready, Set, Retire - For Employees of Institutions of Higher Education handout
- Teachers Retirement System of Texas
- MyTrs
- TRS Forms
- Retirement Manager
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403(b) Tax-Deferred Account (TDA) Program
Regardless of the mandatory retirement program you participate in (TRS or ORP), you can choose to save additional money for retirement on a tax-deferred basis through a Tax-Deferred Account (TDA) Program. All Blinn College employees are eligible to participate in this voluntary supplemental pre-tax savings program at any time.
The TDA program allow you to save money for retirement and postpone paying federal income tax on your savings and investment earnings until you begin receiving the money.
When you enroll in a TDA, you agree to have a specific amount of gross pay deducted from each paycheck and sent to the vendor you choose from the active vendor list. You may enroll in a TDA at any time. To enroll, you complete a TDA Salary Reduction Agreement (SRA) and turn it in to your Human Resources Office, along with a copy of your completed vendor application. The TDA form is available from the Human Resources Office.
Participation in the 403(b) Tax-Deferred Account Program entails certain responsibilities for the participant, including selection and monitoring of the vendor and individual investments. Blinn College has no fiduciary responsibilities for the financial stability of the vendor or the market value of individual investments chosen by the participant. Each employee bears the risk of the performance of the product(s) of his/her choosing under these voluntary retirement programs, and Blinn College is not liable for any tax consequences occurring under these retirement programs.
The contents of this page are intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as tax or legal advice, which can be rendered only when related to specific fact situations. In all cases, you should consult your attorney or tax adviser if you have questions about your individual situation.
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Authorized Companies for Tax Deferred Annuities and Optional Retirement Plans
List of Authorized Vendors for TDA and ORP
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