AFT-Maintainers Summary of Benefits

(Updated 7/16/25)

Health insurance

A range of health insurance plans are available through the Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission (GIC). The Commonwealth and the employee shall pay the monthly premium rate, which is currently 75% employer-paid and 25% employee-paid. The current fiscal year’s guide can be found on Employee Resources: Benefits. ¹

^1. Effective July 1, 2024 the GIC will offer insurance benefits to newly hired eligible employees on the first day of the month following the employee’s hire date. If the hire date falls on the first day of the month, benefits will be effective that same day.

Life insurance

If an employee enrolls in a health insurance plan, then a Basic Life Insurance of $10,000 is automatically included for a cost of approximately $3.18 per month. In addition, employees may elect to pay for an Optional Life Insurance Plan and have coverage at a fixed amount up to $1,000 less than their base salary or choose the automatic multiplier up to 8 times their salary.

Long-Term disability insurance coverage (LTD)

LTD is optional and employee-paid. Should an employee not be able to work due to injury or illness for 90 consecutive days or more, the insurance will pay 55% of their salary, tax-free.

Flexible spending accounts (FSAs)

The following FSAs are currently available through Total Administrative Services Corporation (TASC). This is an optional and employee-paid benefit:

• Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP): This benefit allows an employee to set aside as little as $250 or as much as $5,000 (or $2,500 if married and filing separate tax returns) per year of income on a pre-tax basis to pay for childcare, elder care or other dependent care expenses, thus lowering taxable income. Employees are eligible for DCAP from the first day of employment.
• Health Care Spending Account (HCSA): Active employees can pay for a range of out-of-pocket health-related expenses on a pre-tax basis, thus lowering taxable income. Election amounts must be a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $3,300 per fiscal year.

Dental insurance

A standard plan is free however, employees may opt for a premium plan for enhanced coverage. The provider will mail information and enrollment paperwork directly to the employee. Also, there is a free, built-in vision discount plan available.

Retirement

All benefited AFT Maintainer employees will be automatically enrolled in the pension plan.

• Massachusetts State Employees Retirement System (MSERS):
  The MSERS Plan allows for a pension upon retirement at age sixty (60) with the equivalent of ten (10) full years of service. Faculty members who have taught in another State, may be able to receive up to 10 years credit providing payment is made for those years to the State Retirement Board. 
• Employees leaving state service have a few options.
  
  All employees hired after 7/1/96 will contribute 9% of total salary and an additional 2% on salary amounts over $30,000. Retirement deductions begin from the first paycheck and are made on a pre-tax basis.
  
  All employees are enrolled in MSERS as a default.
• Elective Deferral Plans (403b and 457 SMART): These optional retirement programs are in addition to the MSERS plan and allows employees, through payroll deductions, to shelter income from State and Federal taxes to a maximum of $23,500 per year each. Representatives for both the 403b and 457 SMART plans are available year-round to meet with University employees at no cost.

Workers’ compensation

Employees are covered for medical expenses and provided partial compensation for loss of salary for absences due to work-related injuries or occupational disease. This is according to the provision of Ch. 152 of the General Laws to the extent that the Commonwealth has acted pursuant to Sec. 69 thereof to include them within the coverage of said Ch. 152.

Tuition credit

Full-time benefited employees receive a 100% tuition credit per semester for regularly scheduled courses.

Spouses, domestic partners, and dependent children through age 25 (as defined under IRS rules, "Who can I claim as a dependent?") of benefited employees with two (2) full-time years of University service are eligible for a 50% tuition credit for regularly scheduled courses. Those with less than two (2) full-time years of University service are eligible for a partial tuition credit.

Please note:

1. Regularly scheduled courses exclude Online and Continuing Education courses.
2. Tuition credits do not apply at UMass Medical School or UMass Law School. Applied Music is also excluded.
3. Tuition credits for graduate-level courses are subject to applicable taxes.
4. An employee's effective date of employment must be before the first day of classes to be eligible.

Domestic partner benefits

Benefits shall be available to domestic partners of employees who have formalized their relationship through marriage.

Voluntary benefits

Voluntary benefits are offered through CoreStream. These include: Auto Insurance, Home Insurance, Identity Theft Protection, Legal Services and Long Term Care and more. Additional information and access to these benefits are provided upon employment.

Paid holidays

Twelve (12) days per year (pro-rated for eligible part-time employees). Browse the list of observed Holidays.