HR Employee Benefits

The education allowance is currently $1000 per resident/fellow per year for all PGY levels (amounts will be pro-rated as necessary).  Departments may choose to supplement this amount with Department funds.  Unused amounts up to $1000 can be carried over to the next academic year.  Please review the Stipend Level Guidelines and the Education Allowance Policy which details the approved use of these funds.

Residents and fellows with a full license and who have successfully obtained their own state and federal DEA number are eligible to moonlight. If ALL conditions per the UMass Chan Resident Moonlighting Policy are met, insurance coverage will be provided under the clinical system’s self-insurance program.

Residents and fellows must have the required Employment Authorization and may not moonlight on a J-1 visa.

Residents on an H1B visa may be permitted to moonlight only if the additional locations and duties do not differ from the original H1B petition and underlying labor condition application. If an amendment to the original H1B petition is necessary, moonlighting will not be permitted.

Residents and fellows working at least 50 percent of the time are eligible for benefits.  The University provides a range of health plan choices, providing comprehensive coverage through a range of provider networks.  Choices include indemnity plans, PPO-Types (Preferred Provider Organizations), POS (Point of Service, HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations) and an EPO (Exclusive Provider Organization).  Employees contribute 25 percent of the premium cost through payroll deduction. 

Coverage is effective on the first of the month following 60 days of employment.

Date of Hire:   June 3 to July 3; Coverage begins:  September 1

Date of Hire:   July 4 to August 2; Coverage begins:  October 1

For complete plan details, go to: www.mass.gov/orgs/ group-insurance-commission.  A GIC Benefit Guide is available in the Benefits Department or accessed online on the Benefits website: www.umassmed.edu/hr/benefits

Enrollment Information:

• You must enroll as a new hire during your first 10 days of employment, otherwise, you may enroll during the open enrollment period held annually every April/May. NOTE: Certain life change events (marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of child) may enable you to enroll other than as a new hire or during open enrollment. Check the Benefits website (Life Events section) for more information
• Benefits are available to employees, spouses including same sex spouses and dependent children up to age 26. You must provide a copy of your marriage certificate to cover a spouse and birth certificates if covering any children.

Dental insurance is offered with two options. Both options provide 100 percent coverage for preventive care.  Benefits levels are higher in the “Plus Plan.”  UMass Chan pays 100 percent of the premium for the “Basic Plan.”  Residents pay a share of the premium costs for the “Plus Plan.”  You must enroll as a new hire during your first 31 days of employment, otherwise, you may enroll during the open enrollment period held annually every April/May. NOTE: Certain life change events (marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of child) may enable you to enroll other than as a new hire or during open enrollment.

UMass Chan offers voluntary enrollment in vision insurance that covers eye examinations, prescription glasses and contact lenses with co-pays when using the network of plan providers. The coverage is effective on the first of the month following 60 days of employment. You must enroll as a new hire during your first 10 days of employment, otherwise you may enroll during the open enrollment period held annually every fall (mid-October through mid-November).

Residents and fellows are provided with $5,000 of life insurance with your health insurance plan through the Group Insurance Commission. In addition, they can elect to purchase additional coverage.  The cost is based on age, salary and the amount of life insurance elected. Coverage is effective on the first of the month following 60 days of employment when enrolling as a new hire.  If enrollment is delayed to a later date, evidence of good health must be provided. Coverage may also be increased without medical review based on change in family status (marriage, birth or adoption of a child, divorce or death of a spouse).

Residents and fellows are provided a long-term disability plan at no cost. The coverage is 60 percent of monthly salary and pays a benefit after 180 days of disability. The plan is offered by Guardian Insurance. There is no enrollment form to complete asenrollment is automatic.

Coverage is portable at the conclusion of residency as the plan can be converted to individual, noncancellable, guaranteed renewable coverage with no medical underwriting requirements. Residents may also purchase supplemental coverage during residency.

• The Sick Leave Bank (SLB) is designed to assist residents and fellows by continuing their pay when they are out of work due to an injury or illness. There is no financial cost to join. A donation of 16 hours (2 days) of sick time is required for enrollment.
• A resident or fellow is eligible after one year of employment and must be a member of the SLB a minimum of six months before they can request time from the bank. Once on an approved Family Medical Leave, all accrued vacation, personal, sick and compensatory time must be used, and the resident must be absent without pay for five days before being eligible to draw from the bank. If approved, your pay will be continued for the remainder of FMLA eligible leave.

Residents and fellows receive their annual accrual of sick, vacation and personal time upon hire. A resident/fellow hired on July 1 receives 160 hours of vacation, 120 hours of sick and 24 hours of personal time. Paid time off is prorated if a resident is hired after July 1. Vacation time and personal time do not roll over to the following year. Sick time does roll over to the following year.

Residents and fellows are expected to work on holidays based on the needs of the department. Schedules are worked out within the department.

UMass Chan Medical School offers a variety of tuition support programs these include:

• Full or partial “Tuition Credit” for undergraduate or graduate courses at any University of Massachusetts campuses (excluding continuing education courses and doctoral programs at the medical school) for eligible family members;
• Full or partial “Tuition Remission” at other Massachusetts state or community colleges and universities after a waiting period of six months of full-time employment for eligible family members; and
• Tuition Assistance at public or private school or college for the resident or fellow.

Flexible spending accounts allow you to pay eligible health care or dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars. Your taxable income is reduced by the amount you contribute. Both plans are administered by Benefit Strategies.

If you enroll in the Health Care Spending Account, you will receive a debit card that may be used anywhere that accepts debit cards to purchase eligible expenses. If you enroll in the Dependent Care Assistance Program, you must submit claims with evidence of payment, and you will be reimbursed via check or direct deposit (if you elect this option).

You must enroll as a new hire during your first 31 days of employment, otherwise, you may enroll during the open enrollment period held annually. NOTE: certain family status changes may enable you to enroll other than as a new hire or during open enrollment – contact the Benefits Department for information.

NOTE: The IRS requires that any unused funds at plan year end be forfeited. You should estimate your contributions carefully. IRS regulations do not allow same sex spouse to be a dependent on the health care spending account.

All residents and fellows participate in the State Resident Retirement System (SERS). The State Board of Retirement manages the State Retirement Plan for all state employees.  Residents and fellows contribute 9 percent of their income plus an additional 2 percent for salary over $30,000 per year. Contributions are withheld from employee’s base salary. These contributions are made pre-tax and are in lieu of Social Security. 

The Plan provides for a monthly retirement benefit and is designed to reward long service employees. Actual benefits are based on years of service, pension-eligible pay and age at retirement. Employees must have a minimum of ten years of full-time creditable service to be vested in the State Retirement Plan.  Residents and fellows are able to withdraw their contributions or roll the amount to a qualified retirement plan (subject to IRS rules) upon leaving State employment.

State Board of Retirement website: https://www.masstreasury.org/ 

The University of Massachusetts offers two different voluntary retirement savings plans.

403(b) Plans
You may also defer some of your own income to a 403(b) plan, up to IRS limit of $19,000 if you are under 50 years old or $22,000 if you are 50 years old or over.  

457(b) Plan
If you meet eligibility requirements, you may also defer some of your own income to a 457(b) up to the IRS limit of $19,000 if you are under 50 years old or $22,000 if you are 50 years old or over.

Voluntary retirement plan information and enrollment is available by going to https://www.umassmed.edu/hr/benefits/retirement-plans/voluntary-retirement-plans/

Please note the attached information for a UMass Five College Credit Union Residency and Relocation Loan Program.

Funding is available for many costs associated with residency including traveling for interviews, temporary housing, exam preparation courses and general relocation costs. Payments are deferred while a full-time resident/fellow however interest does accrue and capitalize while in deferment and interest rates are variable.

UMass Chan Medical Students who are graduating this year will be eligible in addition to individuals who have been offered a PGY1 position in a UMass Chan Residency Program since eligibility is limited to the first 12 months following medical school graduation.

Click here to view the UMass Five Credit Union relocation memo
Click here to view the UMass Five Credit Union loan information

In March 2021, The Committee on Interns and Residents (CIR) was certified as the exclusive representative of our house staff for purposes of bargaining about terms and conditions of employment going forward.
https://www.cirseiu.org/