Benefits

Eligible employees and their lawful spouse, state-registered domestic partner, or dependent children can select from a menu of ten (10) medical coverage and three (3) dental coverage that best fit your individual needs.

Coverage is effective the first day of the month following the date of employment. If the date of employment is the first working date of a month, then coverage begins on the date of employment.

Employees pay a portion of their medical care cost through payroll deduction. The employee premium is based on the choice of plan and coverage. Selection includes a variety traditional health plans, and Consumer Directed Health Plans (CDHP) paired with Health Savings Account (HSA). Visit the WA State Health Care Authority website for more information.

CDHP is a type of insurance plan that has lower premiums, a higher annual deductible, and higher out-of-pocket maximum than traditional health plans. An HSA is a tax-exempt account that you and/or your employer, can deposit funds into on your behalf.

Vision coverage is provided under the medical plan, without additional separate premium cost. Optical service frequency and hardware (glasses, contact lenses, etc.) vary depending on type of medical plan selected.

Dental coverage is provided at no monthly premium cost to the employee. Selection includes Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) and Managed Care Plans.

Waiving Medical Coverage
Those who already have other comprehensive employer-sponsored medical insurance can choose to waive BC medical coverage for themselves or any family member. Those who already have existing coverage through their spouse or domestic partner, and plan to also enroll in coverage with BC, please contact the plan directly to see how they will coordinate benefits.

If waiving medical coverage, the employee will still be covered under the dental insurance plan at no monthly premium cost. Employee may also cover any eligible dependents in dental-only at no cost.

Medical Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) plans are offered by BC and State of Washington. They are calendar year, pre-tax, spending programs you can use to set aside money for eligible expenses. Both plans are paid for by the employee as payroll deductions.

FSA is a Public Employees Benefit Board (PEBB) sponsored program that allows you to use pre-tax money to pay for certain qualifying out-of-pocket health care expenses. Annual contributions in 2023 can be between a minimum of $120 to maximum of $2850. As a “use it or lose it” IRC-governed plan, medical expense reimbursements can be requested for employee, spouse, or their IRS eligible dependents. Beginning in 2023, an annual carryover of up to $610 may be allowed. Any additional unused funds would be forfeited.

DCAP allows you to set aside pre-tax money from your paycheck to pay for qualifying child or elder care expenses (e.g. babysitting, daycare, in-home care for an older dependent incapable of self-care). Maximum contributions in 2023 are $5000, or $2500 if married and filing separately.

Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Account (LPFSA) is geared towards high-deductible medical plan participants, and is a program that allows you to use pre-tax money to pay certain out-of-pocket expenses for dental and vision claims. Annual contributions in 2023 can be between a minimum of $120 to maximum of $2850. As a “use it or lose it” IRC-governed plan, medical expense reimbursements can be requested for employee, spouse, or their IRS eligible dependents. Beginning in 2023, an annual carryover of up to $610 may be allowed. Any additional unused funds would be forfeited.

Eligible employees, lawful spouse, state-registered domestic partner and dependent children under 26 years of age are provided with Basic Term Life coverage of $35,000 and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage of $5,000 at no monthly premium cost to the employee. Effective date is the first of month following the date of employment.

Supplemental Term Life insurance coverage policies are available in increments of $10,000 up to $500,00 guaranteed issue when certain employment conditions are met, and up to a maximum of $1,000,000 with Medical Evidence of Insurability (Life Insurance Evidence of Insurability may also be required). Spouse and dependent coverage are available.

Supplemental AD&D policies for employee, lawful spouse, qualified same-sex domestic partner and family are available at additional cost to the employee.

Basic Long Term Disability (LTD) is provided at no monthly premium cost to the employee. It provides 60% of the first $400 of pre-disability monthly earnings, reduced by any deductible income. The maximum benefit is $240 per month; the minimum benefit is $100 per month. Benefits begin after 90 days of disability or the period of accumulated sick leave, whichever is longer.

Supplemental LTD provides either 50% or 60% of pre-disability monthly earnings, reduced by any deductible income, and is additional cost to employee. Maximum benefit is $10,000 per month; minimum benefit is $240 per month. Cost for the supplemental plan is determined by employee type and salary replacement level selected. Enrollment at the 60% level is automatic, unless the employee opts out.

Employee and Employer contributions to applicable Tax Deferred Retirement Plans are mandatory for benefit eligible employees. The amount of mandatory deduction and contribution are dependent upon the retirement plan chosen and may vary by current contribution rates in effect:

• PERS Plan 2: defined benefit plan (pension) for Classified employees
  Employee Contribution: 6.36% of gross salary
  Employer Contribution: 10.39% of gross salary
• PERS Plan 3: hybrid defined benefit plan (pension) & defined contribution for Classified & Exempt employees
  Employee Contribution: Varies from 5% to 15%
  Employer Contribution: 10.39% of gross salary
• TIAA-CREF: defined contribution plan (401(a)) for Faculty and Exempt employees
  Employee Contribution: Under 35: 5% of gross salary; 35-49: 7.5% of gross salary; 50 & over: 10% of gross salary
  Employer Contribution: Under 35: 5% of gross salary; 35-49: 7.5% of gross salary; 50 & over: 10% of gross salary
• TRS Plan 3: hybrid defined benefit plan (pension) & defined contribution for Faculty
  Employee Contribution: Varies from 5% to 15%
  Employer Contribution: 14.69% of gross salary

In addition to the regular required retirement plan, employees also have the option to participate in two (2) tax-deferred voluntary retirement investment programs. Certain tax regulations allow employees to participate in one or both voluntary programs. Contributions in voluntary plans are funded solely by the employee:

• 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Plan lets employee to set aside a portion of their income in Pre-Tax Elective Deferral or an After-Tax (Roth) Elective Deferral managed by TIAA-CREF. Agreements and amounts can be changed at any time.
• State of Washington 457 plan is a Deferred Compensation Plan that permits employee to set aside additional pre-tax earnings for retirement savings.

Enjoy unlimited rides on Metro Transit and Sound Transit, plus other modes of community transportation with the ORCA Passport card. With this card, you’ll get:

• All regular and express buses, commuter and light rail in the Puget Sound region (however doesn’t include special service routes for events).
• Easy to use card–just tap your card on card readers.
• Deactivation on the card when reported lost, stolen or damaged card.

Rates are subject to change via official notice from Bellevue College & costs may vary depending on rate increased by Metro Transit and Sound Transit.

Program is available for full-time benefited employees working 35 hours or more hours per week; also available for part-time faculty working half-time or more. ORCA card may be purchased quarterly when teaching two or more classes. Contact Payroll for details.

Employees can take most credit and non-credit classes at a reduced cost when space is available and certain conditions are met.

Credit classes
Faculty employed at 50% or more and permanent classified, exempt, or administrative employees may take almost any credit class on a space-available basis if requirements and prerequisites have been met. The basic cost is $5.00, plus any fees associated with that class. To get the reduced tuition rate, the employee may not register until the date listed in the enrollment calendar (usually the third day of the quarter). Hourly and probationary employees are not eligible for this reduced tuition. Contact Registration for details.

Continuing Education
Permanent benefited employees may be able to receive a 25% employee discount on certain Continuing Education classes. The employee or his/her department pays 75% of the listed fees. Contact Continuing Education Customer Service for details.

Bellevue College encourages staff development, and personal and professional growth and promotion. Internal and external training opportunities are offered to build employee competencies and develop leadership capacity.

Employees are welcomed to drop into various weekly sessions to improve health and personal productivity, at no cost. Sessions include yoga, body weight exercises, zumba, and others!

Take advantage of Pacific Northwest beautiful background by joining outdoor recreation activities such as group mountain biking, group hiking, indoor rock climbing, and more. Registration with nominal fee may apply to some activities.

BC employees are eligible for a 10% discount on Bookstore purchases, except for textbooks. Present your BC identification badge at the time of purchase to receive this discount.

Bellevue College is a public sector WA State agency, and employees of the College, along with their eligible family members, may be eligible for certain benefits exclusive to State Employees. These include discounts such as wireless carrier plans or device discounts; wellness plan incentives offering rewards, program discounts, tobacco cessation programs and health plan perks; as well as participation in the State employee credit unions through School Employees Credit Union (SECU) and Washington State Employees Credit Union (WSECU).

Classified and Exempt employees accrue annual vacation leave at rates determined by their employee status, ranging from 8 to 16 hours per month when eligible. Vacation may be accrued up to 240 hours.

Faculty, Classified and Exempt employees accrue monthly sick leave at rates determined by their employee status or applicable negotiated agreement. Temporary Hourly employee accrue at the rate set forth in WA State Initiative 1433.

BC observes the following annual holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Native American Heritage Day, Christmas Day.

In addition to college-wide holidays, Classified and Exempt employees may select one (1) personal holiday each calendar year. Personal holidays are not cumulative and lapse at the end of each calendar year. A newly-hired Classified employee may not take the personal holiday during the first four months of employment.

Holiday observance and dates subject to change based on employment status, negotiated agreements, or policy changes.