Teaching and Research (TR) Faculty

Information on this page pertains to EVMS employees with a projected classification of Teaching and Research (TR) Faculty after integration.

Find a summary of benefits and general guidance on which plan may best for you based on your individual circumstances by visiting ALEX, a virtual benefit counseling resource.

Annual Leave

• Employees accrue 16 hours per month, for a total of 192 hours per year.
• Up to 160 hours can be carried over each leave year (January 10 – January 9).
• Up to 120 hours will be paid out at separation.
• All benefit-eligible EVMS employees may roll over their existing annual leave balances up to 80 hours on Day One.

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Sick Leave

• Existing EVMS sick leave balances will not carry over.
• The EVMS Board of Visitors has approved the concept of paying out a portion (not all) of available leave balances. 
• Payout of EVMS sick leave balances will occur in the June/July timeframe at a flat rate of $10 per hour of unused sick leave.
• Sick leave benefits are determined by retirement plan selection.
• Employees who elect to enroll in the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) may choose between the Virginia Sickness and Disability Plan (VSDP) or the University Sick Leave Plan.
• Election must be made within 60 days or employees will be default-enrolled into VSDP
• Employees who elect to enroll in the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) are automatically enrolled in the University Sick Leave Plan.

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Additional Leave Benefits

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

• Provides up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave for certain medical and military situations.
• Must be employed for at least one year and have worked at least 1,250 hours in the 12 months prior to leave beginning.

Visit ODU FMLA»

Leave Share

• With approved FMLA for eligible family members.

Visit ODU Leave Sharing»

Parental Leave

• Provides up to eight weeks of paid leave due to the birth/adoption/foster/custodial placement of a child.
• Must be eligible for FMLA.

Visit ODU Parental Leave Policy»

Other leave benefits

• Recognition leave
• Paid holidays
• End-of-Year Break (Medical Group will remain open to provide patientcare)

Visit ODU Holiday Calendar»
Download an overview of the A/P and T/R Medical and Faculty holidays» 

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Short- and Long-Term Disability

• Available to employees who elect VRS retirement plan.
• Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP) provides 64 hours of sick leave and 32 hours of personal. These amounts increase with years of service.
• Sick leave and personal leave amounts reset every January 10 - they do not roll over.
• There is a one-year waiting period before employees may access the state-provided VSDP short-term and long-term disability plan. EVMS is buying short-term and long-term disability for all employees for the one-year transition period.
• VSDP’s short-term disability plan provides 60% income replacement for up to 125 workdays after a seven-day waiting period.
• Short-term disability income replacement amounts increase with months of state service.
• Employees do not have to exhaust paid leave prior to disability benefits beginning, and may use paid leave to supplement disability benefits below 100%.
• Long-term disability benefits may begin after 125 workdays at 60% income replacement.

Visit ODU VSDP short-and long-term disability»

VSDP sick, family and personal leave based on years of service

Visit ODU Virginia Sickness & Disability Program (VSDP)»

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University Sick Leave Plan

• Employees who elect to enroll in the ORP are automatically enrolled in the University Sick Leave Plan.
• Provides 1,000 hours of sick leave every June 10.
• Sick leave hours do no roll over and are not paid out at separation.
• Does not provide a short-term or long-term disability benefit. Employees are encouraged to purchase the voluntary disability plans.

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Retirement

Retirement Options

• Enrollment in a retirement plan is a condition of employment.
• Employees may choose to enroll in either the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) or the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP). Download a full comparison of the VRS and ORP plans or a diagram outlining the two plans.
• The enrollment window is 60 days from the date of hire and plan choice is irrevocable.
• If an employee does not elect within 60 days, they will be default-enrolled in VRS and VSDP.

Virginia Retirement System

• Virginia Retirement System (VRS) is an independent state agency that delivers retirement and other benefits to covered Virginia public-sector employees.
• Employees are enrolled with a mandatory 5% pre-tax contribution.
• VRS requires five years of service to be vested.
• Employees will be enrolled in the VRS Hybrid Plan unless prior state service allows enrollment in a grandfathered plan.
• The Hybrid Plan Includes a defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) component.
• Employees contribute 5% (4% of creditable compensation into DB and 1% into DC.).
• Employer contributes 1% into the DC Plan.
• Employees may elect a voluntary contribution up to 4% into the DC Plan with employers contributing up to an additional 2.50%.

View VRS Credible Compensation Definition»
View VRS Plan Vesting Schedule»
Learn more about the VRS Hybrid Plan»

Prior years of service credit

• Eligible employees may be able to purchase up to four years of service credit to allow faster vesting.
• Purchase of service credit within the first two years of covered employment typically comes at a cheaper rate.
• Purchases made after that time will be calculated based on actuarial rates.
• Employees will be able to purchase service credit using funds from their 403(b) and/or 457(b) retirement plans.

View VRS Purchase of Prior Service»

Optional Retirement Plan

• The Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) is a defined contribution plan.
• Employees may choose between either Mission Square Retirement or TIAA as the record-keeper.
• Record-keepers can be changed during the annual open enrollment period.
• The mandatory employee contribution is 5% pre-tax. ODU’s contribution is 8.5% of employee salary.
• Vesting is immediate.
  
  

Supplemental retirement

• Employees may enroll at any time in a 403(b)-plan offered by TIAA and/or Fidelity Investments.
• Employees may also enroll in the state’s 457(b) deferred compensation plan through Mission Square.
• Full-time employees may be eligible for an employer cash match to one of the supplemental plans (conditions apply).
• Employees in the VRS Hybrid Plan will have to max their voluntary contribution into the DC Plan before eligible for cash match.

View detailed Virginia Retirement System (VRS) Information and Resources»
Visit VRS Hybrid Retirement Plan»

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Life Insurance

• Employees receive a 100% employer-paid life insurance policy administered by Securian Financial.
• The basic benefit is 2x salary for natural death and 4x salary for accident death. with no cap.
• Employees may elect voluntary optional life insurance coverage of up to 8x salary with an $800,000 cap (evidence of insurability may be required). This is an employee paid benefit.
• Optional life insurance may be purchased on spouses and children (evidence of insurability may be required).

 Visit VRS Life Insurance »

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Health, Dental and Vision Coverage

6 Health Plan Choices

• COVA Care (Anthem)
• COVA HeathAware (Aetna)
  • The plan includes an employer-funded health reimbursement account (HRA).
• COVA HDHP (Anthem)
  • A Health Savings Account (HSA) is not a component of this plan.
  • Employees may fund an outside HSA.
• Optima Health Vantage HMO
• Kaiser Permanente HMO (regional plan primarily covering Northern Virginia)
• Tricare Voluntary Supplement for employees that are covered by federal TRICARE benefits
• The plan year runs from July 1 - June 30.
• Dental and vision insurance is bundled with the health insurance plan- standalone plans are not available.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services are included with the health insurance plan (up to 4 visits per incident). The EAP is not included with the TriCare Supplemental plan. 

 Visit ODU Health Care Benefits »

Coverage side-by-side comparison (Example 1)

*Based on maximum plan option without any discounts (for illustrative purposes only)

Coverage side-by-side comparison (Example 2)

*Based on maximum plan option without any discounts (for illustrative purposes only)

Coverage side-by-side comparison (Example 3)

*Based on maximum plan option without any discounts (for illustrative purposes only)

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Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

• Healthcare FSA
• Dependent Care FSA
• The plan year runs from July 1 - June 30. All expenses must be incurred by June 30 each plan year.
• Employees have until September 30 or three months from the end of the coverage period, whichever is sooner, to submit reimbursement requests.
• FSA funds are “use-it” or “lose-it.” They do not carry over into the new plan year.

 Visit ODU Flex Spending Account »

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Tuition Assistance

The Employee Tuition Assistance Program provides 6 credit hours for fall, spring, and summer semesters for each full-time employee (must be admitted, degree-seeking students at ODU). The one-year waiting period will be waived for EVMS legacy employees.

The Dependent Scholarship Program provides tuition assistance to degree-seeking dependents during the fall and spring semesters. There is a one-year waiting period for eligibility.

Visit ODU Tuition Assistance »

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Additional Benefits

• Legal resources/identity theft
• Personal accident insurance
• Long-term disability insurance
• Long-term care insurance
• AFLAC
• Whole Life insurance
• State employee discounts
• Staff Dream Fund

 Visit ODU Financial Benefits »

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Town Halls

EVMS leadership holds periodic town hall sessions to share the latest information on key topics affecting faculty, staff, residents/fellows and students across campus. View the full town hall archive.

Latest recording

AP/TR Faculty Information Session

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