Benefits Salary:
- Benefits salary is defined by each union’s salary schedule and it is equal to the employee’s annual base salary.
- Benefits salaries will be updated to meet current salary levels and will be determined for all employees annually on June 30th of each year.
- Benefits salary determines:
– Employee & dependent healthcare premium contribution
– Board paid Life Insurance amount (amount is determined by your bargaining unit contract)
– Disability enrollment eligibility
Salary Bands:
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Salary bands determines the Board contribution and the employee’s per pay deduction for employee and dependent healthcare cost.
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Will be reviewed for indexing on a cycle of a three-year term based upon an average of most recently published Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Core Benefits
Health Insurance (Board-paid): Following a 90-calendar day waiting period, all full-time benefits-eligible employees will be eligible for Board-paid healthcare (Cigna LocalPlus plan (employee-only)). Coverage will be effective on the 91st day. You will be able to enroll in a plan of your choice for the following plan year after satisfying 12 months of continuous employment in a benefits-eligible position.
Cigna Local Plus – Free Employee-only Option
- No referrals are needed
- Includes In & Out-of-Network specialists
- Comprised of a network of physicians that have demonstrated the best outcomes
Life Insurance (Board-paid): Following a 90-calendar day waiting period, all full-time employees receive one time their annual base salary rounded up to the next $1,000. Coverage will be effective on the 91st day. Administrators and Confidential Exempt employees receive two times their annual base salary. The minimum benefit for employees represented by AFSCME is $10,000. Additional life insurance may be purchased through payroll deduction to bring maximum benefits to an additional one times the amount provided by the School Board. You will be eligible to increase your coverage to a maximum of fives times the annual base salary after the first year of participation in the optional life program. Evidence of Insurability will be required for any increases in coverage. To find out more about Board-Paid Term Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment, contact the MetLife Representative at 305.995.7029.
Standard Short-Term Disability (STD) (Board-paid): Following a 90-calendar day waiting period, all full-time benefits eligible employees are provided STD coverage that pays 60% of their weekly earnings. Coverage will be effective on the 91st day. If you do not elect to upgrade your STD plan at the time of hire, you will be subject to Evidence Of Insurability (EOI) when you decide to purchase an upgrade during the open enrollment period.
Declination of Healthcare
Declination of Healthcare Coverage (OPT-OUT) Provision: Following a 90-calendar day waiting period, employees that decline healthcare coverage, will receive $100 per month paid bi-weekly through the payroll system based on their deduction pay schedule, which is taxable income. You will be required to provide proof of other group or state-funded program coverage.
Your Benefits Salary (annual base salary as of June 30, 2018) determines:
- Benefits Salary will be updated to meet current salary levels and will be determined for all employees annually on June 30 of each year.
- Benefits Salaries being used for the 2019 Open Enrollment will be employee’s annual salary as of June 30, 2018.
- Employee and dependent’s healthcare premium contribution.
- Board-paid life insurance amount.
- Disability enrollment eligibility.
Tools and Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Click on the question to view the answer
What is a new employee and when do benefits become effective for employees hired on or after January 1st, 2019?
A new employee is defined as an employee without active benefits. Following a 90-calendar day waiting period, new hires will be eligible for Board-paid healthcare (Cigna LocalPlus plan (employee-only)), life insurance (at one time your annual base salary, decided per your Bargaining Contract) and standard short term disability. Coverage will be effective on the 91stday. You will be able to enroll in a plan of your choice during the following plan year after satisfying 12 months of continuous employment in a benefits-eligible position.
Additionally, employee-paid benefits elected for yourself and for your dependents will be effective the first of the month following the first payroll deduction.
Must all new employees enroll?
Yes. You must complete your enrollment by logging in to www.dadeschools.net. As a new employee, you will receive an e-mail prompting you to enroll online for your benefits 91 days after your date of hire. You must enroll online by the deadline stated in the email. Otherwise, you will be automatically assigned to Cigna LocalPlus Plan (employee-only) coverage.
What is the deadline for completing my online enrollment?
Your initial enrollment period is 30 calendar days from the date of your email notification. You will not be able to make change to your benefits after your initial enrollment period deadline until the next open enrollment period, unless you’ve experienced a qualifying Change of Status event.
Can I elect not to be covered?
In lieu of healthcare coverage, you will receive $100 per month paid bi-weekly through the payroll system based on your deduction pay schedule (subject to withholding and FICA) as follows:
10-month employees will receive their payment in 20 pay checks.
11-month employees will receive their payment in 24 pay checks.
12-month employees will receive their payment in 26 pay checks.
If you do not provide proof of other group healthcare coverage, you will be automatically assigned the Cigna LocalPlus (employee-only) healthcare plan.
What if I do not enroll?
If you do not complete your enrollment in the allotted time:
- You will automatically be assigned to Cigna LocalPlus (employee-only) healthcare plan and no dependent healthcare coverage. Coverage will be effective on your 91st day.
- You will automatically receive Standard Short-term Disability coverage and Life Insurance at one times your annual base salary (amount is decided per your Bargaining Contract). Coverage will be effective on your 91st day.
- You will not have any flexible benefits (i.e. dental, legal, etc.) and no dependent coverage.
These benefits will be effective for the remainder of this plan year, as long as your full-time employment with Miami-Dade County Public Schools continues.
What if I do not have a computer or Internet access available?
If you do not have access to the Internet, you may visit the Office of Risk and Benefits Management for assistance at 1501 NE 2nd Avenue, Suite 335, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.
What if I want to change my benefits selection after I enroll?
You may change your benefits selection as many times as you wish until the end of your initial enrollment period.
Can I select coverage for myself through one healthcare plan benefit and another for my family?
No. You and your eligible dependents must be covered with the same healthcare plan.
Can I select coverage for myself through one flexible benefit plan provider and another for my family?
No. You and your eligible dependents must be covered with the same flexible benefit and provider.
How do I view the Cigna or Flexible Benefit Plan Provider Directories?
To view participating providers in Cigna: log in to www.cigna.com and click on “Find a Provider.”
To view participating providers in the Flexible Benefits Plans: log in to www.dadeschools.net, click on “2019 New Hire Benefits”, then click on the corresponding icon.
If electing dependent coverage or employee-paid benefits, when will my first deduction be taken and what is the effective date on these benefits?
The first deduction for benefits will be taken from the last pay check of the month in which you enroll and your benefits are processed. The effective date is the first of the following month after that first deduction is taken.
What do I need to submit to ensure that my dependent(s) will have coverage?
You will need to submit dependent eligibility verification documentation. Failure to submit this required documentation will result in the termination of your dependent(s) coverage.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Office of Risk and Benefits Management
1501 N.E. 2nd Avenue, Suite 335
Miami, Florida 33132
Mon - Fri, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET
www.dadeschools.net
Benefits Inquiry:
FBMC Service Center
Mon - Fri,
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET
1-855-MDC-PS4U (1-855-632-7748)
Enrollment Helpline:
1-305-995-2777
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET /
Seven days a week