Employee Benefits Overview

At Garrison Forest School, we offer employees a wide array of benefits from lifestyle to finances and beyond. Please feel free to browse the benefits listed below.

Lifestyle: Health and Wellness

Health Insurance

Garrison Forest School, Inc. provides two medical plan options for its employees. Employees with 50 percent or more full-time equivalency are eligible for medical and prescription benefits through the school. The school will pay 90 percent of the individual employee’s premium, 90 percent of the employee’s portion of the employee/children premium, or 50 percent of a family and employee/partner premium for each eligible employee who purchases his/her insurance through the School’s plan. Coverage is available to domestic partners. There are tax implications for this coverage.

The prescription coverage is included with all medical plans. Prescription drugs are categorized into three tiers by United HealthCare under the PPO plan. The co-pays for prescription drugs are $10.00 for Tier I, $30.00 for Tier 2, and $50 for Tier 3 medications. United HealthCare also offers mail-order prescription drug services to help lower the cost of certain maintenance drugs.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Professional Development

Dental

Garrison Forest School, Inc. offers three dental plans as follows:

Dominion International ePPO is a managed dental benefit. Employees can choose from over 2,100 in-network dentists. Benefits are paid in accordance with a defined schedule of benefits and amounts that members are required to pay varies by procedure. Employees enrolled in the Dominion Plan are responsible for 100 percent of the premium. All dental payroll deductions are pre-tax. Coverage is available to domestic partners. There are tax implications for this coverage. Employees who are 50 percent full-time equivalency or more are eligible for this benefit.

UHC Core and UHC SuperMax Dental Plans allow members more freedom in choosing dentists. Members can select dentists on their own, but the plans offer an in-network and out-of-network benefit based on the network the dentist is in. The lowest cost alternative will be to choose dentists that are in-network. If the dentist is out-of-network, the member’s out-of-pocket cost will increase. Deductibles and coinsurances apply for certain procedures. Employees enrolled in the UHC Plans are responsible for 100 percent of the premium. All dental payroll deductions are pre-tax. Coverage is available to domestic partners. There are tax implications for this coverage. Employees who are 50 percent full-time equivalency or more are eligible for this benefit.

Vision

Life Insurance

Basic life insurance coverage is offered and is equal to two times an employee’s annual earnings (rounded to the nearest $1,000), or $175,000, whichever is less. Garrison Forest School, Inc. pays 100 percent of the premium. Life Insurance is a term policy with the term being the period of employment with Garrison Forest School, Inc. The policy does not earn interest or pay dividends to policyholders. Life Insurance coverage in excess of $50,000 is subject to Social Security, or Federal and/or State employment taxes. Basic life insurance is provided after 30 days of employment and to those employees who are 75 percent full-time equivalency or more.

Short-Term Disability

Garrison Forest School, Inc. self-funds a short-term disability plan that protects employees against loss of income from non-occupational illness or injury. The insurance activates after an elimination period of 5 days and will then pay a percentage of income based on an employee’s years of service. The benefit duration is 12 weeks, which is aligned with the long-term disability plan. An employee must be 75 percent full-time equivalency or more and have completed 12 months of continuous employment with the School to be eligible for short-term disability.

Long-Term Disability

Garrison Forest School, Inc. maintains a long-term disability insurance plan that protects employees against loss of income from non-occupational illness or injury. Employees are eligible for long-term disability after three months of employment. The insurance activates if an employee is out of work for 90 days or longer and generally pays 60 percent of the employee’s salary up to $5,000 a month and is required for all employees who are 75 percent full-time equivalency or more. The premiums are paid by the employee and are deducted through payroll deduction.

Finances

Retirement

Garrison Forest School offers a 403(b) plan. Participation in the 403(b) Plan is voluntary. Participants may contribute on a pre-tax or post-tax basis.

If participants voluntarily contribute on pre-tax contributions are deducted from the employee’s pay before Federal and State taxes are calculated. Pre-tax and post-tax contributions made by participants and the School are 100% vested. After one year of employment, Garrison Forest School will make a 3 or 5.5 percent match to the eligible employee’s contribution of 3 or 6 percent of salary for a total of 6 or 11.5 percent. If the employee was contributing to a retirement savings plan immediately prior to employment at Garrison Forest School, the School’s match will start immediately.

Employees who are 50 percent full-time equivalency or more are eligible for this benefit.

Tuition Remission

Full-time faculty and staff members who have children in grades Kindergarten through 12th are eligible for an 80% tuition remission benefit. Part-time employees receive a prorated amount based on their full-time equivalency (FTE). For example, if an employee is a 50% FTE, they will receive 50% of the 80% remission, or 40%. In addition, part-time employees may also apply for need-based financial aid for any amounts needed over and above the remission benefit. Employees of preschool-aged students are allowed to apply for need-based financial aid; however, certain restrictions may apply.

Please contact the Director of Finance and Operations with questions. Preschool extended day, 12:00-3:45 pm is also a free benefit that is provided. If additional time is needed beyond 3:45 pm, additional fees may apply. There is no waiting period for this benefit; however, employee children must meet the same standards for admission that apply to all students.

Flexible Spending Plan

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) allow employees to set aside a portion of their earnings to pay for certain out-of-pocket health care and/or dependent care expenses. The money set aside is deducted from the employee’s paycheck on a pre-tax basis. If employees have out-of-pocket expenses for either daycare or for health care services not fully covered by health or dental plans, enrollment in these FSA plans could save up to 30 percent or more by using money that has not been taxed. Employees who are 50 percent full-time equivalency or more are eligible for this benefit.

Additional Benefits

Professional Development

Lunch

Housing

Daycare

Other Benefits

Employees have access to other benefits as well:

Technology: Faculty members are provided laptop computers for use both on- and off-campus. Additionally, no-interest loans are available for computer purchases or upgrades through the Business Office.

Riding Lessons: Children of faculty and staff receive a 20% discount on riding.

Summer Camp: Children of faculty and staff may enroll in Summer Camp at GFS at a discounted rate.

Music Lessons: Private music lessons are available at a discount rate for faculty, staff, and active GFS students of faculty and staff.

GFS School Store: All employees receive a discount in the school store of 40% on GFS merchandise. Discounts for children of faculty and staff will be 20%.