MC Classified (06)

The New York Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) provides health insurance and prescription drug coverage to eligible employees and their dependents. NYSHIP is administered by the New York State Department of Civil Service and has several health plan options to choose from.

DESCRIPTION

• Empire Plan (PPO):
  Anthem Blue: Hospitalization
  United HealthCare: Major Medical
  Carelon Behavioral Health, Inc: Mental Health/Substance Abuse
  CVS/Caremark, Inc.: Prescriptions
• Multiple Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs):
  Explanation of the options available to you under the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) for your health insurance and other elections can be found on NYSHIP Online
• NYSHIP Health Plan Choices

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Full-time employees with appointments that are expected to last 3 months or longer. 

Part-time employees must work at least half-time (50% or more) on a regularly scheduled basis and be expected to work for at least 3 months.

WHEN IS IT EFFECTIVE?
There is a 28-calendar day waiting period. Enroll within 30 days when first newly eligible and coverage is effective on your 29th day of employment.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Empire Plan biweekly rates as of 1/1/26:  

• Grade 9 & Below:
  Individual:   $65.99
  Family:        $298.75  
• Grade 10 & Above:
  Individual:   $87.99
  Family:        $355.24  

HMO rates vary. Visit NYSHIP Rates 2026 for more information. 

New York State provides dental and vision coverage at no additional cost to the employee. Individual and family coverage is available.

Dental Insurance is provided by Anthem Blue Cross. 

Vision Care is provided by Davis Vision.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Employees who are at least half-time and eligible to receive health insurance.

WHEN IS IT EFFECTIVE?
There is a 28-calendar day waiting period. Enroll within 30 days when first newly eligible and coverage is effective on your 29th day of employment.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• NYS Dental Plan Certificate of Insurance
• M/C Vision Plan Book 

RETIREMENT SYSTEM OPTIONS*

• NYS Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) Defined benefit plan; benefits are based on best Final Average Salary and years of service.  
• VDC: Defined contribution plan; benefits are based on employer and employee contributions and the success of the investments. Employer contribution is 8% of salary. 

*Contribution & vesting details applicable to employees enrolling on or after 4/1/12 (under Tier 6 provisions).

WHO IS ELIGIBLE? 
Membership for full-time permanent employees is mandatory. Membership for employees who are temporary or part-time is optional. Appointees w/an existing membership are required to continue it or if eligible, elect a new option.    

Employees earning at salary rate of $75K or more may elect VDC. 

WHEN IS IT EFFECTIVE?

• ERS vesting is after 5 years ERS service equivalent.  
• VDC vesting is after 366 days of service.  
• Permanent full-time Employees: membership effective on the date of appointment.
• Temporary and Part-time Employees: membership generally effective upon receipt of application.  

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
See Employee Contributions at Retirement Plan Comparison Chart.

The NYS Flex Spending Accounts allows eligible employees to pay for certain expenses with pre-tax dollars. 

• Childcare, elder care (Dependent Care Advantage Account - DCAA)
• Out-of-pocket (i.e., co-payments) health care expenses (Health Care Spending Account - HCSA)
• Expenses related to the adoption of an eligible child (Adoption Advantage Account – AAA)

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Employees receiving regular biweekly paychecks can enroll in DCAA. Employees must be eligible for health insurance to enroll in a HCSA. 

WHEN IS IT EFFECTIVE?
You must enroll within 60 days of the date of appointment as your period of coverage will begin on your 31st consecutive calendar day of employment or the date your enrollment is received, whichever is later. You must enroll within 60 calendar days, inclusive, of your hiring date.

Dependent Care - New employees are immediately eligible for this benefit but must enroll within 60 calendar days of their hire date. 

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
The employee determines the amount to be deducted: for 2026, the HCSA min/max employee contribution is $100/$3,400; the DCAA max employee contribution is $7,500/$3,750 (based on tax filing status); the AAA max employee contribution is $17,670.  

SUNY Contributes to the DCAA based on salary:   

Under $30,000: $1,100    
$30,001-$40,000: $1,000    
$40,001 - $50,000: $900    
$50,001 - $60,000: $800    
$60,001 - $70,000: $700    
over $70,000: $600

The New York State group life insurance plan, M/C Life, offers life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance (AD&D) coverage to eligible enrollees. These benefits provide financial protection for enrollees' beneficiaries in the event of a life-altering accident or death. 

Enrollees may also choose life insurance coverage for a spouse or domestic partner and/or eligible children. However, only the enrollee is eligible for AD&D insurance.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
All M/C employees.

WHEN IS IT EFFECTIVE? 
First day of pay period following submission of enrollment form if done within 1st six pay periods of eligible appointment. If past first six pay periods, enrollment subject to late guidelines & MetLife approval.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?  
Premiums determined by amount of coverage purchased. 

COVERAGE OPTIONS  
When enrolling in M/C Life, enrollees may choose between either a fixed benefit amount or a multiple of salary.

The following coverage options are available for the enrollee:

• A life insurance benefit of up to $500,000
• An accidental death and dismemberment benefit of up to $250,000
• A common carrier accidental death benefit of up to $250,000

In addition, enrollees may choose the following for eligible dependents:

• 50% of the amount of their life insurance coverage for their spouse or domestic partner up to $20,000
• $4,000 life insurance coverage for each eligible dependent child 

SUNY Voluntary 403(b) Savings Plan. Current Authorized Investment Providers are: Corebridge, Fidelity, TIAA, and Voya.  

NYS Deferred Compensation 457(b) Tax-Deferred Retirement Savings Plan.  Provider: Nationwide.

Both plans offer pre- and post-tax savings (Roth) options. Employees may choose to participate in either or both plans. 

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
All SUNY employees upon hire.

WHEN IS IT EFFECTIVE?
Upon employment or any time thereafter. Contributions are flexible and voluntary.  

Note: Enrollment in the 403(b) generally takes one or two pay periods; the 457(b), two to three pay periods. Please verify your paycheck information and contribution amount after you have enrolled.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Employee pre-tax and Roth contributions through salary reduction subject to IRS limits.   For more information, visit: SUNY Voluntary Savings Plan - SUNY Both plans function similarly, but there are a few important key differences. View the 403(b) vs. 457(b) Comparison Chart for more information. 

TUITION ASSISTANCE
Partial assistance for additional courses through the SUNY Tuition Waiver program (based on funding). Please refer to your campus benefit office for details.  Fees not covered by Tuition Assistance. Must be SUNY state-operated campus employee. 

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Appointment must cover period of support. Must be at least half-time. 

WHEN IS IT EFFECTIVE?
Differs by campus; check with your campus HR/benefits office. 

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Differs by campus and is a reimbursement program. 

PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM
As a New York State employee, you may qualify to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on your direct loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under an accepted repayment plan and while working full-time for an eligible employer.

INCOME PROTECTION PLAN (IPP)
Short-term disability plan provides 50% of salary for the first 26 weeks of disability (subject to weekly maximum); long-term disability plan provides 60% of salary after 26 weeks (subject to monthly maximum) to age 65 

• M/C IPP Brochure

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
New, annual salaried M/C employees working at least half-time, with at least six months of NYS service and enrolled in a public NYS or SUNY retirement system; coverage is automatic.

If appointed to eligible M/C position with prior creditable service, employee has 30 days from date of movement to elect coverage or otherwise forfeit coverage. 

WHEN IS IT EFFECTIVE?
Upon appointment to M/C position 

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
No cost to employee. Employer covers cost of premium. 

PAID FAMILY LEAVE (PFL)
PFL is intended to balance the demands of the workplace with the needs of families by providing workers with reasonable amounts of paid time off without charge to leave credits.

New York Paid Family Leave provides eligible employees job-protected, paid time off to:

• Bond with a newly born, adopted or fostered child,
• Care for a family member with a serious health condition, or
• Assist loved ones when a spouse, domestic partner, child or parent is deployed abroad on active military service.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Full-time: Employees who work a regular schedule of 20 or more hours/week are eligible after 26 consecutive weeks’ employment.

Part-time: Employees who work a regular schedule of <20 hours/week are eligible after 175 worked days, which do not need to be consecutive or accumulated in one year.  

NOTE: Periods of separation greater than 26 weeks will require the employee to re-qualify for PFL 

WHEN IS IT EFFECTIVE?
PFL can be used multiple times in a 52-week period, to a maximum of the full PFL entitlement.   Upon qualifying event, as needed according to usage guidelines. 

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Fully funded by employees through payroll deductions. In 2026, the contribution is 0.432% of an employee's gross wages each pay period. The maximum annual contribution is $411.91 • Partial pay (67%) paid by the Insurance Carrier (MetLife). More information at New York State Civil Service Paid Family Leave 

PAID PARENTAL LEAVE
New York State will provide 12 weeks of Paid Parental Leave for executive branch state employees to bond with a newly born, adopted, or fostered child. 

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
All unrepresented NYS employees who work full-time or at least 50% part-time, are eligible from their first day of service.  

WHEN IS IT EFFECTIVE?
Immediately upon hire, upon a qualifying event, defined as the birth of a child or placement of a child for adoption or foster care. PPL is available for use once every 12-month period & must be used on a continuous basis (blocks at a time).  

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
No cost to the employee.

VACATION*
A new full-time, annual-salaried employee is credited with 6 ½ days of vacation after 13 biweekly pay periods with no break in service of more than one year. After that, the employee accumulates vacation at the rate of one-half day per pay period during each year of service through the first seven years. An M/C employee earns bonus vacation days on his or her vacation anniversary date. The number of bonus days earned equals the employee's completed years of continuous service. Following completion of seven years of service, an M/C employee earns 20 days of vacation for each 26 pay periods. Employees with 20 or more years of continuous service earn additional vacation credits upon completion of each additional 12 months of service, see example below. Generally, vacation may be accumulated up to a maximum of 40 days; vacation balance may not exceed 40 days on 1/1 of each year. 

SICK LEAVE*
IPP participants earn four days of sick leave each six months, for a total of eight days per year. Non-IPP participants earn at the rate of ½ day per pay period (13 days per year). Sick leave may be accumulated to a maximum of 225 days.   

PERSONAL LEAVE*
Credited with 5 days of personal leave upon appointment and 5 days each year on personal leave anniversary date.  Personal leave not used within a year is forfeited.  

HOLIDAYS
Eligible for up to 13 holidays per year 

*Part-time employees who work at least half time on a regular basis earn on a pro-rated basis. 

Completed Years of Service = Vacation Earned (Includes Bonus Days)

1 = 14
2 = 15
3 = 16
4 = 17
5 = 18
6 = 19
7 = 20
8 to 19 = 20 days (1.5 days every 4 weeks)
20 to 24 = 21 days
25 to 29 = 22 days
30 to 34 = 24 days
35 or more = 25 days

PAYROLL
New York State has a two-week lag payroll system; each paycheck pays for the period two-four weeks prior to the check date. First check issued in approx. four weeks.