The University of Houston offers a variety of benefit programs to benefits-eligible employees as part of its employment and compensation package. As an employee, you have the ability to select benefits that may be individualized to meet your needs and those of your dependents. Please be aware that dependent eligibility is subject to occasional audits by the Employees Retirement System of Texas or their designee.

Automatic state benefits include sick leave, paid holidays, and a retirement program. Optional benefits include health and dental insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and supplemental retirement programs. A summary of FY2025 benefits rates for eligible UH employees follows. These rates are effective September 1, 2024 - August 31, 2025.

FY2025 MEDICAL PLAN: ERS offers UH employees a choice between HealthSelect administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield and Consumer-Directed HealthSelect which is a high-deductible plan. Rates for each plan are in the tables below.

HealthSelect

Full-time employees (30 or more hours per week): State pays 100% of your medical premium and 50% of the dependent premium:

Part-time employees: State pays 50% of your medical premium and 25% of the dependent premium:

Health coverage on either plan is subject to a 60-day waiting period except for employees transferring directly from another state agency. Part-time benefits eligible employees MUST elect medical coverage WITHIN their first 60 days of employment in order to have health coverage after the 60-day wait. Premiums are subject to change without notice.

FY2025 STATE OF TEXAS VISION: HealthSelect allows an annual eye exam but do not come with comprehensive vision care benefits. The State of Texas Vision plan includes low co-pays for eye exams, contact lense fittings, frames, eyeglass lenses and contact lenses.

FY2025 DENTAL PLANS:

You have a choice of two dental insurance plans - Delta Dental DHMO or State of Texas Dental Choice Plan. You can only enroll in one of the two dental plans. Members and dependents must be enrolled in the same plan.

State of Texas Dental Choice Plan

Delta Dental DHMO Plan

FY2025 OPTIONAL TERM LIFE INSURANCE:

You may purchase up to four times your annual salary (up to a maximum of $400,000). Monthly rates are based on age and coverage amount.

FY2025 DEPENDENT TERM LIFE INSURANCE:
The premium for Dependent Term Life insurance is $1.45 per month, and includes $5,000 term life with AD&D per dependent.

FY2025 VOLUNTARY ACCIDENT & DISMEMBERMENT INSURANCE:
If you are under 70, you can elect coverage between $10,000 and $200,000 for yourself or yourself and eligible family members.

FY2025 SHORT-TERM & LONG-TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE:

The Texas Income Protection Plan^SM (TIPP) offers short- and long-term disability insurance to eligible employees. This coverage is not available to family members or retirees. This optional benefit provides you with a portion of your monthly insurance salary if illness or injury keeps you from working. To be eligible for benefits, a physician must certify you as totally disabled. Benefits for short-term disability are paid up to five months. Benefits for long term disability depend upon the length of time you receive benefit payments depends on your age at the onset of the disability.

FY2025 TexFlex FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS (FSAs)

Health Care and Dependent Day Care FSA's allow employees to set aside funds through pre-tax payroll deduction. The Health Care account allows up to $3,200 (pre-tax) per year for eligible health care expenses. The Dependent Care account allows up to $5,000 for married couples filing jointly, or $2,500 for a person (married or single) filing separately.

FY2025 RETIREMENT PROGRAMS:
Benefits-eligible employees must select one of the following two retirement programs:

1. THE TEACHER RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF TEXAS (TRS): A defined Benefit plan, employees contribute 8.25% of their pre-tax gross salary and the State contributes an amount equal to 8.25% of the employee’s gross salary to a state account to pay retirement benefits. Rights to benefits are vested upon completion of five (5) years of creditable service. Other benefits included in the TRS program for the active member are life insurance equal to twice an employee’s annual salary to a maximum of $80,000 and disability income benefits. For more information, please log on to the TRS website at Teacher's Retirement System.
2. THE OPTIONAL RETIREMENT PROGRAM (ORP): A defined Contribution plan, the Optional Retirement Program is available to full-time (100% FTE) benefits-eligible faculty members and certain professional/administrative staff under the provisions of State laws. Employees contribute 6.65% of their pre-tax gross salary and the State contributes 6.6% of the employee’s gross salary to the ORP account. Contributions made by the university to the optional retirement program are vested after one year and one day of participation in the program.

FY2025 TAX DEFERRED ANNUITY:
Benefits-eligible employees may enroll in Plan 457 and 403(b) Tax Deferred Annuity at any time during their employment. Contributions are before taxes and made through payroll deduction. The minimum monthly contribution is $25 and the annual maximum for calendar year is $23,000. Investments are through vendors licensed to do business in the State of Texas.

HOLIDAYS:
Regular full-time/part-time employees are eligible for paid holidays as approved by the Texas Legislature and the UH System Board of Regents. Please see link to Employee Holiday Calendar.

PAID VACATION & SICK LEAVE:
Regular full-time employees earn paid vacation and sick leave. Faculty are not eligible for vacation pay. Part-time employees earn a pro-rata share based on the percent of time worked.