FML Legislative ChangesCorina Del Toro

Senior HR RepresentativeEmployee & Management Services

Caregiver leave – Provides up to 26 weeks of unpaid leave to an employee to care for a family member (spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin) who is injured while serving on active military duty.

H.R. 2647 expands the caregiver leave provision to include veterans who are undergoing medical treatment, recuperation or therapy for serious injury or illness that occurred any time during the five years preceding the date of treatment.

FML Military Caregiver LeaveEffective January 16, 2009

FML Qualifying Exigency Leave

In January 2008, Congress amended the FMLA to provide:

Exigency leave – up to 12 weeks of leave for urgent needs related to a reservist family member’s (spouse, son, daughter, or parent’s) call to active service.

H.R. 2647 effective October 28, 2009, expands the exigency leave benefits to include family members of active duty service members.  (Previously, only family members of National Guard and Reservists were eligible for “exigency leave.”)

(cont.) FML Qualifying Exigency Leave

Benefits UpdatesVilma L. Santos

Interim HR ManagerHuman Resource Service Center

TRS Employer Contributions

Per Texas Attorney General: one-time supplemental payment to eligible TRS retirees is not permissible under Texas law

As a result, SB 1 of the General Appropriations Act (GAA) will increase the state contribution rate to TRS from 6.4% to 6.644%

Retiree surcharge total is 13.044%

TRS Employer Contributions

1/22/10 is the first payday that will include the increased matching and retiree surcharge

Retiree surcharge applies when a retiree is working in an otherwise benefits eligible position

• Surcharge is automatically assessed depending on the assignment, so no action necessary

(cont.)

ORP Employer Contributions Effective January 1, 2010, all ORP participants

will receive 8.5% employer matching Currently, 8.5% is the maximum permitted by

the state legislature The employee contribution rate remains

unchanged at 6.65% E-mail was sent on 12/3/09 to those ORP

participants impacted by the change

ARRA COBRA Subsidy Update The Defense Appropriations Act (HR 3326) was

signed into law on 12/19/09

Includes a 2-month extension of the subsidy to continue it for involuntary terminations through 2/28/10

The 65% premium reduction is now available for up to 15 months, increased from 9 months

For more information, visit:

http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/cobra.html

Retirewise, by MetLife Special education opportunity available to all

employees Retirewise sessions consists of 4-weekly

meetings that take a detailed look at what to expect and how to prepare for retirement

Sessions will be offered in February, March, April, May, October and November• TXClass will open one month ahead – e.g., an

employee should register in April for the May session• E-mails reminders will go out monthly• To register search for PN700 on TXClass

Financial & Retirement Planning Fairs

Save the dates!• Tuesday, March 23 – Teacher Retirement

System, Medicare and Retiring from UT Austin, Social Security, and Estate Planning

• Thursday, March 25 – Retirement Provider booths and presentations

Events will take place in the Texas Union Watch for e-mail communication, postcards

and postings on the HRS Web site as well as the UT Austin KnowEvents