| What is the Employee Benefit Fund? |
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| Answer:The CSEA Employee Benefit Fund is a Trust Fund managed by a Board of Trustees comprised of CSEA members and chaired by CSEA President Danny Donohue. Since its inception in 1979, the Fund's mission is to provide the best possible benefits and an Ever Better Future to our members. To facilitate this mission, the Fund's Benefit Specialists attend Membership Meetings, Information Days, Health Fairs, Conferences and Workshops to assist our membership at their place of work, while our Customer Service Department is open weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to help with claim inquiries or questions. Our union staffed offices are located at One Lear Jet Lane, Latham, New York. |
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| Do Our Union dues pay for our benefits? |
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| Answer:No. Your union dues do not pay for your dental and vision benefits with the CSEA Employee Benefit Fund. These benefits are negotiated through the state contract and are no cost to the member. |
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| Who are Local Government groups? |
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| Answer:Counties, Towns, Villages and School Districts. |
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| As a state employee, why can't I buy into your Miscellaneous Benefits (legal, maternity, hearing aid, physician co-pay, annual physical)? |
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| Answer:These benefits are negotiated through your bargaining units and are offered to Local Government Municipalities. State employee benefits are negotiated with the State. |
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| What happens when my employment status terminates? |
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| Answer:You are covered for 28 days after the last day you worked. Unless you elect COBRA option, your eligibility will be terminated after this 28 day period. COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1986) is a federal regulation that gives you the right to continue benefits for a period of 18 months in an event of a member's retirement, termination, layoff, leave without pay or reduction in hours. You will receive 36 months in the event of divorce, legal separation or child losing dependency status. You will receive 29 months if a member is permanently disabled. Since you will no longer be working for the State to receive these benefits for free, they are on a direct pay basis either monthly or quarterly. Local Government units must check with there personnel department. Once our system shows your termination date on our system you will receive a COBRA application from us and you have 60 days to fill it out and mail it back to us. |
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| Do you offer Retirees dental coverage? |
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| Answer:Yes. We have a Retiree Dental program offered for retirees who were previously in a dental program with CSEA. They can continue coverage with CSEA for a monthly fee. They can continue to use a participating provider on our panel. |
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