Explore our total rewards package for employees, including benefits designed to help you and your family’s physical, emotional, financial, social, and professional health.
Medical Plan Options
The University offers five medical plan options with the same set of covered benefits. Each plan has different copayments, deductibles, rates, and provider networks.
To learn more about the plans, visit the Medica Plan Options page.
Biweekly Pre-Tax Rate Contributions
The University pays toward the cost of employee-only and family coverage for the base plan in your geographic region. For other plans, rates include the additional cost of that plan. Rates for employee-only coverage range from $32.70 to $149.60 per pay period. There are two rate tiers for family coverage.
The employee pays the full cost of employee-only or family coverage. Rates for employee-only coverage range from $410.14 to $512.53 per pay period. There are two rate tiers for family coverage.
Pharmacy Benefits
You are automatically enrolled in the Prime Therapeutics prescription drug program and Fairview Specialty Pharmacy with your medical plan selection.
Dental Plan Options
We offer two Delta Dental plans that provide in-network preventive care at 100% coverage and comprehensive coverage for most conditions requiring dental diagnosis and treatment, including orthodontic treatment for children. Learn more.
The University of Minnesota pays toward the cost of employee-only coverage and family coverage for the base plan in your geographic region. For other plans, rates include the additional cost of that plan. Rates for employee-only coverage range from $2.16 to $6.24 per pay period. There are two rate tiers for family coverage.
You pay the full cost of employee-only or family coverage. Rates for employee-only coverage range from $18.03 to $22.11 per pay period. There are two rate tiers for family coverage.
Retirement Plans
Primary Retirement Plan Benefits
Civil Service employees, Teamsters, AFSCME, and printer union-represented employees are covered by the Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS), a defined benefit pension plan. Participation is mandatory and begins from the first day of employment. There is no waiting period. Retirement deductions are 6% of total salary (reduced to 5.5% July 1, 2023–June 30, 2025) and are paid into the Retirement Fund.
This money is credited to the employee’s individual MSRS account and is tax-sheltered from both federal and state income tax. The employer contribution—6.25% of total salary—is not credited to individual accounts. It is used to help pay the monthly annuities and benefits received from the Retirement Fund. Rates are subject to change by the Legislature.
Sworn police officers contribute to the Public Employees Retirement Account (PERA), and other union-represented employees contribute to other pension plans through their unions. The University also contributes to these plans.
All faculty plus Academic Professionals and Administrative (P&A) staff members who meet the Faculty Retirement Plan eligibility requirements participate in the Faculty Retirement Plan, a 401(a) contribution plan, upon hire. Contributions are tax-deferred and vested immediately. The employee’s required contribution is 5.5% of the covered annual salary. The University contributes 10% of the covered annual salary.
Voluntary Retirement Plans
The University offers the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) and the Section 457 Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan)—both with Fidelity as the recordkeeper—if you want to save more for retirement beyond primary plan contributions. You may contribute to one or both of these plans each year up to the amounts allowed under federal limits.
In the ORP and 457 Plan, you may elect a pre-tax contribution amount, which means you pay no federal or state income taxes on the money you put into the plans or on any investment gains until you withdraw funds. And because your contributions are tax deferred, you reduce your taxable income and pay less in taxes on your take-home pay.
You may also choose to elect an after-tax Roth contribution to the ORP and 457 Plan. Roth contributions grow tax-free and there is no income tax liability when qualified distributions are taken.
You can increase or decrease your contributions at any time. You may also stop contributions at any time and restart them at a future date.
Additional Benefits
Life Insurance
All full-time, benefits-eligible employees are automatically signed up for basic life insurance, regardless of health history. Part-time employees (50% to 74% time) are eligible for basic life insurance but need to enroll and pay a premium.
You may purchase additional life insurance for yourself, your spouse, and your children.
Healthcare & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
The University offers two pre-tax flexible spending accounts. The annual election maximum is $2,750 for the Health Care FSA per employee. The Dependent Care FSA annual election maximum is $5,000 per household. You can pay for eligible out-of-pocket health expenses and dependent care expenses with before-tax dollars that are withheld from your paycheck before federal, state, and Social Security taxes are taken.
Disability
Short-term Disability Insurance
You may apply for short-term disability insurance to replace up to 66.67% of your salary but no more than $5,000 per month. The cost is based on the amount of coverage you select. Short-term disability is offered as a voluntary coverage and is administered by Unum.
Long-term Disability Insurance
You may apply for long-term disability insurance to replace up to 60% of your monthly gross salary but no more than $5,000 per month. The cost is based on the amount of coverage you select. Long-term disability is offered as a voluntary coverage and is administered by Unum.
This coverage is not available to you if you are a faculty or academic professional and administrative (P&A) staff member who works at least 67% time in an appointment of at least nine months in duration. You are covered by the Academic Disability Program (see below).
Academic Disability Program
The University of Minnesota provides paid medical leave and long-term disability benefits at no cost to employees meeting the Faculty Retirement Plan eligibility requirements who are unable to perform their work duties due to a certified mental or physical health condition. These benefits are under the Academic Disability Program and administered by Unum.
Faculty and academic professional and administrative (P&A) staff members who work 50% or more in appointment but less than 67% are eligible for Long-term Disability Insurance (see above).
Employee Wellbeing Program
The Wellbeing Program provides programs organized around six dimensions that have been shown to positively influence wellbeing: career, physical, emotional, financial, community, and social. All part- and full-time employees can sign up for the program, hosted through the Virgin Pulse portal.
Employees enrolled in the University’s medical plan can earn points toward a discount of $500 or $750 a year on plan rates.