New to SGSC

Regular employees working 30 hours or more per week are eligible to enroll in the USG healthcare or voluntary benefits plans. Employees working 20 hours or more per week must enroll in a mandatory retirement plan. Even if you don’t work 30 hours or more, USG offers a number of benefits and programs that you and your eligible dependents can participate in. See the eligibility chart below for more details. 

For more details about each plan, review the Comparison Guide or review each plan page, by clicking the benefit name in the eligibility chart below

USG Benefits Eligibility Chart

Healthcare and other Voluntary Benefits

You have 30 days from your date of hire or date of eligibility to enroll in your healthcare and voluntary benefits. If you do not elect benefits within your first 30 days, you will not have coverage and your next opportunity to enroll will be during the next Open Enrollment period, unless you experience a qualifying life event.  

With a few exceptions, your coverage will become effective the first day of the month following your hire or eligibility date (unless you become benefits-eligible on the first of the month, in which case your coverage would begin immediately, rather than on the first of the following month).

Because your contributions to your FSA, HSA and Critical illness cannot be retroactive, they will become effective the first of the month following the date of your election.  

Retirement Plans

If you are an exempt (salaried) employee who works 20 hours or more per week, you must enroll in one of USG’s mandatory retirement plans: Teachers Retirement System of Georgia (TRS) Plan or the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP), within 60 days of your date of hire or date of eligibility. If you are a nonexempt (hourly) employee, you will automatically be enrolled into the TRS plan. 

You may enroll in a 403(b) or 457(b) voluntary savings plan at any time during the year. 

The date your mandatory retirement coverage becomes effective depends on the plan you elect. If you enroll in TRS, your coverage is effective on your date of hire. If you enroll in ORP, your coverage will be effective the first of the month following your election. Once you make your selection, your decision is irrevocable.  

See the retirement section for comprehensive details and enrollment instructions.  

Retirement and savings plans

USG wants to help you get started with planning for your retirement. Your needs and goals are unique to you, so it is important to start planning right away.

USG offers two retirement plan options, based on your employment status:

• Teachers Retirement System of Georgia (TRS)
• Optional Retirement Plan (ORP)

If you are a nonexempt employee (paid hourly) working 20 or more hours a week, you are automatically enrolled in the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia (TRS).  

If you are an exempt (salaried) employee working 20 or more hours a week, you can choose either the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia (TRS) or the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP). If you don’t enroll in the ORP within your first 60 days of employment with USG, you will automatically and irrevocably be enrolled in the TRS plan.

Ways to save more: You may also choose to contribute to the 403(b) or 457(b) Plan or both, which provide options for deferring pre-tax (and in some cases after-tax) income for retirement savings. What chiefly distinguishes the plans is how the plans consider and penalize withdrawals.

Supplemental 403(b) and 457(b) plan elections can be made at any time during the year. Contributions will begin as soon as administratively possible.

For detailed information on how the 403(b) Plan and 457(b) Plan work, review these guides:

• 403(b)  and 457(b) Plan User Guide

To enroll in healthcare benefits, visit OneUSGConnect.usg.edu, select Manage My Benefits.

• To enroll online, visit OneUSG Connect and click OneUSG Connect. Once logged in, select Benefits from the dropdown and select the Retirement@Work tile.

* If you elect ORP, you must choose your retirement provider and select your investment options. Please allow one business day for the system to update after your initial election.

After your initial benefit elections, you can only change your benefit elections during each Open Enrollment period, unless you experience a qualifying life event, as defined by IRS Section 125 guidelines. The most common life events are listed below:  

• Birth and adoption of a child (including stepchildren and legally placed foster children)
• Death of a covered dependent
• Marriage or divorce
• Change in employment status that impacts benefits eligibility (for covered employees and eligible dependents)

Changes to your existing coverage must be consistent with the qualifying life event. If you have a qualifying life event (e.g., marriage, birth of a child, divorce), any eligible benefit updates must be completed within 30 days of the life event. You must also provide documentation within 30 days to support the proof of the status change and/or applicable dependent status.  

In most cases, your coverage will begin the first calendar day of the month following the qualifying life event, unless your qualifying event occurs on the first calendar day of the month or if your event is birth/adoption. In these two instances, your coverage will be effective the date of the event, except for spending accounts and critical illness.