Employment at the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) provides eligible employees with an array of benefit plans that promote health and help you build financial resources for retirement.

A number of benefits are administered on a pre-tax basis. Therefore, the WVDE and participants must adhere to applicable IRS regulations in regard to enrollment, and in the case of retirement plans, annual contribution limits. We have included a brief snapshot of WVDE benefits. However, please contact the Office of Human Resources for more detail about the individual options.

Full-time employees of the State of West Virginia are eligible for enrollment in the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) Benefit Plan. The plan offers hospital, surgical, major medical, prescription drug and other medical care benefit coverage to employees and dependents and retirees.

Detailed information concerning types of coverage and plans is provided by the Office of Human Resources and/or the Public Employees Insurance Agency (https://peia.wv.gov).

The Mountaineer Flexible Benefits program allows money for dental, optical, and disability insurance, as well as medical expenses not reimbursed by PEIA (such as deductibles, co-payments and child care expenses), to be deducted before it is taxed. Taxable income is reduced and saves money through lower federal, state and Social Security salary deductions.

  • Open enrollment for the flexible benefits plan is held once each year usually during the months of April and May. This is the only time an employee may enroll or withdraw from the plan, unless a change in family status occurs. The plan is legally binding for one year (July 1 through June 30).
  • For more information about the flexible benefits plan, call Fringe Benefits Management Company at 1-800-342-8017, or call PEIA at (304) 558-7850 or visit online at http://www.fbmc.com/.
  • Mountaineer Flexible Benefits Guides- https://peia.wv.gov/Forms-Downloads/Pages/Mountaineer-Flexible-Benefits.aspx

Federal law entitles employees and covered dependents to continue medical coverage when coverage would otherwise terminate, provided the employees and/or dependents pay the full group premiums.

Additional information may be obtained from the Public Employees Insurance Agency (http://www.peia.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx) or the Office of Human Resources.

All personnel regularly employed by the Department are required by state law to be members in the Teachers Retirement System administered by the West Virginia Consolidated Public Retirement Board.

Employees hired after 7/1/2005 are enrolled in Plan 3 of the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) UNLESS the new employee was a previous member of the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) who shall remain in TRS/Plan 1, OR was a previous member of the Teachers Defined Contribution (TDC) who shall remain in TDC Retirement System.

NOTE: Employees hired 7/1/1991 through 6/30/2005 are enrolled in the Teachers Defined Contribution (TDC) Retirement System.

Employee/Employer Retirement Contributions Title Employee Compensation Employer Contribution
Teacher Retirement System (TRS) Plan 1 6% 15%
Teacher Retirement System (TRS) Plan 3 6% 7.5%
Teacher Defined Contributions (TDC) 4.5% 7.5%

Employees who have three or more years of qualifying service receive annual increment pay in recognition of the value of their past and present service. The annual increment amount is $60 for each full year of qualifying service and is paid in July of each year.

The Department has established a flexible work hours program in which an employee may be placed on an earlier or later starting time. Flexible work schedules are established to promote efficient operations and to consider reasonable requests from employees. An employee is placed upon a flexible work schedule based upon Department needs or upon approval following a request by an employee.

Employees of the state are covered by the West Virginia Unemployment Compensation Law which is designed to provide insurance against loss of wages to employees who become unemployed.

Additional information may be obtained from the WorkForce West Virginia – View Website

If an employee sustains a job-related illness or injury, the employee may be eligible to receive benefits under the Workers’ Compensation Fund. The Workers’ Compensation Fund provides compensation for loss of wages due to both temporary and permanent disabilities as well as payments for approved medical expenses.

Additional information on Workers’ Compensation may be obtained at the website of the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner (http://www.wvinsurance.gov/WorkersCompensation.aspx) or from the WVDE Office of Human Resources.

Disclaimer

The information contained on the website is not intended to replace the plan documents.  If there are any discrepancies between the information on the website and the plan documents, the plan documents govern.

For More Information

Call the Office of Human Resources at (304) 558-2702 or the Office of Internal Operations/Payroll at (304) 558-3401.