Benefits Advisory Committee Charter
Purpose
The Benefits Advisory Committee serves as an advisory group to Human Resources regarding employee benefit programs. The committee provides employee feedback, reviews benefit offerings, evaluates trends, and offers recommondations to help ensure the College's benefits programs remain competitve, sustainable, and responsive to the needs of faculty and staff while supporting the College's strategic and financial objectives.
The committee serves in an advisory capacity only. Final decisions regarding employee benefits, plan design and changes, funding, and implementation remain the responsibility of Finance and the VP of Human Resources, along with college leadership.
Objectives
The Benefits Advisory Committee will:
- Provide a forum for employee feedback regarding benefits programs.
- Review the effectiveness and competitiveness of the College's benefit offerings.
- Consider the needs of faculty and staff and trends when discussing benefits programs.
- Review proposed changes to health, retirement, wellness, leave and other benefit programs.
- Assist Human Resources in identifying opportunities to improve employee understanding and utilization of benefits.
- Provide feedback on employee benefit communications and educational initiatives.
- Promote awareness of available benefit programs within the campus community.
- Support a culture of employee well-being.
Scope
The commitee may review and discuss topics including:
- Medical, dental and vision insurance
- Prescription drug coverage
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
- Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
- Retirement Plans
- Life and disability insurance
- Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave
- Wellness initiatives
- Voluntary benefits
- Benefit communications and employee education
The committee will not review or discuss individual employee benefit claims, confidential matters, or individual eligibility determinations.
Membership
The committee will represent a cross-section of the College community and will include employees from various departments and employee groups.
Membership will include representation from:
- Faculty
- Administrative and Support Staff
- Human Resources
- Finance
Committee members from the faculty are appointed by the Dean for Academic Affairs Office for a two-year term. The Staff Advocacy Committee will solicit and manage a list of constituents interested in serving on the Benefits Advisory Committee.
Members will generally serve staggered two-year terms and may be reappointed.
Vacancies may be filled as needed to maintain balanced representation.
Chair
The Committee is chaired by the Vice President for Human Resources. The Senior Vice Presient for Finance and Administration and the Senior Associate Director for Benefits & Absence Management serve as staff ex officios.
The Chair is responsible for:
- Developing meeting agendas
- Facilitating meetings
- Communicating committee concerns and recommendations to College leadership
Meetings
- Meetings will be held at least once per semester but may require more frequency as circumstances require.
- Meeting agendas and any supporting materials will be distributed in advance whenever possible.
Confidentiality
Committee members may receive information that is confidential, proprietary, or preliminary in nature. Members agree to maintain confidentiality.
Guiding Principles
The Benefits Advisory Committee will support benefit recommendations that strive to:
- Promote employee health and well-being.
- Maintain competitive and affordable benefit offerings.
- Support Recruitment and retention efforts.
- Ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
- Balance employee needs with the College's financial sustainability.
- Encourage transparency and effective communication regarding employee benefits.
- Offer guidance/feedback that supports the entire employee community, not individual or small group perpsectives.