Applying to Work for BCC

The College offers medical, life and long-term disability insurance benefits through the Commonwealth’s Group Insurance Plan (GIC). 

GIC Benefit Decision Guide - 2021

You must enroll in GIC insurance benefits within ten (10) days of your official hire date.

When enrolled, GIC insurance benefits become effective sixty (60) days from the first full month of hire (ex: If you are hired September 1, benefits become effective November 1; If you are hired September 2, benefits become effective December 1).

Deductions for Health Insurance will be split between biweekly paychecks.

Helpful Information to assist you in choosing an insurance plan and provider:

• Plan and provider options by location 
• Plan rates and accompanying paycheck deductions
• Deductibles, copays, and costs of services by plan and provider

For questions about enrollment, contact the GIC at 1.617.727.2310.

For questions about coverage, contact the provider.

Helpful information regarding Life Insurance:

Basic and Optional Life insurance rates

You may enroll in Optional Life Insurance for a coverage amount of up to eight times your salary (for a max of $1.5M)

• In order to enroll for Optional Life Insurance, you must be enrolled for basic life insurance.
• If you select coverage in an amount equal to a multiple of your salary, you will be enrolled in the Automatic Increase plan, and your coverage will increase automatically with increases in your salary.
• While you may elect Optional Life Insurance at any time during your employment with BCC, if you elect it within 10 days of hire, you will not be required to provide proof of good health.
• Deductions for Optional Life Insurnace are taken once per month, in one lump sum.
• GIC Life Insurance Brochure 

The provider is The Hartford. Visit the Group Insurance Commission online or call 617-727-2310 ext. 1 for life insurance questions.

Helpful Information regarding Long Term Disability Insurance

• GIC provides up to 55% tax-free income replacement after a disability of more than 90 days.

Long Term Disability Rates

UNUM is the provider, and can be reached at 1.877.226.8620.

BCC Employees are eligible to enroll in Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA). FSAs allow employees to set aside money every paycheck on an income tax-free basis for eligible expenses. 

You can enroll in the Health Care and/or the Dependent Care FSA.

The Health Care Spending Account covers expenses that diagnose, treat, cure, or mitigate an injury, illness, or condition.

The Dependent Care Assistance Program covers expenses such as day care; preschool, before- and after-school programs; and summer day camps.

New state employees enroll for partial-year benefits. For the Health Care FSA, benefits begin at the same time as other GIC benefits. For the Dependent Care FSA, benefits begin on the first day of employment.

Enroll in the FSA online 

Employees must re-enroll for FSAs every year during open enrollment to continue benefits.


GIC FSA Handbook 2022

Helpful Information on FSAs:

• Commonwealth of Massachusetts employees save on average $300 for every $1,000 contributed in the Health Care Spending Account (HCSA)
• You pay a $1.00 monthly administrative fee for enrollment in one or both FSAs.
• Your elections will be withdrawn from your pay and placed in your account before federal or state income taxes, or federal payroll tax are applied.
• The IRS imposes a use-it-or-lose-it rule on FSAs. This means that you must use all the money in your account by the end of the plan year, or you lose that money, subject to a 2 ½ month grace period. For the 2021 plan year, you have until September 15, 2021 to incur claims and until October 15, 2021 to submit them.  
• The Provider is Benstrat. For questions regarding the FSA, please contact 1.877.FlexGIC (1.877.353.9442); or contact Benstrat at: 877-353-9442; commonwealth@benstrat.com.

FAQ and Helpful Resources, including the Participant Handbook, Expense Lists, and presentations. There is also a live chat option available on this page.

BCC employees are eligible for dental benefits through Metlife and for vision discounts.

You must enroll in GIC insurance benefits within ten (10) days of your official hire date.

For Non-Unit Professionals, GIC insurance benefits become effective sixty (60) days from the first full month of hire (ex: If you are hired September 1, benefits become effective November 1; If you are hired September 2, benefits become effective December 1).
For MCCC and AFSCME members, these benefits become effective 180 days following date of hire.

Non-Unit Professionals

Non-Unit Dental Plan Summary

MCCC members

MCCC Dental Plan Summary

AFSCME members

Metlife VisionAccess is a discount program that helps you save and stay on top of your care. This flyer will provide discount information on vision care services.

VisionAccess Employee Information

Employees must choose from one (1) of two (2) options for retirement contributions (in lieu of Social Security):

1.   Massachusetts State Employee Retirement System (MSERS)

• MSERS is a defined benefit plan. New employees contribute 9% of gross salary, and 11% on salary over $30,000. These employee contributions are Federal tax-deferred.1.45% is deducted for the Medicare portion of Social Security.
• Those who entered state service after April 2, 2012 are eligible for a pension at age 60 with 10 years of creditable service.  State employees are eligible for a pension at any age with 20 years of creditable service.
• For more information, contact (617) 727-2310 ext. 2, or visit www.mass.gov/gic for an online contact form

MSERS Retirement Guide for Active Members

OR

2. Optional Retirement Program (ORP) (For Non-Unit and MCCC Employees Only)

• ORP is an alternative to MSERS that provides flexible and portable pension benefits. Watch this video for more information on ORP.
• You must enroll for ORP within 180 days of hire, or you will be automatically be enrolled for MSERS.
• This is an important decision because, once you make your election, it cannot be changed.

ORP Enrollment Guide and Online Enrollment

BCC employees have options for additional retirement savings. You may opt for the 457 Deferred Compensation SMART Plan, a retirement “add-on,” for saving additional retirement monies. 

• For 2020, anyone under age 50 can save $19,500 per calendar year, and $26,000 is you are 50 or over.
• You can enroll for the SMART Plan at any time.
• Prior to enrolling, contact your local SMART Plan office at 877-457-1900 to obtain a Plan Enrollment Code flier, which will include a specific code needed to enroll online. Then, click the button below to enroll.
• The minimum contribution is $10/pay period
• More information on the 457 SMART Plan

SMART Plan Enrollment

457 SMART Plan Highlights (PDF Download)

BCC employees have options for yet more retirement savings.

Supplemental Retirement Plan Basics

Supplemental Retirement Plan Additional Information

If you choose to enroll in the 403B plan, you must fill out and return the Salary Reduction Agreement.

Tuition Remission forms must be presented to the Business office when responding to the tuition and fee bill.

 Tuition Remission Form

Download as PDF

Employee Assistance Program

Visit Mass4You for information on our Employee Assistance Program.

Mass4You Information

Mass4You Flyer

Paterson Field House / Fitness Center

Employees of BCC get free access to the Paterson Field House where we offer use of an array of exercise equipment, a basketball court, a pool (open seasonally; available for a small daily fee), and offer exercise and wellness classes.

Berkshire Eagle Online Subscription

BCC employees get access to our Berkshire Eagle online subscription at no cost.

mloiodice@berkshirecc.edu 

Tel: (413) 236-1022 

Contact for:

1. Employee accommodation requests
2. Questions related to Title IX and the College’s Policy on Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity & Diversity; and for filing Title IX and Affirmative Action Discrimination Complaints
3. Collective bargaining and contract matters (including generation of seniority lists; questions related to tenure and changes of rank; and reclassification requests)
4. Employee complaints and grievances
5. Consultation on personnel and supervisory matters
6. Project and initiative planning in partnership with the Human Resources Department

sgrady@berkshirecc.edu 

Tel: (413) 236-4576 

Contact for: 

Contact for:

1. Questions related to posting jobs, position description development and review (including E-7s), and the search committee process
2. Employee training, including search committee training
3. Salary and wage questions
4. Questions involving the employee evaluation process

astevens@berkshirecc.edu 

Tel: (413) 236-1023 

Contact for:

1. Employee onboarding
2. Questions on and assistance with benefits and tuition remission 
3. Questions on and assistance with retirement
4. Accessing personnel files
5. Information on employee wellness resources
6. General questions about Human Resources policy, process, and procedure

HR@berkshirecc.edu

Contact for: 

1. Submitting Authorizations to Hire, Personnel Requisitions, and Change of Status Forms
2. Requests for current and historic employee data
3. Contact from people/entities external to the College, including for:
   1. information requests under the Massachusetts Public Records Law
   2. verification of employment requests;
   3. general questions from job candidates;
   4. sales
4. Determining the correct Human Resources contact