Employee Benefits

Employees of the MGH Institute of Health Professions receive benefits through the Massachusetts General Hospital. Below is an overview of the many benefits offered. MGH Institute of Health Professions provides extensive health care benefits, and varying levels of coverage are available, including:

  • Employee

  • Employee and spouse

  • Employee and children

  • Family

Institute employees who hold an FTE of .5 or higher are eligible to receive benefits.

Benefits & Perks

MGH Institute Human Resources (log-in required)

The IHP HR intranet page.

AskMyHR (log-in required)

Learn about your benefits, perks, and professional development opportunities. All faculty, staff and administrators at the Institute are considered MGH employees for payroll and benefits.

Vitals (log-in required)

The Mass General Brigham intranet site.

PeopleSoft eBenefits (log-in required)

This online employee tool provides a convenient, secure, and effective method for employees to view or change critical Personnel/Payroll information and enroll for benefits and other services and programs at the Institute and MGH. Once you are set-up on PeopleSoft eBenefits you can go directly to the Login page.

Medical Coverage

Health Plan Information on Ask My HR (requires log in)

The Institute provides two medical plans options through Mass General Brigham Health Plan: Select and Plus. To see a list of the network providers, please visit their website.

Prescription Drug Coverage

When employees enroll in a medical plan, they receive prescription drug coverage through CVS Caremark, which offers both retail and mail-order drug coverage.

Dental Coverage

The Institute provides two Delta Dental plans: major and basic dental.

Vision

Basic vision services are covered using a network of participating optometrists through Davis Vision, with a reduced level of benefit available for out-of-network services.

Disability

Extended sick leave (ESL) is used for short-term illnesses and is accrued over time by the employee. Employees can purchase group long-term disability coverage that replaces 60% of pre-disability income, with specified offsets for other benefits employees receive on account of disability.

Faculty and staff are eligible for two types of flexible spending accounts. 

Dependent Care Account

Health Care Account

529 Plan Offerings

FLEX is a comprehensive program that lets employees choose how to allocate benefits credits that the Institute provides as part of the total compensation package. Two types of benefit credits are available under FLEX:

  • Medical participation credits, which are used to purchase health care coverage. The credits vary depending on what type of health care coverage you elect. Employees must elect health care coverage through the Institute to receive the medical participation credits.

  • Basic credits, which are used to purchase your other benefits. To be eligible for benefits, employees must be regularly scheduled to work at least 20 hours a week. Credits are prorated for part-time employees.

 

Employees are eligible to establish a pretax reimbursement account for health care and/or dependent care expenses. The health care account yearly maximum is $3,000 (pretax), and the dependent care account yearly maximum is $5,000 per family (pretax).

Life/Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance

The Institute provides basic life insurance coverage. Employees can purchase additional life insurance and/or accidental death and dismemberment insurance to increase their level of coverage. Employees are also able to purchase coverage for spouse and/or dependents.

FLEX for Your Personal Benefit

FLEX is a comprehensive program that lets employees choose how to allocate benefits credits that the Institute provides as part of the total compensation package. Two types of benefit credits are available under FLEX:

  • Medical participation credits, which are used to purchase health care coverage. The credits vary depending on what type of health care coverage you elect. Employees must elect health care coverage through the Institute to receive the medical participation credits.

  • Basic credits, which are used to purchase your other benefits. To be eligible for benefits, employees must be regularly scheduled to work at least 20 hours a week. Credits are prorated for part-time employees.

Flexible Spending Accounts

Employees are eligible to establish a pretax reimbursement account for health care and/or dependent care expenses. The health care account yearly maximum is $2,650 (pretax), and the dependent care account yearly maximum is $5,000 per family (pretax).

The Institute offers a Retirement Savings Plan. After you meet the eligibility requirements, Mass General Brigham will also provide a 403(b) matching contribution of 100% on the first 2% of pay that you contribute each pay period. 

Traditional (pre-Retirement Plan) contributions are deducted from each paycheck before Retirement Planes are deducted. Because you use pre-Retirement Plan dollars to fund your investments, you reduce the amount of federal and state income Retirement Planes you pay now. Balances and their investment earnings grow on a Retirement Plan-deferred basis and are taxable later when you take distributions.

Roth contributions are deducted from the after-tax dollars in your paycheck -- so your weekly take-home pay will be less than with traditional contributions if you choose this option. However, while you pay income taxes now, which reduces your net pay, you will pay no taxes later when you receive qualified distributions from your retirement savings plan.

Choose either traditional contributions, Roth contributions, or both. You can start, stop, or change your contributions any time of year – not just when you are newly hired or during open enrollment.

403(b) Retirement Savings Plan (Log-in required)

Vacation and Time Off: Request form on the Intranet

Sabbatical/Leaves: See Faculty Handbook

Staff accrue earned time off based on years of service and standard hours. This bank of earned time is used for holidays, illness, vacation or personal days. New full-time employees earn up to 29 days annually (this is prorated for part-time employees). Observed holidays are taken out of employees’ earned time bank.

Faculty are awarded vacation and sick time based on the length of their contract. Vacation accruals and sick time accruals are pro-rated based on FTE.

Additionally, all Institute employees enjoy a reduced work schedule during the summer months with no effect on their earned time as well as additional time off around the holidays at the end of the year.

Employees working 20 or more hours per week are eligible for a public transportation subsidy, available through payroll deduction. To learn more, please visit their website.

We offer a Zipcar Discount program and BLUEBikes membership (code: RideMGHIHP). Learn more in Commuting & Getting Around.

All MGH Institute faculty, staff, students and alumni are eligible to join Harvard University Employees Credit Union.

The Institute provides discounts to employees at a few local fitness centers. Employees can received discounts at the Charlestown YMCA and the Harborview Health Club which are located in the Charlestown Navy Yard. Employees can also receive a discount at The Clubs at Charles River Park which is located behind the MGH’s main campus.

Be Fit

An MGH program for all aspects of keeping healthy and fit. The Institute organizes Be Fit teams

The Institute offers a PhD/Terminal Degree Tuition Reimbursement Program to full-time, benefit eligible employees, who are in good standing and have least 2 years of continuous service. This program is for employees who choose to participate in PhD/terminal degree programs outside of the Institute. Details about the eligibility, requirements, the level of reimbursement available, and how to apply for consideration are included in the policy on the IHP HR Intranet.

Payroll

Payday is Thursday for weekly paid employees (Institute Staff)

Payday is the 26th of the month* for monthly paid employees (Institute Faculty and Administration). 

*If the 26th is on a weekend or holiday, paychecks will be paid on the earliest business day after the 26th.

Direct Deposit Is Required: All new MGH Institute employees are required to use Direct Deposit. However, you will receive actual checks until your Direct Deposit arrangements have been set up (the process usually takes two weeks). Information on direct deposit is available in the New Employee Resource Guide and will also be discussed during your orientation.

Weekly Paid MGH Institute employees receive their pay check each Thursday. However, when an official MGH Institute holiday falls on a Thursday, payday moves back one day to Wednesday. (A list of holidays is available on the HR Intranet.)

The hours you work each week are recorded in an electronic timekeeping system (Kronos). If, upon checking your pay check, you believe there is a problem with your hours, please notify Human Resources. HR is authorized to work with the Payroll Department to correct any errors or omissions. For questions about your rate of pay, please contact your supervisor or your Human Resources Generalist.

Monthly Paid MGH Institute employees are paid their monthly salary each month. If, upon checking your pay check, you believe there is a problem with your pay check, please notify Human Resources. HR is authorized to work with the Payroll Department to correct any errors or omissions. For questions about your rate of pay, please contact your supervisor or your Human Resources Generalist.

Tuition Remission

 

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has made available tuition reimbursement for master's-degree-prepared, full-time Institute faculty who are returning to school to complete doctoral degrees. The maximum amount available is $2,000/year.

The course must be completed and the applicant must receive a grade of B or better (or Pass if the grading system is Pass/Fail).

The Tuition Remission Program is a tuition scholarship granted by the Institute to qualified faculty, staff, administration (referred to employees here after), and dependent children and non-dependent children (up to age 27) of qualified employees. The amount of the scholarship granted will depend on your eligibility status described later in this document.

The remission program covers tuition and tuition deposits only for classes taken at the Institute. Participating employees or dependents are responsible for all other fees. The Tuition Remission benefit is not available retroactively.

Tuition remission benefits are granted on a semester basis. For the purpose of the program, the two summer sessions are treated as one academic semester.

Information on current policy and eligibility may be obtained from the Institute's Human Resources Office. Faculty wishing to take advantage of this benefit should complete the Tuition Reimbursement Request form (password protected) before the end of the spring semester of the year prior to graduate study.

Employee Benefit

The Tuition Remission program is available to all employees who have completed one year of consecutive service with a FTE of 0.50 or greater. Rehired employees do not receive credit for prior service when establishing eligibility for tuition remission.

Full-time employees are entitled to 100% tuition remission for up to six credits per semester (maximum of 18 credits per academic year). The value of tuition remission may be taxable unless the courses are job related. The taxability of tuition remission will be determined each year in accordance with applicable federal law. The benefit is pro-rated based on the employee’s current FTE.

The tuition benefit is granted with the understanding that courses must be taken outside of regular work hours. Employees can not use their lunchtime, vacation or sick days to attend classes.

Tuition remission benefit continues while an employee is on an approved paid leave of absence or an approved sabbatical with pay. With prior approval, the benefit may be continued during an approved unpaid leave of absence taken for one of the following reasons:

  1. Research Purpose
  2. Military Service
  3. Other activities as may be approved by the Institute

If for any reason, other than those listed above, an employee takes an approved leave of absence without pay, the tuition remission benefit terminates for the duration of the leave.

Termination of Benefit

If your employment ends after the first class day of the semester, the benefit will continue until the end of the semester.

Applying for Tuition Remission

View the Institute's Tuition Remission Policy and ihphr [at] mghihp.edu (contact HR) with any questions.

Taxation of Benefits

Under current tax law, up to $5,250 in value for graduate tuition remission benefits for employees are, generally, not considered taxable income. Graduate tuition remission in excess of $5,250 per calendar year for employees and all graduate tuition remission benefits for dependents are generally subject to federal, state, and FICA taxation. As these regulations change frequently, this information is provided only to inform the employee of the possibility of taxation.

Dependent Children Benefit

Dependent children of employees who have completed five years of consecutive service with a FTE of 0.50 or greater are eligible to receive the tuition remission benefit upon verification of acceptance into a degree or certificate program at the Institute.

The total amount of the tuition benefit is pro-rated based on the employee’s current FTE. For example, the dependent child would receive 75% tuition remission for an employee with an FTE of 75%.

Charges for the application fee as well as other fees and costs associated with being a student at the Institute are not covered by the tuition remission benefit.

Dependent children must fall under the IRS definition of dependent children (Publication 501). When applying for tuition remission benefits, dependent children are required to file a current proof of dependency.

If the dependent child’s status change occurs during a semester which tuition remission is received, the benefit will end upon completion of that semester. The individual may then qualify for a partial remission as a non-dependent child of an employee.

Non-Dependent Child Benefit

Children who do not meet the IRS definition of a dependent are eligible for this benefit through their 27th birthday.

Non-dependent children of employees who have completed five years of consecutive service with an FTE of 0.50 or greater are eligible to receive 75% tuition remission benefit upon verification of acceptance into a degree or certificate program at the Institute. The total amount of the tuition benefit is pro-rated based on the employee’s current FTE.

If the child reaches the age of 27 during the semester, they will be covered by the benefit until the end of that semester.

Termination of Benefit

If your employment ends after the first class day of the semester, the benefit will continue until the end of the semester.

Applying for Tuition Remission

View the Institute's Tuition Remission Policy and ihphr [at] mghihp.edu (contact HR) with any questions.

Taxation of Benefits

Under current tax law, up to $5,250 in value for graduate tuition remission benefits for employees are, generally, not considered taxable income. Graduate tuition remission in excess of $5,250 per calendar year for employees and all graduate tuition remission benefits for dependents are generally subject to federal, state, and FICA taxation. As these regulations change frequently, this information is provided only to inform the employee of the possibility of taxation.

Additional Resources

The Mass General Brigham Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a workplace-based consultation, short-term counseling, information, and referral program for employees and their families, as well as students of the MGH Institute who may be experiencing difficulties that affect their personal lives of work performance.

The EAP offers assistance with all types of personal, family or work-related concerns.

The EAP provides consultation and training to the workplace regarding the impact and resolution of behavioral/mental health and productivity problems; and it provides consultation and crisis intervention to work groups.

The EAP provides free, confidential, and voluntary assessments, short-term problem focused counseling, and referrals for treatment or other assistance, including a monthly support group for those involved with elder care.

The main EAP office is at 175 Charles River Park at MGH, but they also have offices at different Mass General Brigham locations in the Greater Boston area, the North Shore, and on Cape Cod. The EAP provides on-campus counseling for students under the Student Assistance Program (SAP), which is located in the Student and Alumni Center in Building 39.

Call (866) 724-4327 to speak to a counselor. They are there to help.

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