Postdoctoral Benefits
Questions regarding benefits should be directed to [email protected]. For a leave of absence, please direct your questions to [email protected].
Medical
For Postdoctoral appointees participating in the Penn State employee healthcare plan, the per pay contribution rates follow the same salary-based schedule as faculty and staff. Premium contributions are based on your annual base salary (all employees as of September 30, 2023 or at time of hire). Your premium contribution amount is effective January 1 of the plan year, or at your time of hire mid-plan year, and will remain constant for the entire year, regardless of salary increases, decreases, position changes, or job transfers throughout the year. Also, appointments of irregular duration will be adjusted as deemed appropriate when the appointment is updated. You may use the Health care Premium Calculator to better estimate your premiums.
Additionally, brand new hires to the University will have benefit elections pro-rated based upon their hire date. If you have a current employee experiencing a job change, or an IRS qualifying lift event that causes your existing coverage to change in the middle of a pay period, the regular per pay benefit deductions will occur for the full pay period in which benefit elections or changes were made.
For more details regarding your plan options, please refer to Penn State's Health Insurance Information.
- All Postdoctoral appointees are eligible to enroll in the Lion Traditional plan
- J1 Visa holders and Postdoctoral fellows are not eligible to enroll in the qualified High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), Lion Advantage
Health & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
- Postdoctoral scholars are eligible to enroll in either or both accounts.
- Postdoctoral fellows are not eligible to enroll in either or both accounts.
Vision
For Postdoctoral appointees participating in the Penn State employee vision plan, the per pay contribution rates follow the same salary-based schedule as faculty and staff as outlined below.
| Coverage | Monthly |
|---|---|
| Individual | $1.05 |
| Employee + 1 or more | $3.47 |
Dental
The dental benefit for Postdoctoral appointees does not follow the faculty and staff benefits, but rather the Graduate student dental plan benefits. See the overview of Postdoctoral benefits for details regarding the coverage and per payroll contributions outlined below.
| Coverage | Monthly |
|---|---|
| Individual | $4.20 |
| Employee + 1 or more | $14.23 |
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Penn State’s EAP is a free, confidential employee and family resource to be used as a first line of defense for personal or work-related concerns for yourself, your family, or members of your household. Details of EAP are available at Employee Assistance Program webpage.
Life Insurance
As a new Postdoctoral Scholar appointee, you may elect to participate in the age-graded life insurance plan. Coverage can be elected in an amount that is equal to one times your annual stipend. Postdoctoral Scholar appointees only have one opportunity to sign up for the age-graded life insurance, which is during the new employee benefit election period at time of hire. Postdoctoral Scholar appointees are not eligible to elect optional spousal or dependent life insurance. This benefit is not available to Postdoctoral Fellow appointees. For more information, see Penn State life insurance webpage.
Supplemental Retirement Plan
Postdoctoral Scholar appointees are eligible to make tax-deferred contributions to a 403(b) tax-deferred annuity plan and/or a 457(b) deferred compensation plan. A Roth (post-tax) contribution option is also available on the 403(b) plan. Contributions to these supplemental retirement plans are in addition to and separate from contributions that are made to your mandatory Penn State retirement plan. This benefit is not available to Postdoctoral Fellow appointees. For more information, see Penn State supplemental retirement.