Review the Spotlight on Your Benefits from DHRM for an overview of benefits, eligibility, enrollment information, changes for this year's coverage and more.

VMI offers eligible employees three distinct health insurance plans designed to meet individual needs and preferences. 

The COVA Care health insurance plan is administered through Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Virginia. The plan offers buy-up options to enhance the coverage provided under the basic plan. Out-of-network coverage is an optional benefit.

The COVA HealthAware health insurance plan is administered through Aetna and includes a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA). This plan also offers buy-up options to enhance the coverage provided under the basic plan, which does include out-of-network coverage.

The COVA HDHP (High Deductible Health Plan) provides benefits through the Blue Cross HealthKeepers HMO provider network worldwide, including Anthem providers and others in all 50 states. This plan is eligible for a Health Savings Account (HSA) through a financial institution of your choosing. 

*COVA = Commonwealth of Virginia

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Enrolling in a Plan

Once you have reviewed and selected your plan, please complete the State Health Benefits Program Enrollment Form For Employees.

This form must then be downloaded, signed, and submitted to VMI HR via our secure Box system.

All health plans offered to state employees and their dependents have employee assistance programs (EAPs). Included are up to four sessions at no charge for such services as mental health, alcohol or drug abuse assessment, child or elder care, grief counseling and legal or financial services. 

Enrolling in a health and/or dependent care flexible spending account (FSA) allows employees who are health plan members to set aside part of their salary on a pre-tax basis each pay period to pay for certain out-of-pocket expenses. You can use a health FSA to pay for medical, dental and vision care expenses not covered by your health plan. A dependent care FSA can be used to reimburse eligible child care or dependent(s) incapable of self-care expenses so that you and your spouse can work or actively look for work.

Life insurance helps protect your family from financial risk and sudden loss of income in the event of your death. Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance provides an additional benefit if you lose your life, sight, hearing, speech or your limbs in an accident. 

Group Life Insurance:

The group life insurance benefit for natural death is twice your annual salary.  The natural death benefit is doubled for accidental death. The group policy also includes benefits for accidental dismemberment and accidental loss of sight.  This coverage is at no cost to you. VMI pays the full premium for your group life insurance.   

Optional Group Life Insurance:

You may purchase additional coverage for yourself through the Optional Group Life Insurance Program. If you elect optional group life insurance coverage, you also may cover your spouse and dependent children. Optional group life insurance provides benefits for natural and accidental death or dismemberment. You pay the premiums through payroll deduction.  Proof of good health is not required at time of enrollment. You may enroll in Optional Group Life Insurance within 31 days of your employment date or a qualifying event, such as marriage or the birth or adoption of a child. 

VMI offers a group long-term disability insurance program. You may select 50 percent or 60 percent replacement of salary, which begins after a waiting period of 90 days of disability.  Your premium is based on age and salary.  You pay the full premium for this optional coverage.  You are guaranteed coverage if you enroll when you are first employed. A VMI-specific overview is available below and more information is available (for those in the VRS plan system) at varetire.org.

Virginia Sickness and Disability Program:

• Classified Employees - As a classified employee, you will be covered by the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP) through VRS after one year of full-time employment. VSDP provides income protection if you can’t work because of a non-work related or work-related illness, injury or other condition, such as surgery, pregnancy, complications from pregnancy or a catastrophic or major chronic condition.  Coverage in non-work related short-term disability coverage begins after one year of full-time employment. 
• Faculty with Hybrid Retirement Plan ONLY - If you elect the Hybrid Retirement Plan, you will be covered by the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP) through VRS after one year of full-time employment. VSDP provides income protection if you can’t work because of a non-work related or work-related illness, injury or other condition, such as surgery, pregnancy, complications from pregnancy or a catastrophic or major chronic condition. Coverage in non-work related short-term disability coverage begins after one year of full-time employment. 

Group-Long Term Disability Insurance :

• Classified Employees - VMI offers a group long-term disability insurance program through Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company (see below). You may select 50% or 60% replacement of salary. Salary replacement begins after a waiting period of 90 days of disability.  Your premium is based on age and salary. You pay the full premium for this optional coverage.  You are guaranteed coverage if you enroll when you are first employed. As a classified employee, you may decide to enroll during your first year of employment, before you qualify for disability coverage with VSDP.  
• Faculty with Optional Retirement Plan ONLY - If you elect the Optional Retirement Plan, you will not have any disability coverage through VRS.  As a result, VMI offers a group long-term disability insurance program through Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company (see below). You may select 50% or 60% replacement of salary.  Salary replacement begins after a waiting period of 90 days of disability.  Your premium is based on age and salary.  You pay the full premium for this optional coverage.  You are guaranteed coverage if you enroll when you are first employed.  

Have questions? Classified employees can contact Sandra Campbell, Human Resources Coordinator, 540-464-7134, campbellsw@vmi.edu and faculty (T/R and A/P) can contact Terry Wilhelm, Benefits Specialist, 540-464-7720, wilhelmtb@vmi.edu. 

Annual Leave - Full-time classified employees earn paid annual leave each pay period which can be taken for any purpose.  The rate at which annual leave is earned depends on the employee’s length of service with the Commonwealth. Employees may accumulate annual leave, but only a limited amount may be carried over from year to year, based on years of service. 

Sick Leave & Family/Personal Leave - New Employees hired on or after 1 January will receive an annual amount of Sick Leave and Family/Personal leave based on their first date of employment.  This leave cannot be carried over from year to year. On 10 January of each year, after your first year of employment, you will receive an amount of Sick Leave and Family/Personal leave based on your months of state service. You will be covered for non-work related disabilities after one year of continuous full-time employment under the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program. 

Additional information can be found in the Classified Employee Handbook on the Current Employees page.

Administrative and Professional Faculty members employed on 12-month contracts have 30 days of vacation leave per fiscal year (1 July – 30 June). The number of days of vacation leave per fiscal year will be prorated (2.5 days per month) for an Administrative and Professional Faculty member on less than a 12-month appointment and for an employee appointed during the fiscal year whose first fiscal year of service will be less than 12 months.

Additional information can be found in the AP Handbook on the Current Employees page.

Faculty are officially employed for a 10-month period commencing on 1 August and ending on 31 May. Those who wish to leave the Institute before 16 May or to return after 1 August must obtain permission from their Department Head, who will consult with the Dean and the Superintendent. Faculty normally have no duties during the scheduled furloughs of the Corps (Fall, Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring), though they may be required to remain in residence during those vacations to complete work necessary for the operation of the Institute.

Additional information can be found in the Faculty Handbook on the Current Employees page.

The VMI Employee Wellness Program educates, supports, and empowers employees to improve and maintain their overall health and well-being through healthy lifestyle choices and participation in free fitness programs.  Our studio offers free fitness classes to all employees and their spouses at lunch times and after work hours. Class offerings include Zumba, Total Body Training, Tai Chi, yoga and self-defense. VMI has a Weight Watchers Group that meets once a week on post.

For more details, please contact VMI's Procurement team. 

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CommonHealth is Virginia's employee wellness program, providing a variety of health and wellness programs and campaigns to state employees. These programs are designed to support healthy behavior changes and promote well-being in the workplace. CommonHealth is available to ALL employees, including part-time and wage employees, retirees and employee dependents 18+ years.

As a new teaching or administrative faculty member, you may select the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) Hybrid Plan or the Optional Retirement Plan for Higher Education (ORPHE). The employee contribution for either plan is five percent of your monthly gross salary. Plan contributions are based on your “base salary” contributions and do not include supplemental earnings for additional duties, or summer session teaching.

The Virginia Retirement System Hybrid Plan (VRS)
This plan is a combination of a defined benefit and a defined contribution plan. Your retirement benefit is determined by both the number of years of service accumulated in VRS covered positions, your age at retirement, the average of your five highest consecutive years of salary, and the gains and losses in your defined contribution account. In general, the defined benefit portion of the plan tends to produce a larger benefit for those employees who have long service with employers covered through VRS. Your contributions range from a minimum of five percent to a maximum of nine percent (if you choose voluntary contributions) of your gross salary.

Hybrid Retirement Plan Handbook for Members

The Optional Retirement Plan for Higher Education (ORPHE)
This plan is a defined contribution plan that has immediate vesting of contributions. The benefit at retirement is based on contributions paid into the plan and the gains and losses on those contributions. In general, a defined contribution plan, such as the ORPHE, will work best for those persons who have multiple employers during their careers.

ORPHE Handbook

ORPHE: Choose the Plan and Provider That's Right for You

Note: If you elect to participate in the ORPHE, you may change to another ORPHE provider, but not to the Hybrid Plan, during the open enrollment each October to be effective the following January.

As a new full-time, classified employee you are covered under the pension plan administered by the Virginia Retirement System (VRS). VMI makes a monthly contribution on your behalf to VRS. Your matching monthly contribution is five percent of your monthly gross salary. Supplemental retirement plans, with pre-tax contributions through employee payroll deduction, are available through tax-sheltered annuities.

The Virginia Retirement System Hybrid Plan (VRS)
This plan is a combination of a defined benefit and a defined contribution plan. Your retirement benefit is determined by both the number of years of service accumulated in VRS covered positions, your age at retirement, the average of your five highest consecutive years of salary, and the gains and losses in your defined contribution account. In general, the defined benefit portion of the plan tends to produce a larger benefit for those employees who have long service with employers covered through VRS. Your contributions range from a minimum of five percent to a maximum of nine percent (if you choose voluntary contributions) of your gross salary

Hybrid Retirement Plan Handbook

Voluntary Retirement Plans:
See Classified Staff Benefits Guide for more details.

Supplemental Retirement Annuities (SRAs)
VMI offers optional supplemental retirement annuity plans (covered under IRS code 403b) for employees who wish to take advantage of the tax savings and tax deferral benefits of these plans.

Deferred Compensation Plan (DCP)
The Commonwealth also offers a Deferred Compensation Plan through Voya/MissionSquare Retirement (covered under IRS code 457). Participants have the option of contributing pre-tax or after-tax earnings (Roth option) to the plan. Deferred Compensation Plan participants are also eligible for the “Cash Match Program” where VMI will provide a 50% match of your monthly contribution to a participating provider up to a maximum of a $40 match per month.

Employees serving as VMI Police are part of the Virginia Law Officers’ Retirement System (VaLORS), offered by the Virginia Retirement System (VRS). They are in Plan 2 if their membership date is on or after July 1, 2010, or before July 1, 2010, and they were not were vested (had less than five years of service credit) as of January 1, 2013.

Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System Plan 2 Handbook for Members