Knox College provides comprehensive benefits for salaried and hourly employees. A summary of these benefits is presented here. Full details of retirement programs are provided in separate plan documents. For information or questions concerning retirement and other benefit programs, contact Becky Canfield at 309-341-7137.

The College reserves the right to amend or discontinue any of these programs at any time.

Retirement Plan
Tuition Benefit Plan
Leave Programs
Vacation
Flexible Benefit Plan
Holiday Schedule
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Other Benefits

Retirement Plan
This program provides benefits-eligible employees with the option to invest their retirement funds in TIAA-CREF, which offers 10 investment options. The College contributes 6 percent of your basic annual salary. The regular employee contribution is 5 percent of your annual salary. The total contributions (College and employee) are immediately vested.

Employees may enter into a tax-deferred annuity agreement that is within the limits of Sections 403(b) and 415 of the Internal Revenue Code. Under this arrangement, the employee may make contributions to TIAA-CREF on a before-tax basis, thereby lowering current taxable income.

The waiting period for this benefit is two years and attainment of age 21. Two years of service at another institution of higher education will satisfy the service requirement. This benefit is mandatory after six years and attainment of age 35. For more information regarding IRAs, SRAs, RAs and Roth accounts or to access your account, contact TIAA-CREF.

Enrollment in this program is handled by the Human Resources Office. Contact Becky Canfield at 309-341-7137 for more information.

Tuition Benefit Plan
A.  Eligibility
Full-time faculty and staff are eligible for all benefits in the Tuition Benefit Program on the date their employment begins.

Part-time employees who regularly work 866 hours per year are eligible for all benefits in the Tuition Benefit Program on the date employment begins.

Eligible faculty and staff who have completed 10 years of service and attained age 55 prior to retirement are eligible for all benefits in the Tuition Benefit Program.

Dependents, as defined below, of eligible faculty and staff who die or become permanently disabled while employed and have completed 10 years of service, are eligible for all benefits in the Tuition Benefit Program.

B.  Dependents
Dependents shall include the partner/spouse, and any natural, adopted, or step child who is dependent upon the employee for at least one-half of his or her financial support or is claimed as a dependent on the employee's tax return.

C.  Benefits
1. Tuition Remission at Knox: On-Campus 
Dependents of eligible employees receive full tuition remission at Knox. To receive this benefit, dependents must qualify for admission. The tuition benefit does not cover activity fees, room charges, board charges, or mini-term tuition. If the student is a full-time Knox degree seeking student, the student is required to apply, by the due dates, for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant, the federal Pell grant, and any other external-source tuition grants for which the student is eligible. If a student qualifies for any conflicting grant/scholarship, that is, it may only be used to cover tuition and fee charges, such as the ISAC MAP grant, the tuition benefit will be adjusted appropriately by the Financial Aid Office. If a student qualifies for any grant/scholarship that stipulates it may be used to cover other educational expenses besides tuition and fees, the grant will not offset the tuition benefit, unless the total of those awards exceeds the Financial Aid Office's estimate of those other expenses, i.e. room and board, books, supplies.

A benefit recipient who demonstrates financial need in excess of tuition will be offered a financial aid package composed of grants (excluding Knox Gift Aid), work and /or educational loans comparable to current financial aid policies.

2. Tuition Remission at Knox: Off-Campus
Full tuition remission is available for dependent children (not partners/spouses) who are Knox degree seeking students and enrolled in one of the Knox off-campus programs in Barcelona, Buenos Aires and Besancon.

Partial remission of tuition is available for up to one year of approved off-campus study in a non-Knox program (listed in the College Catalog) for dependent children (not partners/spouses) who are Knox degree seeking students. This benefit is limited to 50% of Knox tuition for a one year program; for programs of less than one year the benefit will be prorated. The benefit is in addition to any external (state, federal, or other) tuition grants/scholarships for which the student may be eligible, provided the total of the grants/scholarships does not exceed 100% of Knox's on-campus tuition.

3. Tuition Remission Exchange Program (TREP): ACM Colleges
Many of the colleges in the Associated Colleges of the Midwest participate in a tuition remission exchange program under which dependent children (not partners/spouses) may attend one of the participating colleges, if they qualify for admission. In the fall of 2008, the participating ACM college the student attends will provide 60% tuition remission. In the fall of 2009, the participating ACM college the student attends will provide 50% tuition remission. In addition, Knox will provide a benefit up to the full Knox tuition, or 90% of the importing institution's tuition, whichever is greater.  Participating ACM Colleges include: Beloit, Coe, Colorado, Cornell,Grinnell, Knox, Lake Forest, Lawrence, Macalester and Ripon.

Because policies may vary among colleges, a Knox participant should investigate other college policies, e.g. number of terms of eligibility, financial aid application requirements, and housing requirements before making a college choice. Contact should be made with the Knox College Office of Human Resources at least nine months prior to a student's first year enrollment, to obtain a copy of the TREP guidelines and a list of participating colleges.

4. Tuition Assistance at Other Colleges: $500 Grant
A benefit of up to $500 per year is provided toward tuition costs per dependent child (not partners/spouses) attending accredited educational institutions other than Knox and not part of the ACM.

5. Employees Taking Courses at Knox
Eligible employees may take one course per term with full tuition remission. Enrollment is contingent on space available in the class. Regular full-time degree seeking students have priority for classes. Arrangements should be made with the employee's supervisor before enrolling, with consideration given to work schedules and staffing of the department. Release time with pay is given to attend the class. All other work related to the class, such as library research, computer, lab, and any other assignments are to be done outside of work hours. Employees are not expected to make up the class time, but they are expected to get their job done and keep their work caught up without burdening other employees.

6. Employees Taking Courses at Other Colleges
Eligible employees may receive up to $500 per year toward the tuition cost at accredited educational institutions other than Knox, if the course work counts toward a baccalaureate degree or post-secondary certificate program. Release time from the employee's regular schedule is not included in this benefit.

Administration of the Tuition Benefit Program
The program is administered by the Director of Human Resources. Employees wishing to participate should contact the Personnel Office for assistance and information. A Request for Tuition Benefits form is required for anyone using any benefits in the program.

The Board of Trustees reserves the right to change or terminate any of these benefits at any time in the future.

To request a Tutition Benefits form or additional information please contact Becky Canfield at (309) 341-7137.

Leave Programs
Bereavement Leave
All benefits-eligible employees may take the following bereavement leave:

• Up to five days off with pay in the event of the death of a partner/spouse, parent, step-parent, sibling, child, step-child or grandchild
• Three days off with pay in the event of the death of a parent-in-law, step-parent-in-law, grandparent or step-grandparent
• One day with pay may be taken in the event of the death of other relatives

Time off without pay to attend funerals of close friends and neighbors may be taken. Personal leave or vacation may be used for this purpose.

New Parent Leave
All benefits-eligible employees who are birth mothers will receive up to 10 weeks of paid leave following the birth of a baby. Benefits-eligible employees other than birth mothers who become parents shall receive up to five weeks of paid leave to be used within four months following the birth or adoption of a child.

Personal Leave: Hourly Employees
Full-time employees are given three personal days each year. These days are accrued the first payroll of the year and must be used by the end of the year. If not used, the personal time is lost. These days are pro-rated during the employee's first year of service and are accrued after the employee's probationary period. Ten-month employees receive two personal days per year.

Floating Holidays: Hourly Employees
As the College is open on Memorial Day and Labor Day, employees are given two floating holidays each year to use at their discretion. These days are included in the employee's personal leave accrual each year and are subject to the same rules as personal leave.

Sick Leave: Hourly Employees
All benefits-eligible employees accrue one day of paid sick leave per month. The maximum accumulation is 130 days (equivalent of 6 months of working days).

Donating Sick Leave:  Hourly Employees
Hourly employees are allowed to donate time from their accrued sick leave to a "sick leave pool." To donate time to the pool, you must have a minimum of 40 sick leave days accrued. Up to 10 days per year may be donated, and an authorization form must be signed.

To receive time from the pool, you must have a catastrophic or emergency situation requiring extended leave. All of  your leave time must be exhausted and a request must be submitted in writing and required documentation must be provided.

Unused Sick Leave:  Hourly Employees:
On January 1 of each year, employees may roll over up to three days of unused sick leave to personal leave when the following conditions are met: a) the employee has used less than six days of sick leave in the prior year, and b) the employee has a minimum of 40 sick days accrued.

Sick Leave: Salaried Employees
There is no formal sick leave plan for salaried employees. The maximum paid sick leave is six months; this may be pro-rated according to years of service.

Vacation
Vacation Leave: Hourly Employees
The amount of vacation an employee can accrue is based on your years of service at Knox College. Your vacation balance will never go beyond the maximum, which is 1.5 times your normal vacation hours per year. Once your vacation does reach the maximum, you will no longer accrue vacation time until the balance falls below the maximum. It is your responsibility to make sure that your vacation balance does not reach the maximum.

Vacation Leave:  Salaried Employees
The vacation schedule is 20 days per year for 12-month employees; vacation is pro-rated for employees who work less than 12 months.

Flexible Benefit Plan
Under Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code, benefits-eligible employees are allowed to pay for certain expenses with "before-tax" dollars. This means you do not pay federal and state income tax or social security tax on dollars deducted from your pay for the Flexible Benefit Plan.

There are three options offered under the Flexible Benefit Plan. Employees may elect to participate in any one or all three options.

Option 1: Insurance Premiums may be tax sheltered. Employees must elect or decline this option.

Option 2: Medical Expense Reimbursement allows employees to set aside up to $5,000 to pay for medical, dental, and vision expenses on a "before-tax" basis. The amount elected is deposited into a personal account and reimbursement is made from that account for expenses that are not covered by insurance.

Option 3: Child Care Reimbursement allows you to pay for child care needed while you are at work, deducting the cost from your pay on a "before-tax" basis. The dollars are deposited in an account and reimbursed upon request after the expense is incurred. The limit for reimbursement is $5,000.

You can access your flexible spending account at Benefit Administrative Services.  

Holiday Schedule

* As the College is open on Memorial Day and Labor Day, employees are given two floating holidays each year to use at their discretion. For hourly employees, these days are included in personal leave accrual each year and are subject to the same rules as personal leave.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Employees and their family members may receive counseling for a wide range of personal problems, including marriage and family problems, alcoholism, drug abuse, financial problems, eating disorders, stress, depression and anxiety.

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides up to five hours of assessment and counseling at no cost to Knox employees. Services are provided by Advanced Behavioral Health, which is staffed by experienced healthcare professionals who are trained in providing objective direction and guidance. EAP counselors may be reached by calling 309-342-6852.

It is important to know that these services are completely confidential; no one at the College knows the identity of any employee who uses this program. If you have any questions in general regarding the EAP, you may contact Becky Canfield at 309-341-7173 or contact Advanced Behavioral Health directly at 309-342-6852.

Other Benefits
Attendance at College Functions
All employees may attend Knox College athletic events, plays, concerts, special events, etc. by presenting their Knox ID card.

Facilities Use
All employees have access to Knox facilities. Use of facilities includes the pool, tennis courts, track, weight room, athletic courts, library, etc. (some restrictions may apply).

Faculty/Staff Accounts
A faculty/staff charge account is available to all employees. This account can be used to purchase meals from the dining service, merchandise from the bookstore, personal phone calls and services of the mailroom.

Employees are expected to pay their faculty/staff accounts on a monthly basis. If the balance of an employee's account exceeds $150, the employee will be notified to sign up for payroll deduction.

Green Oaks Biological Field Station
Green Oaks is located near the Spoon River in western Knox County, about 20 miles east of the Knox campus. Both a research and recreation area, Green Oaks encompasses 760 acres of forest, grassland and aquatic habitat and includes the second-oldest restored tall-grass prairie in North America. Its trails lead through stretches of uncut native forest, past centuries-old oak trees, and along placid lakes and ponds where strip mines once scarred the land. Any member of the Knox community may hike along its well-marked trails, fish in its ponds, or stay overnight in its camping area.

Heritage Credit Union
Knox College offers payroll deductions through Heritage Credit Union for loans, mortgages, checking, savings, Christmas Club and investments. Heritage Credit Union is located on 1980 National Blvd., which is just off North Henderson Street. Phone 309-344-2001 for more information.