The Standard

Beginning July 1, 2024, USU will have a new provider, The Standard, for short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance. For more than 100 years, The Standard has been dedicated to its core purpose: to help people achieve financial well-being and peace of mind. The Standard is a nationally recognized provider of group employee benefits.

Current enrollment in short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance will transfer from The Hartford to The Standard, so no action is needed on your part unless you want to make changes.

New Employee

As a new employee, you will be eligible and enroll in this life and disability insurance through an online enrollment form. New employees are sent an email that links them to a benefit orientation, and within the benefit orientation, an employee will be provided with a link to the online enrollment form. A new employee should be aware that there is a guaranteed issue opportunity they will have with their life insurance elections. The guaranteed issue allows a new employee to elect up to a certain amount in life insurance coverage for themselves and a spouse without having to complete an Evidence of Insurability (i.e. a health questionnaire) form. New employees will also need to declare their beneficiaries of the life insurance policies. A new employee will have 30 days from their date of hire to enroll in their life insurance and if they miss that window their next opportunity is open enrollment.

Open Enrollment

Open enrollment is held in May and is an opportunity to make changes to life insurance. An employee's only other time to make changes to their life and disability is if they experience a life event.

Life Event (Special Enrollment period)

If you experience a qualifying life event, you, your spouse, and eligible children may enroll or make changes to your life insurance within 30 days of the effective date of the event. A life event is:

• Marriage
• Birth/Adoption
• Divorce
• Death
• Loss of Coverage
• Change in Employment Classification from part-time to full-time or from full-time to part-time

To make changes, contact the Human Resources office at (435) 797-0122.

Beneficiary Changes

Beneficiary changes can be made anytime during the year. To make changes complete the Beneficiary Designation form.

Employee Separating Employment from USU

How It Works - The Portability option allows terminating employees to continue their life insurance coverage under a separate group policy. This means you can take your coverage with you at a reasonable group rate when you leave your job.

The Standard will mail a letter to your home address after terminating with the University. This letter will contain all the information you need to set up the Conversion and Portability.

If you need assistance or have questions call HR Solutions Center (435) 797-0122.

Life Insurance

Life insurance helps take care of your family if something happens to you. It can help your loved ones get through a difficult time and pay for important things, like a home or college plans. Additional Life insurance can protect the people you care about if you’re no longer here to provide for them. They can use the payout to help pay expenses like funeral and medical costs, or housing, college tuition and child care. USU offers several life insurance options for you and your family:

• Employee Basic Term Life Insurance – The university pays the premium for Basic Life Insurance of one times your annual salary (up to $250,000) rounded to the next higher $1,000, if not already a multiple of $1,000.
• Dependent Basic Life Insurance – You may enroll in Dependent Basic Life Insurance for $0.50 per pay period, which provides $10,000 of coverage for your spouse and $5,000 for qualified children.
• Employee Supplemental Life Insurance – You may enroll in supplemental life insurance for yourself in increments of $10,000 to a maximum of $1.5 million. As a new employee, if you enroll in any amount over $500,000, evidence of insurability will be required. Please refer to table below for premiums.
• Spouse Supplemental Life Insurance – You may enroll your spouse in supplemental life insurance in increments of $10,000 to a maximum of $250,000. During this open enrollment period, if you enroll in any amount over $20,000, evidence of insurability will be required. Please refer to table below for premiums.
• Child Supplemental Life Insurance - You may enroll your children in supplemental life insurance in increments of $5,000 to a maximum of $20,000. Please refer to table below for premiums.

Short-term Disability

Short Term Disability insurance can replace part of your income if a disability keeps you from working for a short time (120 days or less). It pays you 66.67% of your salary directly to help cover expenses during recovery, like housing, food and child care. The employee premium for short-term disability coverage is $2.25 per pay period.

If you do not enroll in short-term disability as a new employee, you will have another opportunity during open enrollment. Enrolling during open enrollment means you will be subject to an Extended Benefit Waiting period of 60 days during the first 12 months of coverage for disability caused by: physical disease, pregnancy, or mental disorder.

If you would like to opt out of the Short-term Disability coverage, do the following:

• Fill out the Short-term Disability opt out form
• Return it to HR
  • by emailing HR@usu.edu
  • or upload it to Box

Long-term Disability

Long Term Disability insurance can help pay the bills if you become disabled and can’t work for an extended period. That could be a few months or several years. This coverage helps replace part of your paycheck by paying 66.67% of your pre-disability salary, which can help you protect your lifestyle and savings. USU pays the full premium for long-term disability insurance.