Prospective Employees

Note: You may enroll yourself as well as any spouse, domestic partner, or dependents in State health coverage.

Medical

The State’s medical plan is administered by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI). State employees can choose among three plans: Anchor, which has moderate deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums (OOPMs), Anchor Plus, which has lower deductibles and OOPMs but higher co-shares than the Anchor Plan, and Anchor Choice with HSA, which has the highest deductibles and OOPMs but lowest co-shares and paired with a health savings account (HSA) that the State contributes toward.

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Prescription

The State's prescription plan is administered by CVS Caremark. Prescriptions can be filled at any of the 68,000+ in-network pharmacies nationwide, and medication can be delivered to your home, office, pharmacy or a location of your choice via the CVS Caremark Mail Service Pharmacy.

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Dental

The State’s dental plan is administered by Delta Dental of Rhode Island. State employees can choose among three plans: Anchor Dental, a base dental plan with generous coverage, or the two buy-up options, Anchor Dental Plus and Anchor Dental Platinum that offer extra member-paid dental benefits. All three plans offer 100% coverage for sealants for children under age 14 as well as coverage for dependents up to age 26 (no student certification required).

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Vision

The State of Rhode Island’s vision plan is administered by VSP. State employees can choose between two plans: Anchor Vision, a base vision plan, and Anchor Vision Plus, the buy-up option that offers higher frame and contact lens allowances. Under both plans, annual vision exam is fully covered, and discounts are available on a wide range of lenses and frames. Dependents are covered up to age 26 (no student certification required).

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Flexible Spending Accounts

The state offers health care flexible spending account (FSA) options to employees as a way to decrease out of pocket payments for qualified medical, prescription, dental and vision expenses. Under a provision of the Internal Revenue Code, employees are allowed to payroll deduct a portion of their gross income on a pre-tax basis for the payment of their health care expenses. Using pre-tax dollars to pay for out of pocket health care expenses can reduce your costs by 30% or more depending on your tax bracket.

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Dependent Care Spending Accounts

A dependent care spending account (DCSA) allows you to set aside money from your paycheck pretax to pay qualified child day care expenses and, in some cases, elder care expenses. When you pay less in taxes, you have more money in your paycheck. Most people save at least 30 percent on each dollar set aside pretax.

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Deferred Compensation (457 Plan)

A 457 plan—one component of the broader retirement saving plans offered by the Employees’ Retirement System of Rhode Island—allows employees to accumulate tax-deferred savings for retirement. Employees can elect automatic payroll deductions, subject to the annual maximum contribution. Employees may enroll in a 457 Plan through any of the three providers: Fidelity, TIAA, and VOYA.

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Life Insurance

Eligible State of Rhode Island employees may purchase basic and supplemental life insurance from The Hartford through payroll deduction. 

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Legal Services

State of Rhode Island employees may purchase pre-paid legal services from MetLife Legal via nominal payroll deductions. By enrolling in legal coverage, employees will have access to telephone and office consultations with an attorney of their choice for an unlimited number of personal legal matters such as estate planning, family law, and elder law.

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Short-Term Disability Insurance

State of Rhode Island employees may elect to purchase short term disability insurance and/or critical illness policies from AFLAC (available to all employees) or Colonial Life (available to members of select unions) through payroll deductions.

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CollegeBound Saver

State of Rhode Island employees have access to the CollegeBound Saver program, which gives families a simple way to save for rising college and vocational school costs with special features including tax advantages and flexible investment choices.

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RIPTA Transit Passes

State of Rhode Island employees may purchase daily or monthly RIPTA passes on a pre-tax basis via payroll deductions.

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As part of its dedication to total employee wellness, the State offers a variety of programs and resources to help employees lead a healthy and full life.

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Vacation Time

Sick leave

• Employees whose work week is 35 hours, non-standard or non-standard/non-exempt shall accrue 4 hours for each bi-weekly period of service to a maximum balance of 875 hours
• Employees whose work week is 40 hours shall accrue 5 hours for each bi-weekly period of service to a maximum balance of 1,000 hours

Personal leave

On January 1st of each year, the State shall credit each employee hours equivalent to 4 working days leave with pay per calendar year, to be used for personal business and/or religious observance. Request for the discharge of personal leave must be approved in advance in accordance with office policy.

For the first calendar year of employment, employees hired between the dates shown below shall receive hours equivalent to:

• January 1–March 31: 4 days
• April 1–June 30: 3 days
• July 1–September 30: 2 days
• October 1–December 31: 1 day

Holidays

Please see the State calendars on the Division of Human Resources website.

Health Benefits

The State offers health benefits to qualifying State retirees and their dependents. Premium subsidies are available based on age and years of State service.

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Pension Benefits

The State offers a hybrid retirement plan comprised of a defined benefit plan and a defined contribution plan:

Defined benefit plan

The State's defined benefit plan is a mandatory pension plan administered by ERSRI. Key features of this plan include*:

• Contribution rate (percent of salary): 3.75% from employee; employer contribution rate varies based on the plan's actuarial valuation.
• Fully vested after 5 years of State employment (i.e., employees will be entitled to a future pension benefit upon reaching retirement eligibility even if they leave State service prior to retirement).
• Pension benefits for employees are calculated based on the years of service worked and their highest average 5 years of salary.

* Applicable to most State employees hired on or after 7/1/2012.

Defined contribution plan (401(a) Plan)

The State's 401(a) Plan is a mandatory retirement plan administered by TIAA. Key features of this plan include*:

• Contribution rate (percent of salary): 5% from employee, 1% from employer.
• Vesting: Employee contributions are immediately vested; employer contributions vest after 3 years of State employment.
• Ability to log in to TIAA immediately following the first paycheck to select investment options and update beneficiary information.
• Complimentary appointments with a financial advisor to discuss retirement goals and other financial planning needs.

Please visit ERSRI for full information regarding pension benefits

Deferred Compensation (457 Plan)

A 457 plan—one component of the broader retirement saving plans offered by the Employees’ Retirement System of Rhode Island—allows employees to accumulate tax-deferred savings for retirement. Employees can elect automatic payroll deductions, subject to the annual maximum contribution. Employees may enroll in a 457 Plan through any of the three providers: Fidelity, TIAA, and VOYA.

Click here to learn more