Compensation/Benefits

Compensation

Our team has worked diligently to develop a competitive compensation & benefits package for for all employees.  Through an extensive market survey and with School Board approval, we were able to:

• Implement a step increase and adjustment for every teacher
• Collaborate with Transportation staff to create a new Transportation Pay Scale
• Fully implement the Unified Pay Plan (UPP), consolidating multiple pay scales into one plan for all other classified positions.

Of course there is no dollar amount that could completely pay our employees for their dedication and sacrifice. We realize the value our teachers and staff and how they collectively enhance student success.  Compensation and benefits will be evaluated regularly to ensure we are in alignment with the market.

Benefits

The Dinwiddie County School Board continues to provide health, dental and vision options to full-time, contracted employees.  In an effort to minimize the impact of rising health costs, the board has opted to absorb a significant portion of the costs.

Employees enrolling in benefits should keep the following information in mind:

• Our benefit period runs from October 1 – September 30 of the following year.
• Premiums will be deducted on a pre-tax basis with the deduction(s) taken one month in advance.
• Eligible employees may enroll during the annual open enrollment period or within 30 days of a qualifying event. Official documentation is required for all qualifying events.
• New employees have 30 days from date of employment to enroll.
• Employees may include coverage for their spouse and dependent children up to the age of 26 at this current time.
• Employees who retire under the provisions of the Virginia Retirement System prior to age 65 shall be eligible to continue participation under certain stipulations.

Health Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance is offered to all full-time contracted employees with a portion of the premiums paid by DCPS.  Health, dental and vision are bundled into one package with 3 enrollment options: Single, Dual, or Family. Coverage is provided by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield for health and by Delta Dental for dental insurance. The Local Choice is accepted by 96% of providers nationwide. To view the plan options and documents, please click below.

BENEFITS PLAN & DOCUMENTS

VRS Benefits

• Retirement and Group Life Insurance for full-time contracted employees is provided through the Virginia Retirement System. There are three retirement programs: Plan 1, Plan 2, and the Hybrid Plan. Plan 1 and Plan 2 are defined benefit plans, while the Hybrid Plan combines the features of a defined benefit plan and a defined contribution plan. Membership in a particular plan is determined primarily by your hire date, but can also be determined by other factors. Employees contribute the mandatory employee share of 5% of their creditable compensation for retirement; DCPS pays the employer share of employees’ creditable compensation, which funds lifetime retirement.
• Life insurance benefits (through Minnesota Life) are paid 100% by DCPS for VRS eligible employees. The benefit is two times employees’ annual salary for natural death and four times annual salary for accidental death. Additional life insurance is available for purchase to increase the employee benefit, or to provide coverage for an employee’s spouse and/or children.

Optional Employee-Paid Benefits

Savings and Income Protection

• Optional life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance is available through Minnesota Life. This insurance will supplement the basic VRS group life insurance coverage. The plan offers the opportunity to purchase additional insurance at low group rates on the employee and, if desired, family members. New employees have 30 days from their date of employment to apply for optional insurance without having to verify evidence of insurability.
• 403(b) and 457(b) tax sheltered annuities are offered through DCPS and provide all contracted employees the opportunity to set aside money today on a pre-tax basis to build income for retirement. Several providers are approved for payroll-deducted TSA contributions. The School Division does not provide an employer match for these programs.

Supplemental Benefits

DCPS allows payroll deductions for various types of other coverage, including flexible spending accounts, life insurance, accident insurance, disability insurance, and more through vendors such as Aflac, American Fidelity, and/or Washington National. Depending on the coverage, the employee’s payroll deduction will be either pre- or post-tax.

Employee Leave Benefits

Sick Leave

Full-time contracted employees are eligible to earn sick leave days at the rate of one per contract month while part-time contracted employees earn at a rate of 0.5 days per month.

Accumulated sick leave balances for VRS Hybrid employees shall be no more than 60 days due to the paid disability benefit offered under the VRS Hybrid Plan.

Sick Leave Bank

• Provides full-time contracted employees with 45 days of additional sick leave (after a 30 day waiting period) in the case of the employee’s prolonged illness. Employees may enroll upon hire, or at the time of issuance of the next contract (a statement of good health from physician must accompany the application when past the 65th day of employment).
• Enrollment requires an employee to contribute two days of their sick leave.
• Employees participating in the VRS Hybrid Retirement Plan are not eligible for membership.

Personal Leave

Full-time contracted employees earn two personal leave days each year, cumulative to ten days.

Vacation Leave (formerly known as Annual Leave)

Full-time contracted 12 month employees (excluding teachers on extended contracts) are eligible to earn annual leave as follows:

This handout was designed to provide an overall summary of benefits offered through Dinwiddie County Public Schools. The contents are brief descriptions of benefits. Please see the written plan documents or DCPS employment policies for more information. For questions involving employee benefits, please contact Charles (Chris) Wells, Benefits Coordinator, at (804) 469-4190, or CWells@dcpsnet.org.