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Benefits & Welfare
Know Your Benefits
ERS, TRS or ORP….which one am I enrolled in and for what????
What does my health insurance have to do with retirement....?
If you have health, dental, long term disability and/or any other optional benefits you are
enrolled in the State's insurance program administered by the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS). However, for TWU…that’s where ERS coverage stops. When viewing the ERS website keep in mind that references to “retirement” plans or benefits other than retiree insurance do
not apply to TWU employees. Retiring TWU employees that elect retiree insurance go through ERS for enrollment. From time to time, ERS will mail publications to all ERS members. These are generally mass mailings that are usually not agency specific.
You can disregard articles about ERS retirement.
Do I have an HMO or PPO....?
Neither. The Dallas, Denton and Houston areas have
BDBS/HealthSelect which is a POS (Point of Service) plan.
ERS serves many different state agencies within Texas, so other
areas of the State have HMO alternatives to the POS.
Exactly who do I have my retirement through....?
Retirement eligible employees are those who are employed in a position that is
non-temporary, at least 50% FTE (at least 20 hours every week) and expected to last 4.5 months or longer. All employees who fall in this category are required to participate in Teacher Retirement System (TRS), unless an exception to TRS membership applies. An Optional Retirement Program (ORP) is available for certain full-time professional and administrative employees in lieu of TRS.
What if I don't know which retirement I'm in.....?
Call or email the benefits office any time. We can
tell you if you are in TRS or ORP.
What if I want to contribute more to my retirement.....?
The employee and employer contribution rates
are set by the State and are non-negotiable. However, you can enroll in a Tax Deferred Annuity (TDA) and/or a 457 Deferred Compensation. Refer to the retirement section on the TWU Benefits home page for details.
