Employment Benefits

A comprehensive and competitive employee benefits program is offered to eligible employees of Russell Sage College.

The college provides health insurance through Russell Sage College’s Health Insurance Plan. RSC is self-funded and uses Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan. This benefit also includes telehealth services including Doctor on Demand and mental health counseling telehealth services.

See CDPHP Summary of Benefits (PDF).

Eligibility: Full-time employment status. Coverage effective: first of month if date of hire falls on first day of month; otherwise, first of month following date of hire. Employee contributions to the health plan are based on salary level and type of coverage utilized. Deductions are taken on a pre-tax basis.

A voluntary dental plan is available through Delta Dental. Three plan levels are offered:

Eligibility: Full-time employment status. Coverage effective: first of month if date of hire falls on first day of month; otherwise, first of month following date of hire.

Medical Flex Spending Account (FSA) can be used for a variety of medical needs for employee and dependents. These may include prescription medications, co-pays, various over-the-counter medications and supplies. The 2025 max limit for FSA is $3,300 for the benefit year. $660 is eligible to be rolled over to 2026. Withholdings on FSA are done pre-tax.

Dependent Care (DSA) can be used for various expenses for children under the age of 13 including, childcare, summer camp, and transportation. DSA limit for 2025 is $5000. DSA cannot be rolled over to the next benefit year.

Eligibility: Full-time Employment Status

The college provides, at no cost to the employee, life insurance benefit at two times an employee’s salary up to $300,000. Accidental Death and Dismemberment is included in this protection plan.

Eligibility: Full-time employment status; first day of work

The college provides this income protection plan for an employee unable to perform their job after 180 days. The protection provides a disabled employee with 60% of the after-tax salary and will pay retirement plan premiums. The college provides this benefit at no cost to full-time employees.

Eligibility: Full-time employment status; first day of work

A comprehensive retirement plan (403b) through Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association/College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA/CREF) is available to employees after one year of employment and working at least 1,000 hours in one year. Some previous employment may satisfy these eligibility requirements, allowing an employee to enter the plan sooner; please contact Human Resources for more information.

Joining the plan, a participant agrees to contribute a minimum of 2% of their base biweekly pay, up to a maximum of 5% of their base biweekly pay, before taxes. Enrollment is required for participation and is automatic.

Full-time employees: Maximum of six credits per semester including summer sessions through Russell Sage College’s graduate school.

Note: Eligible employees are advised that graduate- and doctoral-level courses in which they enroll in using the Tuition Waiver Program may be reportable as wages and subject to withholdings if educational assistance benefits exceed the $5,250 threshold as stated in Section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Children of employees: Full, undergraduate tuition waiver within Russell Sage College.

Regular part-time employees who work a minimum of 20 hours per week may take a maximum of 3 credits including summer sessions through Russell Sage College’s graduate school. Eligibility requirements, same as stated above for full-time employees.

Tuition Exchange is a scholarship program and is not a guaranteed benefit. Sage participates in two national tuition exchanges, the Tuition Exchange and CIC Tuition Exchange. Both are nonprofit organizations that offer a full or partial scholarship to eligible children of employees. Acceptance into these aid programs is dependent on the host institution’s selection criteria and availability of exchange placements. Employees interested in finding out more about Tuition Exchange should contact the Russell Sage College Office of Human Resources.

The Employee Assistance Program is designed to provide confidential, professional counseling for problems that may adversely affect an employee’s work or personal life. Services are an employer-paid benefit, available to all employees and their immediate family members. In addition to counseling, the EAP provides valuable resources for every area of life including personal, financial and legal, family and relationships, and work and career.

*Full-Time Employment Status: an employee who regularly works 30 hours or more per week