Benefits of Working With Us

Employment with the state of Mississippi offers individuals numerous benefits, such as health insurance and generous leave benefits, commonly referred to as fringe benefits. Currently, MDHS burdens a fringe benefit cost of about 28 percent of a person’s cash compensation.

What does that mean for a MDHS employee? For example, if an employee is hired into a position that pays a cash compensation (salary) of $25,000 per year, they will receive $25,000 in pay through a full year of employment and MDHS will pay another $7,000 on their behalf for all of the fringe benefits.

Retirement

The state of Mississippi has one of the most stable retirement systems in the nation. An employee who works more than 20 hours per week, or more than 80 hours per month, will contribute a set percentage of their gross pay (currently 9 percent) to their retirement account each pay period. The state contributes an amount roughly 75 percent greater (currently 15.75 percent of gross pay) than the employee contribution to each employee’s retirement account each pay period.

The amount that each employee contributes during his/her employment is refundable upon resignation or termination. The employer contribution is not refundable.

• If hired before July 1, 2007, an employee will be fully vested in the retirement system after four years of service and may retire with full benefits after 25 years of service at any age. If hired after July 1, 2007, an employee is vested after eight years of service.
• If an employee is hired after July 1, 2011, the employee must work for 30 years to retire at any age with full benefits.

Any vested employee may receive full retirement benefits when he/she reaches age 60. For more information, please visit the Public Employees Retirement System website

Life & Health Insurance

Employees of the state of Mississippi are eligible to participate in the State and School Employees’ Life and Health Insurance Plan. The Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration handles the day-to-day administration of the plan through the Office of Insurance. The plan is a self-insured plan which currently holds a contract with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Mississippi. More information about the specifics of the Plan may be found at the Department of Finance and Administration website.

An employee is eligible to enroll in the plan if he/she participates in the state of Mississippi Retirement Plan and works more than 20 hours per week for 12 months or its equivalent. All employees must enroll in the plan or waive coverage. Enrollment in the plan is effective on an employee’s first day of employment; however, an employee must complete his/her enrollment paperwork within 31 days of his/her hire date. Additionally, there is an annual Open Enrollment period every October for coverage effective the following January 1.

Benefits of the State and School Employees’ Life and Health Insurance include the following:

1. Network Health Plan which:

*provides for In-Network and Out-of-Network coverage.

*provides for Out-of-Area Participants (living outside the state of Mississippi).

1. Well-Child Care.
2. Emergency Care.
3. Specialty Services not available In-Network (may be approved through Utilization Review).
4. Lifetime Maximum Benefit of $1,000,000.
5. Prescription Drug Plan.
6. High deductible option which qualifies for HCRA plans.

Deferred Compensation

Deferred Compensation is a supplemental, voluntary savings plan administered by the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) Board of Trustees offering tax advantages to participants. Employees who choose this plan may set aside part of their salary each year. Income tax liability is postponed on that part of the salary until the year in which the employee actually receives the deferred amount. Interest and/or earnings also are tax deferred until withdrawal. For more information, please visit the Public Employees Retirement System on the web.

Cafeteria Plan

MDHS currently offers this tax savings mechanism to its employees as an optional benefit. A Section 125 Plan, also legally known as a “cafeteria plan,” allows employees’ health, life, dental, vision care, prescription drugs, disability contributions and deposits to flexible spending accounts to be made with pretax dollars.

Life Insurance & Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)

The plan provides for Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance. An employee’s group term life insurance amount is equal to two times his/her annual salary, then rounded up to the next highest thousand. The minimum amount of life insurance is $30,000 and the maximum amount is $100,000. The plan also provides an AD&D benefit to eligible employees at no additional cost. The premium rate for the plan’s group term life insurance is $.30 per thousand dollars of coverage. The state pays for half of this premium and the employee is responsible for paying the other half. For more information, please visit the Department of Finance and Administration website.

MDHS Employee Federal Credit Union

Employees of MDHS are eligible to join the MDHS Employee Federal Credit Union. This credit union is a full-service institution offering services from traditional savings accounts to loans.

Dental/Vision Care

MDHS currently offers employees the option to elect dental and/or vision coverage for themselves and dependents at competitive rates and coverage levels.