Classified staff are employees of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) working in positions defined in accordance with the State Classified System.
The university provides classified staff with benefits to meet their needs and the needs of their families at every stage of employment.
Health coverage for classified staff working at least 80 hours per month begins on the first day of the month concurrent with, or following, the effective date of your date of hire. If your position begins after the first day of the month, your coverage will not begin until the first day of the following month.
Family and dependents are eligible to be added to the plan at the same time an employee elects coverage. For additional eligibility guidelines, review the overview section.
Coverage ends the last day of the month in which your employment ends.
Benefits-eligible employees can elect to participate in voluntary benefit programs. Enrollment with Public Employee Benefits Program (PEBP) health insurance is not required to enroll in any of these products.
Individuals become eligible for Medicare coverage when they turn 65. Enrollment is not required if enrolled in a group medical plan with the Public Employee Benefits Program (PEBP).
There are three medical plan options for you to choose from so you can find coverage that meets your needs.
Prescription benefits differ based on the medical plan you choose. The Statewide CDHP - PPO and Low Deductible PPO plan use Express Scripts and the HMO plan uses OPTUM Rx to manage prescription benefits.
Vision benefits, copays, and coverages differ based on the health plan that you choose. Most plans cover all or part of the cost of prescription eyeglasses or contacts on a bi-yearly basis.
Dental coverages are the same for all three medical care plans. Coinsurance rates differ based on whether your provider is in-network or out-of-network.
If you select the PPO - Consumer Driven Health Plan, you may choose a health savings account or a health reimbursement account to assist you in overing medical bills.
Annual leave for classified staff is based on their years of service to the university. New employees are eligible to use leave after six months of full-time service. Classified employees with a full-time equivalent (FTE) less than 100% FTE earn annual leave on a prorated basis.
Full-time classified employees earn annual leave at the following rates:
| Years of Service | Annual Leave |
|---|---|
| Less than 10 years | 10 hours each month |
| 10-14 years | 12 hours per month |
| 15 years or more | 14 hours each month |
Classified staff may request leave in a minimum of 15-minute increments. Time off requests are submitted through Workday. The “managing time off” job aid is available for those who need instructions.
Classified employees who accrue annual leave in excess of 240 hours (30 days) must use it on or before January 1 or it will be forfeited. To avoid forfeiture, request annual leave by October 15.
Annual leave in excess of the carryover limit requested by October 15 but denied by a supervisor is eligible for payment. Classified employees will automatically receive payment for unused leave by January 31. More information can be found in the State of Nevada Employee Handbook
If a classified employee separates from state service and has worked at least six months, they will receive payment for any unused annual leave.
Full-time classified employees accumulate 10 hours of sick leave per month. Part-time classified employees with a full-time equivalent (FTE) less than 100% FTE earn sick leave on a prorated basis. Sick leave may be used immediately after it is earned. Leave is paid time for:
The university offers extended paid sick leave (granted by the university president) for academic and administrative faculty members who have exhausted their sick leave and are unable to return to work.
Classified staff may request leave in a minimum of 15-minute increments. Time off requests are submitted through Workday. The “managing time off” job aid is available for those who need instructions.
Classified employees accumulate sick leave at the rate of 10 hours for each full month of service. After accumulating 720 hours of sick leave (90 days), the amount of additional unused sick leave which an employee is entitled to carry forward from one year to the next is limited to one half of the unused sick leave accrued during that year.
The other half of the unused sick leave is placed in a separate account called “sick leave bank” and is known as special sick leave. These additional hours are banked in December each year.
A classified employee who separates after a minimum of 10 years of service through no fault of their own is entitled to payment of accrued sick leave in excess of 240 hours (30 days) up to the following maximum amounts:
A classified employee who separates after a minimum of 10 years of service through no fault of their own is entitled to payment of accrued sick leave in excess of 240 hours (30 days) up to the following maximum amounts:
| Years of Service | Maximum Payoff Amount |
|---|---|
| 10-15 years | $2,500 |
| 15-20 years | $4,000 |
| 20-25 years | $6,000 |
| 25 or more years | $8,000 |
Additionally, an employee may be eligible to receive a portion of their unused sick leave accrued but not carried forward (also known as special sick leave) when they leave state service.
To determine the amount of payoff, the following formula can be used:
