Employee Benefits
This site shares an overview of all employee benefits (health, dental, vision, life insurance, long term disability, and MoneyPlus) through The South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority (PEBA).
COBRA
COBRA is short for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985. This act requires that continuation of group insurance coverage be offered to covered persons who lose health, dental or vision coverage due to a qualifying event as defined in the act.
MyBenefits provides active employees, covered by the Public Employee Benefit Authority (PEBA) Insurance Benefits, with a newer, better, more convenient way to manage their benefits.
The Insurance Benefits Guide contains an abbreviated description of insurance benefits provided by or through the South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority.
Request replacement insurance cards for health, prescription, dental and vision benefits. You can also access your digital identification cards from the BlueCross, Express Scripts and EyeMed apps.
Open Enrollment
The Public Employee Benefit Authority (PEBA) Insurance Open Enrollment is October 1 - 31, 2021.
To view the Insurance Advantage and/or the MyBenefits Program go online to the Public Employment Benefit Authority (PEBA). You can make changes by accessing MyBenefits or check with your benefits administrator to schedule an appointment.
All changes elected during the October Open Enrollment will become effective January 1, 2022.
FMLA
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that provides up to 12 work weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a year time-frame for qualified employees. It requires that group health benefits be maintained at the expense of the Dorchester School District employee during the leave. Read the detailed FLMA Q&A to learn more.
South Carolina Retirement System (SCRS)
The South Carolina Retirement System (SCRS) is a defined benefit retirement plan for employees of state agencies, public and charter school districts, public higher education institutions, and other local subdivisions of government that have joined SCRS.
South Carolina Retirement Member Handbook
South Carolina Retirement Member Access
South Carolina Optional Retirement Program (State ORP)
The State Optional Retirement Program (State ORP) is a defined contribution retirement plan for employees of state agencies, public and charter school districts and public higher education institutions.
South Carolina Deferred Compensation Program (SCDCP)
The SCDCP offers 401(k) and 457 savings plans, both of which have a Roth option. These voluntary retirement savings plans can help you supplement your Retirement Systems’ pension or your State ORP savings. You can participate in both of these plans. There is no Employers’ contribution for any voluntary retirement savings plan. If you participate, you decide how much to have deducted automatically from your pay and where to invest your money among the mutual funds and other investment products offered. The investment earnings on your tax-deferred savings also grow tax-deferred. You don’t pay taxes on your account until you take it out of the plans. With the Roth option, you can make after-tax contributions today and generally take tax-free withdrawals at retirement. Employees will need to check with their payroll office to find out if this option is available to them. For more information about the SCDCP, call Great-West, the Program's record keeper and administrator, at 877-457-6263 or visit SCDCP's website.
Resignations and Retirements- End of the School Year Notice
Always notify your supervisor in writing if you are resigning, retiring, or transferring employment to another South Carolina school district or state agency. Your supervisor will submit the notification along with a Personnel Action Form to the Human Resources Department in order to process the official request.
Resignation
Submit a letter of resignation/retirement to your supervisor declaring your intent to resign or retire. An employee's benefits will end the first of the month following the last date of employment.
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)
Once the official notification of employment change has been processed, a Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) health care packet will be mailed to the employee’s home address listed on file with Dorchester School District Four's Human Resources Department. Please refer to the Public Employee Benefit Authority (PEBA) Insurance Benefits Guide and view the section on “When Coverage Ends.” The Insurance Benefits Guide can be located on the PEBA Insurance Benefits website which is www.peba.sc.gov or by calling the PEBA Insurance Customer Service toll free telephone number 888-260-9430 (press prompt #1 for insurance and then #7 for customer service).
COBRA is usually only necessary for those individuals not continuing on with other employment, securing full service retirement, or may have a lapse in employment.
South Carolina State Transfer
An employee transferring to another school district or state agency within South Carolina must notify Human Resources in writing as soon as possible. For insurance coverage to continue through the summer months with the South Carolina state plan, an employee will need to submit a copy of a contract or letter of agreement from the prospective South Carolina state employer to the Dorchester School District Four Benefits Department. Insurance coverage with the new South Carolina state employer will begin with the onset of the new contract year. Without proof of transfer to a new school district or state agency within South Carolina, an employee will have a break in health coverage due to the loss of insurance.
Full Service Retirement
Within 30 days of your date of full service retirement, you must review eligibility and complete the required documentation, please contact:
- South Carolina PEBA Retirement Customer Service website or call 888-260-9430.
- Dorchester School District Four Benefits Department at 843-536-4535.
PEBA Retirement TERI Program
Please note that the TERI Program ended on June 30, 2018
PEBA Retirement telephone 888-260-9430 and website .
Payroll Issues
Please contact the Dorchester School District Four's Payroll Department to inquire about sick leave, vacation days, W-4 form or changes, direct deposit or banking information, W-2 statements, federal and/or state tax questions, or pay check notifications or issues.
An extensive list of important phone numbers and websites.