Samford University offers a comprehensive suite of benefits to promote health and financial security for you and your family. The Benefits Guide provides you with a summary of your benefits. Please review it carefully so you can choose the coverage that’s right for you.
Employee Benefits Guide
Generally, you are considered a full time, benefit eligible employee if you are in an eligible class and work at least 30 hours per week. Most of your benefits are effective on the first day of the month following your date of hire. You may enroll your eligible dependents for healthcare coverage once you are eligible. Your eligible dependents for healthcare include:
- Your legal spouse
- Your children up to age 26
- A child over age 26 who was incapacitated before age 26
Flexible Spending Accounts
Flexible Spending Accounts for Healthcare and Dependent Care are available to full time benefits eligible employees. With an FSA, the money you contribute is never taxed—not when you put it in the account, not when you are reimbursed with the funds from the account, and not when you file your income tax return at the end of the year.
Learn more about Health Equity.
Holidays
Samford provides a paid leave plan for eligible employees including, FMLA, sick days, vacation days, bereavement days and paid holidays.
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Spring Break Friday
- Easter Monday
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Wednesday before Thanksgiving
- Thanksgiving Day
- Friday after Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
Additional Holidays:
• 2024: Monday, December 23, 2024 through Friday, January 3, 2025 (Return to work on Monday, January 6, 2025)
• 2025: Monday, December 22, 2025 through Friday, January 2, 2026 (Return to work on Monday, January 5, 2026)
When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is normally observed as the holiday. When a holiday falls on a Sunday, the holiday is normally observed the following Monday.
Insurance
Samford University provides generous health, dental and vision insurance benefits for our full-time employees as well as optional life, accidental death and dismemberment and long term disability coverage.
Health and Welfare Plan
Medical & Dental
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama is our medical and dental provider. The plan is a PPO plan which allows participants to seek medical services from any doctor who participates in the BlueCard Preferred Provider Organization. Full time employees are eligible to participate in the plan upon hire. Benefits will be effective the first day of the month after hire.
We offer four tiers of coverage: individual, employee + children, employee + spouse, and family.
Vision
The VSP Vision Care Plan is an optional vision plan available to all full time employees of Samford. You do not have to be a participant in the Samford BCBS plan to participate in the VSP Vision Care Plan. If you are enrolled in the Samford BCBS plan, the VSP benefits would be in addition to the vision benefits provided in the BCBS plan. Once enrolled, simply tell your eyecare provider that you have VSP. No ID card is necessary and no ID card will be issued.
COBRA
COBRA is the Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1985 (Public Law 99-272, Title X). If you are a covered employee, COBRA allows you to temporarily continue coverage under the plan beyond the point at which coverage would otherwise end. COBRA coverage may be offered to each person who is a qualified beneficiary. By law, COBRA benefits are required to be the same as those made available to similarly situated active employees. If the plan changes for active employees, coverage will also change for those covered under COBRA. COBRA premium will be paid by the participant as a rate equal to the full cost of the coverage plus a two-percent administrative fee. Your cost may change over time, as the cost of benefits under the plan changes.
Other Insurances
Samford also provides life insurance, long term disability insurance, and AD&D insurance to full time benefits eligible employees. Optional life and AD&D insurance are available for purchase at group rates for full time employees and their family.
Retirement Plan
403(b) Retirement Savings Plan
Samford University’s 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan offers a convenient way to save for your future through payroll deductions. You may choose between investing with Fidelity or TIAA on either a traditional pre-tax or ROTH after-tax basis.
403(b) Retirement Plan Website User Guide
Pension Plan
The Samford University Pension Plan was frozen on December 31, 2020. Former participants in the Pension Plan will find information on the Pension Plan website.
Sam.Well Wellness Program
Samford University’s Wellness Program eligibility requirements need to be completed by November 30, 2023. Effective January 1, 2024, eligible employees that completed all wellness program requirements will receive a $300 annual ($25 per month) wellness discount on your Samford health insurance.
Wellness Platform
Tuition Benefit
Samford University provides an Employee Tuition Benefit (ETB) to eligible employees, retirees, their spouses, and dependent children, when they meet the University’s admission requirements.
The application for the academic year is now open. Please note that ETB applications are due no later than 2 weeks prior to the start of a semester.
Fall & Spring Application May Term & Summer Application
Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ Compensation Insurance helps pay for medical care and lost wages for employees that suffer work-related injuries or illnesses. All full-time and part-time employees, including faculty, staff, and student employees, are covered under this policy.
For serious or life-threatening injuries, immediately contact Public Safety at 205-726-2020. For non-life-threatening injuries, call Benefits at 205-726-2469.
Samford’s Workers’ Compensation providers are:
- For non-life-threatening injuries:
Samford MedHelp
800 Lakeshore Drive
Birmingham, AL 35209
- For life-threatening injuries or after-hours injuries:
Brookwood Hospital – Emergency Room
2010 Brookwood Medical Center Drive
Birmingham, AL 35209
Workers’ Compensation First Report of Injury
Other Benefits
- Samford employees in good standing with at least two years of continual full time service are eligible to apply for funding from the Employee Emergency Assistance Fund for qualifying emergency expenses. Apply here.
- Free admission to most home athletic events. Learn more.
- Employees receive a 10% discount on Samford Shop merchandise (excluding textbooks) with your current ID.
- Employees are recognized at our Annual Service Awards Luncheon for each five years of full-time service.
- You are welcome to use the University Libraries after your ID card has been activated by Human Resources.
- Most campus recreation facilities are available for employees. For more information, visit Campus Recreation.
- Employees are eligible for one free ticket to most Theater Productions. For more information, visit the Theater Box Office.
1095-C for 2024
In compliance with IRS Notice 2025-15, Form 1095 is available by request only since it is no longer needed for employees to complete tax returns. Please email benefits@samford.edu or call 205-726-2348 to request a copy of this form. Please allow up to thirty days to process your request although we will make the form available as soon as possible.
Retirement (403b) Forms
Employee Tuition Benefit (ETB) Forms
Health, Dental and Vision Forms
Life Insurance Forms
Health Equity Forms
Long Term Disability Forms
Family Medical Leave (FMLA) Forms
Summary Plan Documents
