Enrolling in benefits can be both exciting and overwhelming. This page guides you through how to submit forms to sign up for benefits, as well as the dates and deadlines you must meet to ensure we are able to process your requests. Visit the benefits page for an overview of benefit eligibility for each employee class, or browse the list of all benefits offered at VCU.
Visit the new employees page for information about orientation and getting started at VCU. For more information including definitions of commonly used terms and frequently asked questions, see the Benefits Glossary and FAQ.
MyAlex
Signing up for benefits? ALEX is here to help! ALEX for VCU is the interactive benefits counselor for faculty members and University and Academic Professionals. Chat with ALEX about health coverage, flexible spending, retirement benefits, life insurance, and disability coverage.
Return Forms
Employees are responsible for returning benefits election forms to VCU HR Benefits by the applicable deadline. We make it easy for employees to return benefits election forms in one of many ways:
Submit a service request that includes your forms and supporting documents
Email benefits@vcu.edu with your forms and supporting documents attached
DocuSign forms automatically route to VCU Human Resources when you click “Finish”
Returning forms by hand delivery, campus mail, or postal mail can significantly delay processing. If you choose to return forms in this manner, please ensure sufficient time for your forms to be received by your enrollment deadline.
If you are enrolling due to a qualifying mid-year event, submit documentation to VCU Human Resources substantiating the event (e.g. new family member, loss of other coverage). See Changing your benefits for details.
If you are transferring to VCU from another Commonwealth of Virginia agency that participates in the state health benefits program, see Transferring from another state agency.
If you are transferring from another Commonwealth of Virginia agency that participates in the state health benefits program, see Transferring from another state agency.
New faculty, postdoctoral employees, and University and Academic Professionals are automatically enrolled in the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) and no application is required. Exception: Faculty members, postdoctoral scholar employees, and those University and Academic Professionals in job titles eligible for the Optional Retirement Plan may elect between VRS and Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) within the first 60 days of eligible employment. If no election is made, VRS enrollment occurs by default after 60 days.
If you elect VRS, VCU will enroll you in VRS. No further paperwork is required.
If you are transferring from another Commonwealth of Virginia public institution of higher education, see the Transferring from another state agency section below.
New faculty, University and Academic Professionals, and postdoctoral employees are automatically enrolled in the VCU 403(b) Tax Deferred Annuity plan with TIAA on the 60th day of employment unless they actively enroll in voluntary retirement savings before that date. All other employees must actively enroll if they wish to participate. All employees are also eligible to participate in the Commonwealth of Virginia 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan.
To actively enroll in the VCU 403(b) Tax Deferred Annuity Plan, open a VCU 403(b) account online with TIAA or Fidelity Investments and complete a Salary Reduction Agreement (under Payroll Forms) documenting your savings amount and investment company. If you are a faculty member or a University and Academic Professional, also open a VCU Cash Match Account online with TIAA or Fidelity Investments, using the same investment company you chose for your 403(b).
To actively enroll in the Commonwealth of Virginia 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan, enroll online at Virginia Retirement Systems or call 1-877-327-5261. Exception: Adjunct, hourly, and graduate assistant employees must use a paper enrollment form for this plan and cannot enroll online.
Life Insurance
Basic life insurance is automatically provided by VCU through the Virginia Retirement System policy for state employees. You may enroll in additional coverage under the Optional Life Insurance Program at any time, however approval is guaranteed only within the first 31 days of eligible employment. Learn more about the life insurance program.
Complete your beneficiary designation online using the myVRS portal on the Virginia Retirement System website.
If desired, apply for Optional Life Insurance online using the myVRS portal on the Virginia Retirement System website.
When applying for optional coverage after 31 days of employment, or for more than the guaranteed amount during the first 31 days of employment, the myVRS system may direct you to submit Evidence of Insurability for review.
Employees age 65 and under may apply for coverage with limited underwriting within the first 60 days of eligible employment. All other eligible employees, and their eligible family members, may apply at any time with full underwriting.
Transferring between Commonwealth of Virginia agencies that participate in the state health benefits program is not a qualifying mid-year event to change health benefits or flexible spending elections. Elections in force at your previous agency must continue at VCU until your next opportunity to make changes during open enrollment or with a qualifying mid-year event. To ensure uninterrupted coverage, provide a copy of your pay stub or other documentation verifying your health coverage and/or flexible spending elections at your previous agency by attaching it to an HR support request ticket or emailing it to benefits@vcu.edu. The same rule applies if you are rehired to state service with less than a 30 day break in state health benefits program eligibility. The documentation that you provide should include the name of your health plan, who is covered, your premium amount, and any flexible spending contribution elections in force at your previous state agency.
If you are transferring from an ORP-eligible job at another Virginia public higher education institution to an ORP-eligible job at VCU without a bona fide break in state service, you must maintain the same retirement plan election (VRS or ORP) at VCU that was in force at your previous institution.