Benefits at the University of Maine
Benefits are an important part of your total compensation. The University of Maine System strives to provide high-quality, affordable, family-friendly benefit options to meet the needs of our diverse workforce. We offer an excellent benefits package that includes paid time off (holidays, vacation and sick), health, dental, vision and life insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance, a tuition waiver program for eligible employees and dependents, a 403(b) retirement plan and more.
Benefits Package
Comprehensive health, vision and dental insurance. UMS offers competitive, comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance to eligible employees and their families.
Life insurance. UMS offers eligible employees basic life insurance at no cost, equal to the employee’s annual salary. Supplemental life insurance as well as spouse/domestic partner and dependent life insurance are also offered.
Short- and long-term disability insurance. UMS offers short-term disability insurance to eligible employees. Long-term disability insurance is provided at no cost by the University to eligible employees.
Paid Time Off
Vacation and sick time. Eligible employees accrue vacation and sick time on a per-pay-period basis.
Holidays. UMS recognizes 13 federal and state holidays and provides holiday pay for eligible employees.
Tuition Waiver
The University of Maine System encourages the full participation in its educational mission by offering tuition waivers to eligible employees, their spouses and their dependents (enrollment/matriculation in a program not required). The tuition waiver is applicable to undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate courses throughout the University of Maine System, including Maine Law.
Generally, eligible full-time employees are allowed a maximum of two tuition-free courses per semester or summer session, not to exceed a total of eight credit hours. Eligible part-time employees are allowed a maximum of one tuition-free course per semester or summer session, not to exceed a total of four credit hours.
To learn more please click on the following link: Tuition Waiver
Retirement and Financial Wellness
UMS offers competitive 403(b) and 457(b) retirement programs, including Roth options. For full-time salaried employees, the University contributes an amount equal to 10% of base salary on the basic 403(b) plan. For full-time hourly employees, the University will match contributions up to 4% of base salary.* Part-time employees are generally ineligible for University matching contributions.
*Employees in the Police unit (police officers, dispatchers and security employees) are subject to different requirements and have the option of joining the Maine Public Employee Retirement System (MainePERS or Maine State Retirement).
Note: There is a five year vesting period for the University’s retirement contributions to this plan (excluding AFUM-represented faculty who are immediately vested).
For more information about UMS retirement programs, please contact the Employee Benefits Center.
Wellness and Employee Assistance
UMS encourages employees to champion their health and wellness every day, and provides resources to help. Through the UMS wellness program, eligible employees have access to free health coaching and can participate in a number of wellness events throughout the year.
By participating in the UMS wellness program, employees enrolled in the health insurance plan are eligible for a discounted premium.
Additionally, the University offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)—a free, voluntary and confidential service provided by Cigna. The EAP provides employees, retirees and their household members with assessments, consultations and referrals to resources.
The EAP is designed to assist you in dealing with a wide variety of personal concerns, including alcohol and substance abuse, stress, mental health, family/marital matters, child care and elder care issues, financial/legal concerns, domestic violence resources, and much more.
The EAP offers six (6) free counseling sessions per topic to eligible employees.
