Georgia Tech Benefits
New Hires
Your health and welfare benefits are provided through the University System of Georgia, which includes healthcare, dental, vision, and retirement plan options. Georgia Tech is a member of the USG, the state agency governing all 26 public institutions in Georgia. USG dictates general policy, administers benefits, and supplements funding for the state institutions. It is governed by the Board of Regents (BOR).
Next Steps
1. Review your Resources.
As a Georgia Institution, Georgia Tech is one of the 26 schools under the University System of Georgia (USG) umbrella. Your health and welfare benefits are provided through USG, which includes healthcare, dental, vision, and retirement plan options for employees working 30 hours per week or more on a regular basis. All USG employees are covered by workers’ compensation, and certain employees also qualify for Social Security participation. Learn More
3. Visit New to USG
Visit “New to USG” to explore the benefits available to you.
The University System Benefits Office hosts virtual monthly New Hire Benefits Orientation for newly hired employees across the system. Employees are required to register to attend.
The sessions are scheduled for one hour and include information about the USG healthcare and retirement benefits at a high level as well as enrollment deadlines, supporting documents for dependents, resource contact information, and more.
This benefits orientation is offered to supplement the current campus orientation. The ongoing schedule for these live virtual sessions will be the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 10:00 am An on-demand version will be available on the New to USG page of our website.
2. Check your Credentials
Ensure your Georgia Tech account has been given access. Check with your hiring manager if you have questions.
Activate Your Account
4. Make selections through OneUSG
OneUSG Connect is a USG system-wide technology management system. It includes two ways to access your benefits (including initial enrollment, life event updates, and Open Enrollment changes).
Visit OneUSG Connect and select “Manage My Benefits” on the right side menu.
You will automatically be redirected to the OneUSG Connect – Benefits website. Save and submit your selections, including supporting documents and evidence of insurability (EOI) if necessary.
To select over the phone, allow a representative to assist you in selecting your USG benefits over the phone:
1-844-5-USGBEN (1-844-587-4236).
When will Benefits be Effective?
As a newly hired employee your benefits are effective on the first day of the month following the date you are hired. If you are hired on the 1st day of the month your benefits begin on the 1st. If you are hired on any day other than the 1st, benefits begin on the first day of the following month.
Example: If the hire date is July 1st your benefits begin July 1st. If you are hired July 2 your benefits begin August 1st.
Coverage Period
Once you make your benefit elections, your elections will remain in effect from the coverage effective date through Dec. 31 of the current plan year unless you have a qualifying life event. If you do not experience a qualifying family status change, you must wait until the next annual enrollment period, held in the fall of each year to make changes. If you experience a qualifying event after you enroll in benefits, contact the One USG-Connect Benefits Center by calling 844-587-4236. They will help you with making changes to your coverage.
When will I start paying for my Benefits?
Premiums for Benefits for Medical/Dental/Vision/FSA/etc. are calculated from your first day of coverage and USG shares the cost with you.
To ensure that benefits premiums can be payroll deducted as soon as possible new employees are encouraged to enroll in benefits when they receive notification from the One USG-Connect Benefits Center that their enrollment window is open for enrollment. The Georgia Tech Benefits team will also send you a reminder also. Emails are sent to your work email and will arrive within 30 days of the Benefits Center receiving your hire information.
Your first payroll deduction for benefits:
Employees that wait to enroll or complete their hire packages after their benefits effective date will have retroactive premiums that must be collected. In these instances, a one-time deduction in addition to your standard (regular) premiums will be taken to make up for the premiums that were missed. After your missed premiums have been collected, your regular premiums will begin starting with your next paycheck.
Example: If you are hired on November 28th, your medical insurance is effective December 1st. If you enroll in your benefits after December 15th, your premiums will be retroactive to December 1st. You will see the entire month of December deducted on top of your January premium.
You enrolled in Kaiser (employee only), and your rate is $188.80 per month. In January’s paycheck, you will see $188.80 + $94.40 for biweekly and $188.80 + $188.80 for monthly employees.
