Announcements
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Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity to review and update your health, dental, vision, and supplemental benefits. Changes made during Open Enrollment take effect on January 1.
To help you make informed decisions, HR has prepared a series of short video walkthroughs — available on the Open Enrollment Videos page.
Deadline: Review your elections in ADP by the close of the enrollment window. If you make no changes, your current elections will automatically roll over.
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The SVA Employee Handbook has been updated. All employees are encouraged to review the current version, which includes revised policies on remote work, leave, and professional conduct.
A copy of the handbook is available through ADP or by contacting HR directly at hr@sva.edu.
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New professional development courses are available on the HR Training portal. Topics include:
- Workplace harassment prevention (required annually)
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Managing remote teams
- Supervisor skills for new managers
Questions? Contact HR at (212) 592-2645.
Benefits
To us, a healthy employee means a healthy workplace. Below you will find a selection of benefit offerings available to full-time and part-time SVA Staff and Faculty.
Questions? Contact the SVA Benefits Service Center: mybenefits@sva.edu · 1-844-375-7500 (M–F, 9am–5pm ET) · Live chat
Full-time administrative employees qualify after completing 1 month of employment; part-time employees qualify after 90 days; faculty qualify after 90 days. Upon eligibility, you have 31 days to enroll. After the initial eligibility period, you may enroll during open enrollment in November (for January participation), or within 31 days of a qualifying event (birth, adoption, loss of coverage, marriage, or divorce).
SVA provides medical coverage through Cigna HealthCare. Two plan choices are available: Integrated Open Access Plus and a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). Employees may elect coverage for a spouse, children, or domestic partner.
Contact Cigna at 800-244-6224 or cigna.com. Prescription plan is managed by Express Scripts: 800-334-8134.
Yes. SVA extends medical and dental plan eligibility to domestic partners of eligible employees. Partners must be at least 18, have shared the necessities of life for a minimum of 12 consecutive months, and neither party can be currently married to someone else.
Required documentation includes a notarized Declaration of Domestic Partnership and two forms of evidence of commitment (e.g. joint lease, joint bank account, shared address on a bill or license).
You may extend your health insurance for up to 18 months through COBRA. Note that COBRA coverage is considerably more expensive than normal premiums — the Healthcare Exchange is also worth considering. Contact the Benefits Service Center for details.
This document explains how SVA uses medical information under our group health plan, when additional authorization is needed, and your rights under the regulations.
Required when you ask SVA to intercede on your behalf using personal health information — for example, to dispute a claim, check a claim payment status, or inquire about applied deductibles.
Eligible employees may enroll during quarterly enrollment periods (January, April, July, and October). To enroll for the first time, visit the Voya Enrollment Center.
Plan Number: 559685 · Verification Number: 55968599
To review or change your contributions and investment allocations, log in at Voya Financial Retirement Plans. First-time users can register from the login page.
You have three options: keep investments in the SVA plan, roll over to another plan, or take a distribution. HR/Benefits will explain all options in detail upon departure. If you leave with an outstanding loan balance, arrangements can be made with Voya to continue repayment — otherwise the balance is treated as a distribution and may be subject to tax and a 10% early withdrawal penalty if you are under 59½.
Full-time administrative employees are eligible for 4 personal days per year (February 1 – January 31), prorated if hired after February 1. All part-time employees receive 2 paid personal days per year. Personal days do not carry over.
Full-time employees become eligible after 5 months of employment:
- 5 months: 3 days
- 6–12 months: 1 additional day per month worked
- Years 1–3: 2 weeks
- Years 4–6: 3 weeks
- Years 7–14: 4 weeks
- Year 15+: 5 weeks
Part-time employees become eligible after 24 consecutive months, then follow the same schedule above (starting at 2 weeks). Vacation days must be used in the year earned; unused days may be carried over for up to 90 days into the next accrual year. Requests must be submitted via Kronos at least two weeks in advance.
Log into the Kronos timekeeping system via your MyID dashboard to submit requests and view your available balances. Questions? Contact payroll@sva.edu.
Bereavement: All full-time and part-time employees receive up to 3 paid working days for the death of an immediate family member (spouse, child, parent, sibling, in-laws, grandparent, or grandchild). If travel is required, 2 additional days are granted. 1 day is provided for the death of a more distant relative.
Parental Leave: View the Parental Leave Policy (PDF)
TransitChek lets you set aside pre-tax (and post-tax) dollars to pay for monthly mass transit and parking expenses, reducing your taxable income. To enroll, visit healthequity.com/wageworks, then download and return the TransitChek Participation Form to hrbenefits@sva.edu (required by NYC law).
To cancel or make changes, visit wageworks.com or call 1-877-924-3967.
Administrative staff and faculty are eligible to take SVA courses (Continuing Education, non-degree, or degree-seeking) tuition-free. See the applicable policy for eligibility requirements:
Full-time administrative employees who have completed 12 continuous months of employment may apply for tuition assistance for courses at another accredited institution, provided the courses relate to their current position. See the Tuition Assistance Policy (PDF).
Full-time administrative employees qualify after 1 month; part-time employees qualify after 12 consecutive months; instructors qualify after one year. You have 31 days from your eligibility date to enroll, or you may enroll during open enrollment, within 31 days of a status change, or within 31 days of loss of primary coverage.
SVA’s dental carrier is Cigna. Contact them at 800-997-1654 or cigna.com. Use the Find feature on their site to locate in-network dentists.
Up to 10% off auto and 5% off home/renters insurance. Visit libertymutual.com/svaemployees or call a dedicated SVA representative: NY residents 212-459-1300 x6418 · NJ residents 212-480-2455 x54489.
Up to 12% off monthly Verizon service fees. Visit verizonwireless.com/discounts and enter your SVA email address.
All SVA employees may purchase select computer equipment at substantial savings through svacampusstore.com. Administrative staff and faculty who have completed 6 months of employment are eligible for an interest-free computer loan (repayable within one year). Submit a Loan Request form with a Campus Store quote to HR for approval.
Museum Benefits page — free and discounted memberships at museums across NYC.
Discounted movie passes available at the SVA Campus Store (207 E. 23rd St, M–F 10am–6pm): AMC passes $11 each, Regal passes $9.50 each. Limit 4 per person.
Payroll & Time
Policies & Onboarding
The SVA Employee Handbook outlines institutional policies, workplace expectations, and employee rights and responsibilities. All employees are expected to review the current version.
Access the handbook through ADP or request a copy from hr@sva.edu.
Welcome to SVA! HR coordinates onboarding for all new full-time and part-time employees. Your onboarding checklist includes:
- Completion of I-9 employment eligibility verification
- Benefits enrollment within 30 days of hire
- Direct deposit setup in ADP
- Review of the Employee Handbook
- Mandatory harassment prevention training
All forms needed for onboarding — including the Confidential Employee Information Form, Payroll Direct Deposit, and W-4 — are available on the HR Forms & Documents page.
HR Forms & DocumentsContact HR at hr@sva.edu with any onboarding questions.
SVA is committed to providing a workplace free of harassment and discrimination. All employees are required to complete annual anti-harassment training.
To report a concern, contact the HR department or refer to the reporting procedures in the Employee Handbook. SVA prohibits retaliation against any individual who reports in good faith.
SVA’s remote work policy outlines eligibility, expectations, and approval procedures for flexible and hybrid work arrangements. Remote work agreements must be approved by your supervisor and HR.
For questions or to initiate a remote work request, contact HR at hr@sva.edu.