Family Benefits
for Grad Employees & Postdocs
The Health & Welfare Trust Fund offers a suite of benefits to support grad student employee and Postdoc families, including the Trust Fund Childcare Reimbursement, subsidized childcare slots at CEEC, subsidized dental and vision family plan rates, on-campus lactation stations, the family-friendly workspace, and more.
Understanding
The Trust Fund Childcare Reimbursement
UAW/UMASS is one of several childcare assistance sources at UMass.
The Health & Welfare Trust Fund administers one of the childcare subsidies available at UMass: the Trust Fund reimbursement programs for Grad Employees and Postdocs.
The Graduate Student Senate (GSS) subsidy program and The Student Parent Programs CCAMPUS subsidy program also administer childcare funding programs for Grad Employees. We encourage you to also apply for these benefits as they may be available to you as an eligible grad student.
Eligibility for the Trust Fund Childcare Reimbursement
1. Applicants must be eligible Grad Employees or Postdocs, according to the guidelines for dental and vision insurance.
2. Eligible childcare sources include:
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state-licensed* (or equivalent) infant, toddler, or preschool care in center based and group home-based settings
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before and after-school based care
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summer camp
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organizational/center based extracurricular activities (i.e. excludes private lessons)
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tutoring, homework assistance and online instructional programming costs for school-aged children
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Family, Friends, and Neighbor (FFN) informal care or babysitting (limited by a lower $3000 maximum)
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*State-licensed care means that the State of Massachusetts' Office of Early Education & Care (or comparable state office in another state) has provided a license to your provider to operate. The state publishes a list of licensed providers. Please check with your provider if they are not on this list as some are exempt under the EEC guidelines.
There is a $6,000 per child (for whom receipts are submitted) plan year maximum on the amount a family can be reimbursed. There is a $3,000 per child (for whom receipts are submitted) plan year maximum on Family, Friends and Neighbors (FFN) Informal Care receipts. The full eligibility requirements and guidelines for how we determine childcare reimbursements are available below.
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Applying for the Trust Fund Childcare Reimbursement
Applications for the Trust Fund Childcare Reimbursement can be submitted in the enrollment portal. Starting with plan year 2024-25, we will ask you to estimate your childcare costs for the entire period and then we'll let you know what percentage reimbursement you can anticipate. You can submit your receipts on a rolling basis as they become available, according to the timeframes below. As you submit receipts, we will release any funds committed to you.
Submission Timeframes:​
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The window to submit fall childcare receipts (Sept-Dec receipts) is September 15-December 31st annually.
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The window to submit spring childcare receipts (Jan-May receipts) is January 1-May 31st annually.
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The window to submit summer childcare receipts (June-Aug receipts) is June 1-September 15th annually.
What to Submit in the Enrollment Portal:
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Pg 1 of your most recent federal tax return (for yourself & your partner/spouse if filing separately)
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Your best estimate of what you will spend for childcare during the period (i.e. for fall 2024, I anticipate spending $1000 month for care). We will use your estimate to provide you with a tentative estimate of what you can expect for the plan year.
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Your receipts for the period (you can return to the portal to upload additional receipts as your receipts become available)
Important documents:
Important to note:
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When you plan to graduate, note this in the portal. During your final semester (or summer) prior to graduation, we are able to increase any applicable maximum by up to $3000 per family. You must provide notice of your pending loss of eligibility to receive this increased maximum.
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Significant changes in income (job loss or pay cut, divorce, death) can be documented and noted in the portal used to adjust your last tax return's adjusted gross income.
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FFN provider must not be a permanent resident of your household or be part of your immediate family (child or spouse).
Predicting your Trust Fund Childcare Reimbursement
The Trust Fund cannot guarantee reimbursements because so many changing variables impact the number and amount of reimbursements per period, such as the number of eligible applicants, their actual total child care costs, etcetera.
However, you can review what families similar to yours have received in previous rounds of reimbursement. Please account for the fact that any other subsidy received for the same period will reduce your total reported child care costs.
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How to use these charts:
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Find your family's adjusted gross income (AGI) on your most recent Federal Tax Return(s), usually on line 11.
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Divide your AGI by 12 months. In Chart 1 below, find this amount in the column corresponding to your family size.
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In that row, find the the corresponding fee level in the rightmost column.
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Find your family's fee level in charts 2 and 3 to see what percentage of their total costs similar families have received in previous rounds of reimbursement.
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Chart 1: Find Your Income Fee Level
Chart 2: Grad Employee Childcare Reimbursement Percentages 2022-24
Chart 3: Postdoc Child Care Reimbursement Percentages 2022-24
Family Friendly Workspace
The FFW is a cozy, private, child-friendly workspace that Grad Employees and Postdocs can reserve to get some work done while they're on campus.
The space can be reserved Monday-Saturday in 2 hour increments, starting at 8 am and with the last booking starting at 6 pm. ​
The workspace includes...
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two desks with chairs
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an armchair for reading
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a small table and chairs for children
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phone chargers
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kid's books, toys and art supplies
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refrigerator
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bottle warmer for nursing parents
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Keurig coffee maker and K-cups.
To reserve the space:
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Log in to your dashboard
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E-sign the FFW waiver
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Once you e-sign, you'll be sent an email to reserve the space using Calendly.
Location:
The FFW is located in Thompson Lowrise Room 10 (behind the Thompson tower). See this map for where to enter building.
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If you're entering the building from the parking lot side, you will turn right and then left to access the stairs which will take you to the lower level of Thompson.
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Follow the signs for the lower level bathrooms.
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You will receive a door access code in your confirmation email.
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Note that on the weekends, there is only one outside door to Thompson that is open. It is on the parking lot side of the building (the right side if you are standing at the front of Thompson).
Unfortunately, the Thompson Lowrise is not accessible by elevator. There are two short flights of stairs from the ground level to the lower floor.
Using the Wellness Reimbursement for Family
Your family can be reimbursed up to $240/year for grad student employees and $150/year for postdocs for eligible fitness and wellness costs through the Wellness Reimbursement as long as your family members are enrolled in your other benefits (dental & vision).
In other words, their wellness expenditures can be counted toward the $240 or $150 reimbursement.
For example: your spouse takes yoga classes, you (as the eligible employee) have a Planet Fitness single membership, and you just purchased a new bike for your child. All of these are eligible receipts you can submit for the wellness reimbursement.
Each family member does not receive their own $240 or $150 reimbursement for grad student employees and postdocs respectively; rather, the reimbursement is shared.
Other Family Benefits
The following benefits are available for grad employee and postdoc families.
Subsidized Dental and Vision Family Plan Rates
The Trust Fund heavily subsidizes the cost of family plans to keep them affordable. Each family member on your plan will receive the same benefits.
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Altus Dental Family Plan highlights:
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100% coverage for fluoride for children 18 and younger (1 in 6 months)
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Orthodontic for adults and coverage for children to age 19
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Athletic mouth guards for dependent children under age 19 once every 24 months covered @ 65%
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$2250 calendar year maximum for each family member
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EyeMed Vision Family Plan highlights:
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We increased the family frame allowance from $175 to $185 to keep more money in your pocket
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We now offer coverage for diabetic care services
Benefits for Grad Student Employee Families
The following benefits are not currently available to Postdocs.
Subsidized Childcare Slots at CEEC
For Grad Employees with qualifying incomes whose children attend the University's Center for Early Education and Care (CEEC), there are free slots in the Flex-Care classroom, paid for by the Health & Welfare Trust Fund.
New for 2024-25, we will also partially subsidize summer slots for Grad Employees at CEEC!
Get on the waiting list as soon as you can by calling the CEEC at (413) 545-1566.
Grad Student Health Plan vs. UAW/UMass HWTF
UAW/UMass HWTF does NOT manage the Graduate Student Health Plan.
The student health plan is separate from your Trust Fund benefits. Still, we want to make you aware that:​​
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You can add a spouse and/or children to your student health plan. Click here for a breakdown.
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If your child(ren) are enrolled in your student health plan, the student health plan provides some pediatric dental and vision benefits for them, even if they aren't enrolled on your separate Trust Fund dental & vision plans.