Children's Hospital Boston is committed to its employees. As part of this commitment, the Hospital offers a highly competitive benefits program. Not only are the benefits rich, but the scope of the offerings is broad--providing flexibility and choice to meet the needs of our diverse workforce and their families, today and into the future.

The benefits program has been designed to help ensure your good health, protect your finances, help you prepare for a more secure future and balance and enhance your work and personal lives. Some of the benefit plans are provided at no cost to you; for others you pay some (or all) of the cost at attractive group rates through payroll deduction.

Here is a brief overview of the benefits available to our regular employees working at least a half-time schedule. (Benefit offerings differ for interns, residents, fellows and joint appointees). You are eligible for Children's Hospital benefits within the first month of your employment.

• Medical: You have three choices offered through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts--two HMO options and a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan. The Hospital makes a major contribution--from 90% to 97% depending on your salary--to the cost of each plan; your share is paid with pre-tax dollars.

• Dental: The Delta Dental Plans provide coverage for a wide range of dental services, including orthodontia. The Hospital pays a portion of the cost of dental insurance; your share is paid with pre-tax dollars.

• Vision: The Vision Plan offers for eye exams and lenses every 12 months and for frames every 24 months. You pay the cost of this plan with pre-tax dollars.

• Health Care Reimbursement Account: This account lets you set aside tax-free dollars (up to $4,000 per year) to pay for any out-of-pocket health care expenses not (or only partially) covered by your medical and dental plans.

• Short-Term Disability Insurance: You automatically join this plan which provides coverage that continues 60% of your eligible weekly pay when you are unable to work due to illness or injury. Plan is fully paid by the Hospital.

• Long-Term Disability Insurance: If you are disabled for six or more months, you may purchase coverage equal to either 40% or 60% of your monthly salary.

• Basic Group Life Insurance: You receive life insurance coverage based on your annual salary, fully paid by the Hospital.

• Supplemental and Dependent Life Insurance: You may purchase additional life insurance for yourself from one to four times your annual salary. You may also purchase life insurance for your spouse or same-sex spousal equivalent and for your dependent children.

• Cash Balance Pension Plan: You automatically join this plan after one year (1,000 hours) of service. Children's contributes from 5% to 12% of your eligible pay (plus interest) to the plan each year, based on your age and service. You are fully vested in the pension plan after three years of employment. The pension plan is completely funded by the Hospital.

• Voluntary 403 (b) Savings Plan: This plan gives you the opportunity to save for your retirement, tax-deferred. You may contribute up to the IRS savings limit each year (and, if you are age 50 or older, make additional catch-up contributions). You invest your contributions among more than 120 mutual funds offered through Fidelity Investments and TIAA-CREF.

Paid-time Off

• Earned Time: Earned time (ET) is the Hospital's paid time-off program that combines vacation, holiday and sick time into one paid time-off account. To start, regular full-time employees accrue 30 ET days per year.*

Professional Development

• Tuition Reimbursement: Upon hire, you are eligible for up to $5,000 in tuition assistance to help further your career.*

Family Care Services

• Dependent Care Reimbursement Account: You can set aside tax-free dollars (generally up to $5,000 per year) to help pay for eligible dependent day care expenses.

• Child Care: Children's provides several options for high-quality child day care services.

• Employee Assistance Program: You and your family members have access to confidential counseling and professional guidance to help with personal or work-related problems.

• Veterinary Pet Insurance: This plan covers medical care for your family pets.

• Legal Assistance: This program gives you access to a broad range of prepaid legal services.

Help with Commuting

• MBTA Monthly Pass: You receive a 50% discount on all MBTA passes and may pay a portion of your cost with pre-tax dollars.

• Parking: Discounted parking is available in various local Hospital parking lots, and you may pay a portion of your parking fees with pre-tax dollars.

• Shuttle Van Service: Free rides are provided between Hospital locations and to and from the various Hospital parking lots and the MBTA stops near the Hospital parking lots.

* Certain benefits are pro-rated for part-time employees.

Note: This is a summary only. Plan eligibility and costs may vary based on your work status and the number of hours you are scheduled to work. If any statement conflicts with applicable plan documents, the plan documents will govern plan provisions and payment of plan benefits.