This overview provides highlights of the APICS benefits program. If there are any discrepancies between this information and the official plan documents, the official plan documents take precedence in all cases. All benefits are subject to change.
Select from the categories below to learn more about the benefits available to full-time staff at APICS.
Health Care
Financial
Work/Life
Personal/Professional Development
This benefits summary applies to regular, full-time employees. All benefits begin on your first day of employment, unless otherwise noted. Please contact Human Resources for more information.
Health Care
For each health care insurance policy noted below, coverage begins on the first day an employee starts work at APICS and continues until the last day of the month in which the employee terminates employment.
Medical Insurance
We offer the following plans through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois:
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Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)
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Health Savings Account (HSA)
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Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
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Select Preferred Provider Organization (Select PPO)
Each plan offers low or no deductibles and out-of-pocket expense maximums. APICS pays for approximately 90% of the premiums, although that percentage may be higher depending on the plan selected.
Prescription Drug Plan
Regardless of which plan an employee chooses, most prescription medications are covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield. Employees enjoy low co-pays for their prescription medicines. Employees may also choose to obtain 90-day supplies of prescriptions to reduce their co-pays even further.
Dental Insurance
Our dental plan is provided by MetLife, with most of the monthly premium paid by APICS. Preventive services are not subject to the deductible and are covered at 100%. The plan includes orthodontia coverage.
Vision Insurance
APICS vision coverage is provided through EyeMed Vision Care. APICS employees may choose the basic Core Plan, which offers low co-pays for eye examinations. Premiums for Core Plan coverage are paid completely by APICS. Employees may also choose to enroll in the Buy-Up Plan, which has enhanced benefits. Premiums for the Buy-Up Plan are paid solely by the employee.
Miscellaneous
Annual Flu Shots — As flu season approaches, APICS arranges for on-site flu vaccinations at no cost to employees.
On-site Free Gym Membership — Employees may choose to work out in the well-appointed on-site health club facilities at no cost.
Financial
Group Life Insurance
Life insurance coverage for all full-time employees is provided through MetLife and begins on an employee’s first date of employment. All employees receive at least $50,000 of life insurance coverage, paid for solely by APICS. Directors and executives are eligible for additional coverage at APICS expense. Employees may also supplement their life insurance coverage or purchase life insurance for their dependents by paying low-cost premiums.
Short-term and Long-term Disability Coverage
In case an employee requires prolonged medical absence because of illness or injury, APICS provides full-time employees with short- and long-term disability coverage, which reimburses the employee a percentage of basic monthly earnings after satisfying the eligibility requirements for each type of insurance.
Flexible Spending Accounts
Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) allow employees to apply pre-tax dollars to certain kinds of expenses. APICS offers three kinds of FSAs:
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Health Care
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Dependent Care
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Transit Fare
The Health Care FSA can be used to reimburse an employee for eligible medical and dental expenses that are not covered or reimbursed by the health insurance plans. This includes deductibles and co-payments. The Dependent Care FSA can be used to reimburse employees for dependent care services provided by babysitters, day care centers and after-school programs. The transit fare FSA reimburses the bus and train fares of employees using public transportation in Chicago to commute to and from work.
Retirement Savings Plans
APICS offers employees both a 401(k) savings plan and a Roth retirement plan. Immediately upon employment, full-time employees may direct part of their pay to the plan or plans of their choice, administered through Fidelity. After six months of continuous employment, APICS will match the employee’s contribution at 100% up to the first 6% of annual savings to either a 401K or a Roth account. Employee contributions are fully vested immediately; APICS contributions are subject to a generous three-year vesting schedule.
Retirement Advising
APICS contracts with a financial advisor who will meet with employees at their request, to answer questions about their retirement planning and how to get the most from their investments.
ERS Discount Plan
APICS’s selected employee assistance/wellness vendor, Employee Resource Systems, Inc. (ERS), offers a generous package of discounts at selected retailers and service providers. Employees may find discounts for such diverse products as clothing, movie tickets or airline travel. All employees may participate in the discount program as of their first day of employment.
Personal and Professional Development
APICS management understands that an investment in staff development can pay big dividends in the long run. Therefore, APICS offers a range of support to employees who want to further their education and enhance their skills.
Memberships and Subscriptions
After three months of continuous employment, full-time employees are provided with a free APICS membership. Employees may also request funds from their supervisors to pay for memberships to professional organizations that may help them succeed at APICS, and to pay for subscriptions to work-related publications.
Educational Assistance
After completing six months of employment, full-time employees may be eligible to take advantage of APICS’s Educational Assistance Program, which reimburses employees up to $1500 in a calendar year for undergraduate-level work, and up to $3000 per calendar year for graduate-level education costs. Education must be related to the employee’s work at APICS to be reimbursable. The reimbursement may be applied to tuition, books and fees for courses taken at accredited colleges and universities. Employees must meet certain grade criteria in order to receive reimbursement.
Training Courses and Conferences
Each year, APICS budgets a generous sum of money to cover training courses and opportunities for employees. APICS pays to allow employees to participate in various work-related webinars. APICS also purchases on-line training licenses through entities such as Lynda.com. APICS offers in-house training sessions to eligible staff members, and supervisors may send employees to external conferences or training seminars or workshops, as appropriate. Employees may also request funds to attend training programs or conferences that will help further their career at APICS. Training opportunities are available to employees immediately upon hire.
Certification Assistance
For those employees who are interested in pursuing a professional certification through APICS, APICS provides funds for certification preparation courses, self-study materials and certification exams. In addition, for those already certified through APICS, APICS provides funds for recertification fees. APICS may also provide funds for certifications through other associations or programs, where such certification may enhance an employee’s value to APICS.
Work/Life
Employees thrive when they have healthy lives and interests outside their work. APICS has a number of policies and programs designed to help employees balance their work and personal lives.
Paid Time Off Accrual
Employees are provided with vacation leave and personal time off. Depending on their level of employment, employees’ paid time off (vacation and personal) to enjoy personal pursuits amounts to at least three weeks. That number is enhanced as the employee remains with the company. Personal time may be used immediately; vacation time is available to employees after they have completed their first 90 days of employment.
Sick Leave
Full-time employees accrue 10 days of sick leave each year of employment to use for periods of temporary absence due to the employee’s illness, injury or medical appointment, or due to the illness, injury or medical appointment of a spouse, child or parent. Sick leave benefits are calculated on the basis of a “benefit year,” the 12-month period that begins when the employee starts to earn sick leave benefits. Sick leave begins to accrue upon employment and may be used immediately.
Holiday Leave
APICS observes 10 paid holidays per calendar year, including the Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
Flexible Schedules
Some employees may have the option of adjusting their regular work hours, depending upon their job functions. Supervisors must approve an adjusted work schedule.
Employment Assistance Program/Wellness Program
APICS has contracted with Employee Resource Systems, a confidential free service available to assist employees and their families with a multitude of issues that may interfere with their personal and/or private lives, such as relationships, legal problems, financial issues and elder care issues. Monthly webinars on a multitude of wellness topics are available at no cost to employees.
Miscellaneous
Dress Code — APICS employees enjoy a relaxed dress code on most days, depending on work responsibilities.
Casual Work Environment — The APICS ping-pong table gets a daily workout, as employees are encouraged to put their work down for a while and just take a break. Occasional friendly competitions around the ping-pong table, NCAA tournament, or just a simple chili cook-off are offered.
Covered Parking/Blue Line Access — APICS offers free covered parking and is easily accessible from the Cumberland stop on the Blue Line.
Lactation Room/Wellness Room — Mothers can take care of lactation needs in the privacy of a quiet room with reclining chairs. And when mothers aren’t in need of the room, employees can take breaks in the quiet environment.
Freebies — APICS offers free on-site covered parking for employees. APICS also provides free tea and coffee to employees (via multiple Keurig® coffee machines located throughout the office). And APICS offers occasional free lunches or breakfasts to employees, either in-house or in the community — just to show how much we appreciate the staff.