New EAP Provider – Employee & Family Resources
Effective May 1, 2013, the College has a new Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider, Employee & Family Resources (EFR).
Through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Grinnell College provides confidential access to professional counseling services for help in confronting such personal problems as alcohol and other substance abuse, marital and family difficulties, financial or legal troubles, and emotional distress.
Employee & Family Resources is the same provider of EAP services to Grinnell Regional Medical Center and Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company. The EAP was previously provided through a contract with the Poweshiek County Mental Health Center, which has recently closed.
This new EAP gives employees access to a large network of providers, which will accommodate the needs of our employees who live in communities beyond Grinnell. Benefits have increased to include access to5 sessions per incident, instead of 5 sessions in total, for you and your immediate family members. Financial and legal consultation is also offered. To read more about the EAP, click on the links below.
Preventive Health Care Now Covered
In 2011 the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has listed preventive health services which will be covered by our plan effective January 1, 2011. To see the list, please follow this link: Preventive Health Services Covered Under the Affordable Care Act(ACA)
Same Sex Marriages in Iowa
On the Iowa Department of Revenue website http://www.iowa.gov/tax/1040EI/091040Home.html under the link “What’s New for 2009”, guidance is provided regarding the tax treatment of benefits for employees with same-sex spouses. Iowa recognized the right of same-sex couples to marry in 2009. This change is effective as of April 24, 2009 and is therefore effective for the calendar year in which same-sex couples are legally married in Iowa. If an employee is married in the State of Iowa the employee is afforded the right to receive benefits for a spouse on a tax free basis for Iowa income tax purposes going forward from the date the marriage was recognized in the state. Employees who are married to a same-sex spouse under Iowa law should notify Jim Mulholland, Assistant Treasurer at x9600 of the event so the tax treatment of the benefits can be changed for purposes of state withholding and taxable income. Changes can only be effective retroactive to the earlier of the date of marriage or January 1, 2010. Employees who are affected by the closing of the 2009 tax year will be made whole by Grinnell. The change in state law did not impact the recognition of income for the value of benefits provided for an employee’s domestic partner for federal or state purposes. The marriage of same-sex couples is not recognized by the federal government for tax purposes so benefits provided for a same-sex spouse will remain taxable at this time for federal income tax purposes. June 25, 2010
The Grinnell College Medical Benefit Plan Trust will provide copies of the IRS Form 990, audited financial statements, and the Trust Agreement to the public upon request to David Clay (clayd@grinnell.edu).
