Benefits

Holiday and University Planned Closure Calendar 2024-2025 Schedule

Information provided in this section serves as a summary of tuition waiver benefits which are available to Murray State University faculty and staff.  The full policy and additional information can be found at the following provided links:

• Education Tuition Waivers Policy

• Tuition Waiver forms

Tuition is waived for up to six credit courses per 12-month fiscal year, not to exceed one course offered during working hours in any given semester or session. However, employees who are enrolled in a Doctoral program or taking courses towards completion of a Doctorate, the tuition for two courses per academic year may be waived. Each tuition waiver covers tuition costs for one course, regardless of the number of credit hours, but does not cover course fees (i.e. computer lab fees or some online courses). Any staff member with at least six months of continuous service or eligible faculty member with one academic semester of continuous service may transfer any unused portion of the tuition waiver benefit to their lawful spouse and/or dependent child(ren). A child or dependent includes natural, adopted or step-child or person for whom the employee has been given legal guardianship. The child or dependent must be claimed on the parent's/guardian's tax return for the year the child/dependent is taking classes. A child is defined as a person under 24 years at the beginning of the academic term during which the benefit is effective. 

Tuition waivers must be approved on or before the last day of drop/add of the semester or session. This is interpreted to mean the last day to add a full or half semester course, per the academic calendar for each semester, published on the Murray State website. Approved waivers received by the Bursar's Office after this date, will not be applied for that specific semester and will be returned to the employee.

Education benefits have certain tax implications. Tuition waivers may be reported as additional income, including applicable withholdings for the employee claiming the waiver. The value of some tuition waivers in excess of $5,250.00 may be taxable to the employee.  Waivers used by a spouse/dependent are taxable upon use, depending on the level of study according to the following:

• Employee

  • Undergraduate: Not taxable to employee

  • Graduate: Taxable to employee for tuition waivers above $5250, per calendar year

• Spouse

  • Undergraduate: Not taxable to employee

  • Graduate: The value of all tuition waivers are taxable to employee

• Dependent

  • Undergraduate: Not taxable to employee

  • Graduate: Dependents not eligible for waivers at this level

Also, to ease the burden of employee tax withholdings, payroll staff will distribute your taxable deduction amounts based on three pay checks for monthly payroll and four pay checks for bi-weekly payroll. Tuition Waiver Tax Procedures.

Murray State University faculty and staff are eligible for discounts on dining, hotel accommodations, banking services and other personal services at many local businesses. Please see Business Discounts for the complete listing.

Family and Medical Leave is available to any University employee who has worked at least 1250 hours in the 12 month period prior to the leave request. Murray State University's Family and Medical Leave policy allows leave for eligible employees up to 26 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave during a 12-month period (as defined by the University) for specific medical and/or family reasons (birth of a child, care of a child, care of a child after birth, placement of a child for adoption or foster care, or to care for the serious health condition of the employee, employee's spouse, son, daughter or parent) or covered service member; or a qualifying exigency. Employees are required to give the University at least a 30-day notice involving known or planned leaves. Employees are required to use all available sick and vacation leave with the exception of pregnancy. The total amount of unpaid leave may not exceed 6 months in any calendar year.

The University requires certification from a health care provider that a serious medical condition exists before granting leave. Required documentation must be completed and forwarded to the Department of Human Resources for approval. If you are granted an approved FMLA leave, you may continue your coverage under Murray State's medical, dental, or vision plans for you and your eligible dependents. Be sure to request leave before your leave begins or your leave may be denied. Murray State has the right to determine FMLA leave.

Employees returning from Family and Medical Leave will be returning to either their prior position or to an equivalent position. Employees not returning from Family and Medical Leave must certify their inability to do so. Those employees who do not provide such certification will be required to reimburse the University for all costs related to health insurance and other benefit premiums paid during any portion of the Family and Medical Leave.

Family and Medical Leave Policy

FMLA forms 

All employees are protected by Kentucky's Workers' Compensation law for a work-related injury or disease. Benefits include payment for medical and hospital care costs, loss of work time, permanent disability and death as provided by the terms of the Kentucky Workers' Compensation Act.

All employees are covered the University's Workers' Compensation policy beginning the first day of employment regardless of employment status (full-time, part-time, temporary employees, and student workers). This policy provides for medical benefits and lost-time compensation payments for valid on-the-job injuries. Employees are required to immediately report all on-the-job injuries or illnesses to their immediate supervisor and Human Resources at 270.809.2146. Notification should include information about the work occurrence and the body parts affected.

Entitlement to these benefits begins on the eighth (8th) day of disability. The first seven (7) days of the disability are payable only if the disability lasts 14 days or more. "Days of Disability" refers to those days when a doctor has deemed an employee unable to work because of a work-related injury or disability. These "Days of Disability" do not refer only to consecutive scheduled workdays, but also includes weekends and holidays. Workers' Compensation payments are calculated at two-thirds of the employee's normal pay rate based on a seven-day work-week up to a maximum benefit level regulated by the state.

Employees must use accrued sick leave and vacation leave to remain in paid status as long as possible. Upon receipt of a lost-time payment from Workers' Compensation, the employee may be asked to endorse the payment to the University for an equivalent amount of leave time to be restored.

Murray State University has chosen an authorized managed care program for workers' compensation injuries; therefore,the employee MUST choose from among the participating medical providers within the managed care network. To obtain a list of managed care providers, please go to Talis Point. After choosing the treating physician from this network, the employee may change that selection one time, no questions asked. Employees must notify Human Resources of the physician choice. Employees should ask treating physicians to promptly report their status to Murray State University 's Human Resources. Prompt reporting speeds payment of benefits and helps Murray State University and physicians in assisting employees to return to work.

Although injured employees may seek services from any medical provider within the workers' compensation managed care network, it is recommended that employees also check that they are utilizing providers that are in the employee's group health insurance network so that coverage can be provided should the Workers' Compensation claim be denied. If a claim is denied, the employee, not the University, is responsible for filing the claim with their medical insurance carrier. Murray State strongly recommends the use of Murray State's health services for those illnesses and injuries not of a life threatening nature.

Workers' Compensation forms

Employees may choose to participate in the Sick Leave Bank as a means of obtaining additional sick leave days to avoid loss of compensation due to catastrophic illness or injury of the employee. Catastrophic injury or illness is defined as a life-threatening condition or combination of conditions affecting the mental or physical health of the employee, and includes, but is not limited to, the following: lengthy hospitalizations, necessary surgery requiring a lengthy recovery, an ongoing treatment regimen requiring frequent time off work, or complicated pregnancy requiring bed rest or hospitalization. The catastrophic illness or injury must require the services of a health provider. All regular full-time and regular part-time faculty and staff who are contributors to the Sick Leave Bank, and have legitimately exhausted all of their accumulated sick and vacation leave, may apply for additional sick leave from the bank.

Sick Leave Bank Policy

Sick Leave Bank forms

Murray State University provides vacation leave to all eligible employees.

Please review sick leave.