INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION:
- Schedule of Employee Benefits – The LSU Agricultural Center offers a wide range of benefits to its employees. This brochure includes a general explanation of the major benefits.
- Orientation Registration (Required) – A monthly orientation for all new employees is held the second Tuesday of each month. New employees must attend the first orientation session, which occurs after their employment begins. This section provides the session agenda and the form required for registering for a session.
- Forms Checklist (Required) – A checklist of the forms that are required to be turned in so that the employee may receive a paycheck.
FOLDER ONE: GENERAL EMPLOYMENT FORMS
(Required) – complete all information
- Tax Forms (2): W-4 Federal and L-4 State. (Both Required) – complete and sign both forms. (If you are a non-resident alien, see section #5 before completing tax forms.)
- I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification (Required) – complete the top section no later than the first day of employment. Within three days of your employment, you will be required to provide documents verifying your identify and U.S. Employment eligibility, as shown in section tow and the attachment to the I-9 form.
- Direct Deposit Authorization (Required) – direct deposit of payroll checks is mandatory. For account verification, a voided check or deposit ticket must be submitted with this form.
- Drug Policy Certification (PS-18) (Required) – Read AgCenter PS-18 “Illegal Use of Drugs or Alcohol” and sign the certification statement. Keep the PS-18 and one copy of the certification statement for your records.
- Selective Service Verification (Required for Males ages 18-25) - All male U.S. Citizens and male resident aliens living in the U.S. who are ages 18-25 must register with Selective Service. If you have already registered, attach a copy of your verification document. If you have not registered, follow the instructions on the form to get registered and attach a copy of the verification. You may not be employed without verification of selective service registration.
- Vehicle Authorization (Required) - For all drivers who are authorized to operate a State vehicle, or a private vehicle for State purposes.
FOLDER TWO: RETIREMENT FORMS
The information in this folder relates to retirement for eligible Academic, Appointed, or Unclassified employees. If you do not meet all of the following eligibility requirements, please contact the AgCenter Human Resource Management Office for the correct retirement folder:
1. Must be an Academic, Appointed or Unclassified employee
2. Appointment must exceed two years
3. If part-time, the appointment must be for greater than 50% of full-time
4. Not on an F-1 or J-1 Visa
Note: If you have 10 or more years of creditable service in (or are retired from) the LA. State Employees’ Retirement System (LASERS) or if you are retired from the Teachers’ Retirement System of LA. (TRSL), please contact the AgCenter HRM office before proceeding with these enrollment forms.
CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW FOR BROCHURES FOR THE TEACHERS' RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND THE THREE OPTIONAL RETIREMENT PLAN CARRIERS. PLEASE MAKE ONE ELECTION.
1. Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL) - a "defined benefit" plan wherein the employee and employer make contributions into a "pool" of funds from which you receive a retirement income based on a benefit formula. The employee contribution is 8%. The formula for maximum retirement benefits is 2.5% times years of creditable service (with certain provisions for converting unused leave to service credit) times the average salary of the thirty-six (36) highest successive months. Minimum eligibility requirements to retire and the formula percentages are: 5 years at age 60 - excluding military (2.5%); 20 years at any age (actuarially reduced benefit); 25 years at age 55 (2.5%); 30 years at any age (2.5%);
2. Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) - Authorized carriers are ING (AETNA), TIAA-CREF, and AIG (VALIC) - a "defined contribution" plan to which you and your employer make contributions through TRSL to the carrier of your choice to be invested in a retirement annuity contract in your name. The employee contribution is 8% and the employer contribution for fiscal year 2007-2008 is 6.9336%. There is a small TRSL administrative fee of .1% in addition to any administrative fee charged by the individual carrier. The amount of your monthly annuity income at retirement is based exclusively on the contributions and their investment earnings, the age at which you begin receiving benefits, and the type of annuity you choose. Once a year, each November and December, you may elect a change of carrier with an effective date of January 1 of the following year.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENROLLING IN THE TEACHERS' RETIREMENT SYSTEM - If you elect the TRSL, you will have the option to make an irrevocable election to transfer to the ORP at any time prior to attainment of five years of creditable service in the TRSL.
1. Complete Section I of the Enrollment Application (Form 2) (Required) and note the following:
a. Attach a copy of your birth certificate and social security card.
b. Home address and telephone number should be your new address and number. Leave blank if not yet known.
2. Complete the Designation of Beneficiary forms (Forms 3 & 3S), (Required) front and back.
3. Send all completed forms to the AgCenter Human Resource Management Office.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENROLLING IN THE OPTIONAL RETIREMENT PLAN - The decision to participate in the ORP is irrevocable.
1. Complete Sections I,II and III of the blue Application for Optional Retirement Plan -Form 16 (Required) - Submit this form to the AgCenter Human Resource Management Office.
2. Listed below are links to the carrier brochures as well as the contact persons for each carrier. The carrier of your choice will provide you with the ORP carrier's contract. The carrier's contract must be completed and submitted directly to the carrier. A copy must be sent to the AgCenter Human Resource Management Office with the blue ORP Enrollment Application (Form 16) mentioned in item #1.
ING - Mike Sotile (225-766-8711)
TIAA-CREF -Katherine Hildreth (1-800-842-2006)
AIG (VALIC) - David Mills (225-931-9090) or Drake Aguillard (504-599-9015)
3. La. Deferred Compensation Plan (LDCP) - The employee contribution must be at least 7.5% and the employer contribution is 6.2%. The LDCP is a tax deferred compensation plan to which you and your employer make contributions directly to the LDCP to be invested in a retirement annuity contract in your name. The amount of your monthly annuity income at retirement is based exclusively on the contributions and their investment earnings, the age at which you begin receiving benefits, and the type of annuity you choose. Your funds may be withdrawn in a lump sum upon separation from service.
Statement concerning your employment in a job not covered by Social Security – (Required when enrolling in TRSL or ORP) This form explains the potential effects of two provisions in the Social Security law for workers who also receive a pension based on their work in a job not covered by Social Security. The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) can affect the amount of a worker’s Social Security retirement or disability benefit. The Government Pension Offset (GPO) can affect any possible Social Security benefit entitlement as a spouse or an ex-spouse. Complete this form and return to the AgCenter HRM Office.Any questions regarding the completion of these documents should be directed to the AgCenter Human Resource Management Office at (225) 578-8229.
FOLDER FIVE: ALIEN TAX INFORMATION FORMS (All Non - U.S. Citizens Only)
1. Alien Tax Information Request Form (Required) - Please contact the AgCenter HRM office to confirm that these are the correct forms required for your situation.