Washington and Lee is committed to providing its employees with a highly competitive benefits package that enhances the well-being of its employees and is consistent with the strategic objectives of the University. This befits its rich tradition as a top-quality institution of higher education, and is important in order to attract and retain high-quality faculty and staff.

The Employee Benefits Committee (EBC) is composed of four University faculty members, one retired faculty member, and one or more staff members (all appointed by the President), the University Treasurer, and the Provost. It periodically reviews programs relating to employee benefits and acts in an advisory capacity to the President.

The Plan Document of the Washington and Lee University Employee Health and Welfare Plan (the "Plan") provides a summary plan description of benefits sponsored by Washington and Lee University. The Plan provides benefits as described in this document, the insurance carriers' booklets, the claims administrators' booklets, and Washington and Lee University's Employee Handbooks.

W&L offers an extensive range of health care and life insurance benefits, retirement options, educational assistance programs and other programs and services to our staff and faculty. Because we want to attract and retain the highest quality staff, we are committed to providing a competitive benefits package.

The University offers a number of benefits to same and opposite sex domestic partners of full-time employees.

If a COBRA qualifying event terminates your group health plan coverage, you have the option to continue your coverage at your own expense.

The health privacy provisions contained in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act), and the related regulations ("Privacy Rule" and "Security Rule"), impose certain legal obligations on the Washington and Lee University Health Benefit Plan (employee medical, dental, flexible spending account, and employee assistance plan benefits and retiree health benefits). The obligations include maintaining the privacy of health information, notifying plan participants and beneficiaries about their legal rights and the Plan's legal duties, policies and practices to protect the confidentiality of their protected health information, and abiding by the terms of this Notice and Plan policies and practices.