Northern Michigan University offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed to support all dimensions of wellbeing embodied by NMU.  Staff benefits are mostly determined through collective bargaining agreements, meaning benefits costs may vary depending on your employee group. Employees are encouraged to review their applicable collective bargaining agreement to understand the programs available to them.

Enrollment in most benefits can occur within 30 days of hire.  Coverage may be changed within 30 days of a family status changes (i.e. birth, death, marriage, divorce, etc) and every fall during the Annual Enrollment period.  Enrollment and/or changes in benefits and management of beneficiaries should be completed by accessing the Wildcat Benefits Portal via MyNMU

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This summary is for informational purposes. In the event of a discrepancy between this information and the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the official legal documents will govern.

 

Health and Wellness Benefits

Medical and Prescription Coverage

NMU offers comprehensive PPO medical coverage through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, with prescription benefits administered by CVS Caremark.  

Key Highlights 

  • Coverage begins on your date of hire
  • Benefit year is January 1 - December 31
  • Deductible of $500 single/$1,000 family
  • Co-insurance maximum of $2,000 single/$4,000 family
  • $20 co-pays for office visits, chiropractic care, and clinical mental health services 
  • $0 office visit and lab services at NMU's Health Center in addition to reduced prescription co-pays for employees and their covered family members
  • $0 virtual medical and behavioral health options 
  • Vaccinations available under both medical and prescription coverage 
  • Hearing coverage available
  • Nationwide and international coverage while traveling

View the rates for coverage

View the BCBSM medical benefits-at-a-glance

View the CVS/Caremark prescription benefits-at-a-glance

View the Summary of Benefits Coverage

A nonopioid directive helps fight the opioid epidemic by allowing patients to notify health professionals they do not want opioids.  A patient, a person’s legal guardian, or patient advocate can now fill out a State of Michigan Form that directs health professionals and emergency medical services personnel to not administer opioids.  The form should be submitted to the patient's primary care physician and included in the patient’s medical records.

A link to the directive form can be found by visiting www.michigan.gov/opioids.  Click on the “Find Help” section and then scroll down to the bottom to "Additional Resources."

 

Dental Coverage

NMU offers dental coverage through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

Key Highlights 

  • Coverage begins on your date of hire
  • Benefit year is January 1 - December 31
  • $1,000 annual benefit maximum per member on preventive, restorative, and major services
  • $1,500 lifetime benefit maximum per member on orthodontic services

View the rates 

View the dental benefits-at-a-glance

 

Vision Coverage 

NMU offers vision coverage through EyeMed.

Key Highlights 

  • No cost single, two-person, or family coverage
  • Coverage begins on your date of hire
  • $0 eye exam 
  • $130 allowance towards eyeglass frame, safety glass frame, or contact lens with a 20% discount on the balance 
  • Discounts available for prescription sunglasses and Lasik surgery 
  • Benefits are available once every 12 months, with 365 days between services

View the vision benefits-at-a-glance 

 

Hello Heart

NMU has partnered with Hello Heart to make available, at no cost, their digital program.  Hello Heart helps monitor and improve heart health through personalized insights, tracking tools, and coaching support.  

 

Hinge Health

A no cost virtual physical therapy program designed to help prevent and treat joint, muscle, and women's pelvic health pain with personalized exercise plans and expert guidance from the comfort of your own home.  

Financial Protection and Savings

Retirement Plans 

NMU offers a 403(b) Retirement Plan, managed by TIAA, to all of its benefits eligible employees with immediate vesting.  The University will make a bi-weekly contribution 7.25% to the employees 403(b) retirement plan with no personal contribution required.  An employee electing to make personal contributions will receive an additional matching contribution from NMU up to an additional 1.5%. 

Staff hired prior to certain dates, as defined by their applicable collective bargaining agreement, will receive contributions as detailed in the CBA. 

NMU provides a set of quarterly portfolio review reports to faculty and staff who participate in the 403(b) Defined Contribution retirement plans.  The portfolio review reports provide information about commonly selected investment options in the TIAA 403(b) Retirement Plan.  Log into your MyNMU account to access these reports through the Employee Services tab of MyNMU

 

Life Insurance 

Northern Michigan University offers Basic Life Insurance through Lincoln Financial to staff working at least half-time (0.50 FTE). This coverage equals one times the employee’s annual salary, rounded up to the nearest thousand, and includes an accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) provision that doubles the benefit in the case of accidental death. 

In addition to the basic plan, employees can purchase Supplemental Life Insurance in amounts ranging from half to five times their salary, with premiums based on age and paid through payroll deduction. A guaranteed issue amount of up to $500,000 is available, with rates increasing across age bands. Employees may also elect Dependent Life Insurance for spouses and children (up to age 26), choosing from several coverage tiers with fixed bi-weekly premiums depending on the level of coverage selected. 

Coverage ends upon termination of employment, though employees may choose to convert or port their policy at their own expense.

 

Short-term Disability 

After one year of full-time employment and after sick leave has been exhausted, eligible employees are paid 75% of their base salary for up to six months.  Employees who accumulate annual leave will use accumulated and unused annual leave to make up the difference between short-term disability payments and full salary.

 

Long-Term Disability 

Long-term disability coverage is provided at no cost to employees after they have been employed for one year.  After six (6) months of disability, the policy pays up to 60% of basic annual salary less social security, retirement, workers’ compensation, etc.  

NMU has partnered with Lincoln Financial Group to provide long-term disability insurance to employees who work at least thirty (30) hours per week and to faculty who teach twelve (12) or more credited hours in a semester.

 

Medical and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts 

NMU offers Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) to help employees save on eligible healthcare and dependent care expenses by using pre-tax dollars. The Medical FSA allows employees to pay for out-of-pocket healthcare costs such as copays, deductibles, prescriptions, and certain medical supplies, reducing overall taxable income while covering routine or unexpected medical needs. Typically, the full annual election amount is available at the start of the plan year and funded through pre-tax payroll deductions throughout the year.  Employee should plan contributions carefully since unused funds may be forfeited, depending on plan rules.

NMU also offers a Dependent Care FSA to assist with expenses related to the care of eligible dependents, such as daycare, preschool, or elder care, enabling employees to work or attend school. Contributions are made on a pre-tax basis, lowering taxable income and helping make care more affordable. Unlike the Medical FSA, funds in a Dependent Care FSA are only available as they are contributed throughout the year. Together, these plans provide valuable tax advantages and added flexibility for managing everyday expenses.

 

Voluntary Supplemental Insurance Coverage 

NMU offers a suite of voluntary supplemental insurance options to help employees enhance their financial protection beyond standard health coverage. These plans, available through Prudential Financial and Trustmark, provide added support in the event of accidents, serious illness, hospitalization, or long-term care needs.

  • Accident Insurance (Prudential): Helps cover out-of-pocket costs related to accidental injuries, including emergency care and follow-up treatment.
  • Critical Illness Insurance (Prudential): Provides a lump-sum benefit upon diagnosis of a covered serious condition, such as cancer, heart attack, or stroke.
  • Hospital Indemnity Insurance (Prudential): Pays a fixed cash benefit for hospital stays and related services.
  • Life + Long-Term Care (Trustmark): Combines life insurance with long-term care benefits, offering financial support for services like assisted living or in-home care, while preserving a life insurance benefit for beneficiaries if care is not fully used.

Together, these options give NMU employees the flexibility to choose additional coverage that fits their individual needs and helps safeguard their financial well-being.

Paid Time Off and Leaves

The below leave times represent leave time benefits for full-time (1.0 FTE) employees.  New hires and less than full-time employees will receive leave benefits representative of their FTE as defined by collective bargaining.  

Annual Leave

NMU provides annual leave accrual based on length of service, allowing employees to earn paid time off each pay period with increasing rates over time.  Annual leave banks carry a maximum leave balance of 150% of your accrual based on years of service.

Staff, except Police Officers, accrue annual leave at the below bi-weekly rates:

  • Years 1-5 accrue 4.62 hours per pay totaling 15 days per year
  • Years 6-10 accrue 6.15 hours per pay totaling 20 days per year 
  • Years 11+ accrue 7.69 hours per pay totaling 25 days per year

Police Officers accrue annual leave at the below bi-weekly rates: 

  • Year 1 accrues 1.54 hours per pay totaling 40 hours per year
  • Years 2-4 accrue 3.08 hours per pay totaling 80 hours per year
  • Years 5-8 accrue 4.62 hours per pay totaling 120 hours per year
  • Years 9-11 accrue 6.15 hours per pay totaling 160 hours per year 
  • Years 12+ accrue 7.69 hours per pay totaling 200 hours per year

 

Personal Leave 

A personal leave benefit of 24 hours is provided to all staff each fiscal year fiscal year (July 1 - June 30).  Personal leave provides employees with a fixed amount of additional paid time off each year that is separate from annual leave, sick leave, and family care leave. This benefit is intended to offer flexibility for short-term, personal matters that may not fall under other leave categories, such as personal obligations, or time-sensitive needs. 

 

Family Care Leave 

NMU provides a Family Care Leave benefit of 80 hours per fiscal year for employees to support the care of eligible family members. This leave may be used when a family member experiences a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition, or for purposes related to diagnosis, treatment, or preventive medical care. It also applies when an employee needs time to support a family member who is a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault, including attending medical or counseling appointments, accessing victim services, securing legal assistance, relocating, or participating in related civil or criminal proceedings.

Family Care Leave may also be used for attending school or care-related meetings for a child related to health conditions, disabilities, or impacts of domestic violence or sexual assault, as well as situations involving exposure to contagious disease that may jeopardize public health. Eligible family members include a wide range of relationships such as spouses or designated individuals, children (including biological, adopted, foster, step, or in loco parentis relationships), parents and guardians, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, in-laws, and other dependent or household members, as well as individuals whose relationship is equivalent to family. This benefit is intended to provide employees with flexible, paid time to address important caregiving responsibilities while maintaining work-life balance

 

Sick Leave

NMU provides a sick leave benefit of 240 hours per fiscal year to support employees in managing their health and medical needs. Sick leave may be used for a variety of purposes, including travel to and from medical appointments as well as the duration of the appointment itself, unexpected illness or injury, extended personal medical conditions, and ongoing or intermittent medical needs that require time away from work. This benefit ensures employees have paid time off available to address both short-term and long-term health-related situations without impacting other leave banks.

Sick leave is intended to provide flexibility and stability during periods of medical need, allowing employees to focus on recovery and treatment while maintaining income continuity. By offering a separate sick leave allocation in addition to annual and other leave types, NMU supports employee well-being and helps ensure time off is appropriately designated for health-related circumstances.

 

Holidays and Seasonal Bonus Days 

Employees are provided paid time-off for six recognized holidays each year.  In addition to paid holidays, employees are provided paid time for for six seasonal bonus days designated by NMU following Thanksgiving and during holiday week between Christmas and New Year's.  Explore the holiday and seasonal bonus day schedule

 

Bereavement and Jury Duty Leave

To support employees during difficult personal times, employees receive paid bereavement leave to allow time away from work to grieve and attend services following the death of an immediate family member, as defined in applicable collective bargaining agreements.  In addition, employees are granted paid leave for jury duty, ensuring they can fulfill their civic responsibility without loss of pay for scheduled work hours while serving. Together, these benefits reflect NMU’s commitment to supporting employees both personally and as engaged members of the community.

Education Benefits

Northern Michigan University offers a generous Tuition Scholarship Program designed to support employees and their families in pursuing higher education. Eligible employees receive 100% tuition coverage for coursework taken at the university, with the opportunity to pursue undergraduate or graduate studies. This benefit also extends to eligible spouses and dependent children, making it possible for families to access a high-quality education with significantly reduced financial barriers.

This program waives tuition costs, though certain fees—such as course-specific or program fees, books, and supplies—are not included.  Eligibility requirements and application steps apply, but overall the program reflects NMU’s strong commitment to lifelong learning and educational access for its employees and their families.  

Check out the details of the Faculty/Staff Tuition Scholarship Program

Work-Life Balance and Employee Perks

ESI EAP 

Northern Michigan University has partnered with ESI Employee Assistance Group to provide mental health counseling and well-being services to NMU employees and their family members living in their home (dependent children up to age 26). ESI is the nation's most comprehensive employee assistance program (EAP) delivering more than twice the benefits and services as other EAP providers. Available 24/7 to make getting help simple, ESI EAP not only offers counseling benefits, but a host of other valuable services to help you grow professionally, save money, improve your health, and enhance your personal life.  Best of all, there is no cost to you. 

EmployeeConnect 

EmployeeConnect is a value added benefit from the Lincoln Financial Group, NMU's chosen third-party vendor for life insurance and long-term disability.  EmployeeConnect offers professional, confidential services to help you and your loves ones improve your quality of life.  Services include in-person guidance, unlimited 24/7 assistance, and online resources.  Take advantage of EmployeeConnect.

PEIF Pass

Each employee who completes the appropriate application will be provided a single Physical Education Recreation Facility membership at no cost. Family membership is available at reduced rate through payroll deduction. Once per year, employees may sponsor one (1) person, in lieu of a spouse, for a recreation membership at the reduced rate. NMU will abide by State and Federal laws regarding the taxability of benefits.  Explore and sign up today

NMU Bookstore Discount 

Faculty and staff are eligible for a 20% discount on books and 0% discount on other merchandise items at the Barnes and Noble NMU Bookstore.  A valid NMU Wildcat Express ID card is required to obtain the discount. Some exclusions apply and does not include sale items.  Sport your Wildcat gear today!

EAN 

NMU maintains an Educational Access Network (EAN) which provides broadband internet access across areas of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  At the present time, NMU employees are able to use the EAN at no charge.  This is considered a 'perk' of employment and not a benefit as it is not available for those outside the service area and may be revoked or changed at any time. If you are a current EAN user or if you'd like to sign up for EAN access, please contact eansupport@nmu.edu or call them at 888-458-8668 to inquire.

Key to the County 

NMU's partnership with The Lake Superior Community Partnership provides employees with access to the LSCP “Key to the County” program.  The Key to the County provides discounts at other LSCP participating business to incentivize shopping at local businesses.  A list of participating local businesses can be found under the link on the right.  "Keys" are available in the Human Resources office at any time. 

Parking Pass

NMU maintains dedicated Faculty/Staff parking lots which require a parking permit.  One parking permit per employee is provided at no cost.

Childcare (Harbor Light & TriShare) 

Northern Michigan University has worked diligently to support NMU employees and students with their childcare needs.  Through our efforts, we have partnered with both Harbor Light Early Education and Michigan Tri-Share.  These partnerships have enabled us to assist in expanding the care available in the community to NMU students and employees as well as financially assist those eligible through the Michigan Tri-Share program.   

The Michigan Tri-Share Child Care Program (Tri-Share) is an innovative approach to increasing access to high-quality, affordable child care for working families who meet certain household income requirements, while also helping to retain talent and removing one major barrier to employment. Through MI Tri-Share, the cost of an employee’s child care is shared equally among the employer, the employee, and the State of Michigan — a three-way split — with coordination provided by United Way of Northwest Michigan (UWNWMI). If you are eligible, you will save 66% on your child care.

In September 2025, NMU partnered with Harbor Light Early Education to provide priority access and lower tuition rates to the NMU faculty, staff, and student population alongside flexible schedules.  Harbor Light Early Education is a boutique learning environment nestled in Marquette, providing a calm child-led environment rooted in a deep connection to nature and a commitment to inclusivity.  With a Montessori inspired approach, they partner closely with parents to create a shared plan for their child's experience and gains from their time with Harbor Light.  

Apply for Tri-Share 

Explore Harbor Light Early Education

PSLF

NMU is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, a federal initiative designed to help reduce the burden of student loan debt for those working in public service. Because NMU is a public institution, employees may be eligible to participate in PSLF.

Through PSLF, eligible employees can have the remaining balance of their federal Direct Loans forgiven after making 120 qualifying monthly payments under an approved repayment plan while employed by a qualifying organization. This program can provide significant long-term financial relief, making it easier to manage student debt while building a meaningful career in higher education.  Annual certification of employment should be emailed to hr@nmu.edu using the PSLF Help Tool.