Frequently Asked Questions

Please visit Career Opportunities page to apply for open positions. Please click on “Prospective Employee” if you are NOT a current employee of Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Please click on “Current Employee” if you are currently employed by Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

All candidates will receive a response via email in regard to the status of their application. A recruiter will contact you directly if interested in your application.

The benefits package offered by Albert Einstein College of Medicine is below.
Non-Union Exempt/Non –Exempt Staff
1199 Union Staff

Client Service Center:
1-800-996-7566 (voice) or
1-800-424-0253 (TTY – Deaf)
Monday – Friday, 7AM – 8PM (CST)

The PF Parking Lot is located at 1975 Eastchester Road (Eastchester Road between Pelham Parkway and Morris Park Avenue (at the 2nd stop light coming from Pelham Parkway, or at the 1st stop light coming from Morris Park Avenue). The garage is available for parking between 6:30a.m. and 8:30p.m. Phone: 718-430-7021

Once your record has been sent to the Benefits Center, you will receive an email notifying you that your enrollment window has opened. Once you receive this email, you will be able to enroll for your benefits. You will have 31 days from your date of hire to enroll for your benefits. If you do not enroll within 31 days, you will have to wait to the next open enrollment period to enroll for benefits.

If you do not enroll in your benefits, including waiving coverage, you will be defaulted into the following benefits:

• MonteCare EPO
  • Single coverage
• Preventive & Diagnostic Dental Care
  • Single coverage
• Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
• Mandatory Basic LTD

The website for enrolling in your health and welfare benefits (medical, vision, dental, life, disability, and accident insurance) as well as health and dependent flexible spending accounts is www.montebenefits.com.

If you are hired on the 1st of the month, you are eligible for benefits effective immediately. If you are hired on any other day, your benefits will be effective the first of the following month.

For example, if you are hired on April 1, then your benefits will be effective April 1. If you are hired on April 2, your benefits will be effective May 1.

If you are eligible to participate in the Einstein 403b Plan, you can go to www.403b.com, to enroll in the plan to elect your contributions to the plan. IIf you are in an employee classification that is subject to automatic enrollment, you will automatically be enrolled at a 4% pre-tax contribution if you do not enroll in the plan or do not opt out of automatic enrollment. If you are eligible for automatic enrollment, you will receive a letter from Fidelity notifying you of this and the period you may opt out to avoid automatic enrollment.

Einstein has two Fidelity Retirement Planners on-site to assist employees with making decisions about their Einstein retirement plans. Marsha Alexis can be reached at marsha.alexis@fmr.com, and Amanda Finney can be reached at Amanda.finney@fmr.com.

If you commute to Einstein and want to enroll in the commuter or parking reimbursement program, go to www.wageworks.com. You will be able to enroll once your record has been sent to Wageworks. Your record will be sent to Wageworks within 7-10 days from your date of hire.

Each year, during the Annual Open Enrollment period, you have the opportunity to change your benefit elections. IRS rules restrict your ability to change your enrollment decisions at any time other than during this period, unless you experience a Qualified Change in Status.

• Marriage, divorce, legal separation, annulment or death of a spouse,
• Birth, adoption, placement for adoption, or death of a dependent,
• Change in employment status that impacts benefits coverage such as termination of employment, loss of eligibility due to a reduction in hours worked or an unpaid leave of absence,
• A change in the place of residence or work for you, your spouse, of your dependent
• Significant change in your spouse’s coverage through his/her employer, such as the loss or addition of health insurance,
• Other events such as a Qualified Medical Child Support Order or entitlement for you, your spouse or dependent to Medicare or Medicaid.

Any change in benefits must be consistent with the change in status. For example, if you get married, you may add your spouse (and any eligible dependent children) to your medical plan or cancel coverage to join your spouse’s plan.

If you experience a qualifying status change, go to www.montebenefits.com, and click on Life Event. From the drop down menu select the reason for your change. Then enter the effective date of your change (the date must be within 30 days of the life event). Once you enter the date, your enrollment window will open and you will be allowed to make changes to your benefit elections.

You will need to provide appropriate documentation of your life event to the Einstein Benefits Office. If you are adding dependents to your plan, you will need to provide proof of dependent status to Winston Financial Services.

You can access general information about your health and welfare benefits by visiting www.mymontebenefits.com. To access this site, you will need your EZID. Your EZID number can be found through the Employee Portal under Self Service Banner. Please visit https://lum-prod.ec.einsteinmed.edu.

To access your Fidelity account visit www.403b.com, Fidelity’s NetBenefits website. Once you register for the site, you can access your accounts at Einstein.

You can access telephone numbers for all the various companies that administer our benefits by going to www.mymontebenefits.com, or by accessing the provider list below. If you have a personal question about a claim or benefit you can call one of the following:

• Medical
  Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield
  1.866.236.6748
• Dental
  Cigna
  1.800.Cigna24 (1.800.244.6224)
• Reimbursement Accounts
  Wageworks
  1.877.924.3967
• Vision
  UnitedHealth Care Vision
  1.800.638.3120
• Prescription Drug
  Express Scripts
  1.800.631.7780
• Retirement Plan
  Fidelity Investments
  855.498.7283
• Legal Plan
  Hyatt Legal Services
  800.821.6400
• Employee Assistance Plan
  ESI 800.252.4555

Your medical, vision and dental coverage ends on the last day of the month in which you terminate employment. You will be sent information from Conexis about your rights to continue your coverage through COBRA.

Your life insurance and disability benefits end at midnight on your last day worked. You have the option of converting these coverages to an individual policy.

Keep in mind, that if are enrolled in a health care or dependent care reimbursement account, you will only be reimbursed for eligible expenses incurred on or prior to your last day worked. You have the option of continuing your participation in these plans by paying your premiums on a post-tax basis directly to Wageworks.

An automated employment and income verification service process was implemented by Human Resources for all active and terminated associates. This service is called The Work Number and provides you with an automated process to handle employment and income verification.

In the case of terminated employees applying for a new job, this service is to be used by prospective employers. The verifier can contact The Work Number via the internet www.theworknumber.com or by phone at 1-800-367-2884.

To verify employment with Albert Einstein College of Medicine. on or after September 9, 2015 the employer code is 17765. To verify employment with Albert Einstein College Medicine of Yeshiva University on or before September 8, 2015 the employer code is 13598.

To update your W2 address log into the Luminis Portal using your AD Credentials. Complete the following steps:

1. Select Service Banner
2. Select the Personal Information Tab, update address and phones
3. Click on W2 / Payroll address Current hyperlink, update and submit.

Please note the Payroll office will receive notice of your W2 address change. You will be contacted by the Payroll office to complete a new State Withholding IT2104 if applicable (IT-2104 indicates whether or not you are no longer a NYC resident, or that City Taxes now need to be taken, indicating your filing status and exemptions; and also whether or not you are a Yonkers resident).

*It is important to note that the Payroll office will not update any tax information unless a new State Withholding IT2104 has been completed.

Please see the payroll office to complete a name change form. Payroll will direct you to see a representative in HR and your name will be updated in the Banner system. A copy of your social security card will be scanned into your employee file. After your name is updated you should return to Payroll to complete a new W4 and IT2104 form.

Once you have received your social security card please see a representative from HR – Talent Acquisition Belfer, Room 1207. A copy of social security card will be made, your ssn will be updated in Banner and your I9 updated as well.

You will then be directed to Payroll to update any necessary tax forms.

Contact the Benefits Department at 718 430-2547.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law which entitles eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave.

FMLA leave runs concurrently with other qualifying leaves of absences. Absences which qualify for workers’ compensation; disability benefits under federal or state law, an Einstein benefit plan, or a union benefit plan; or are otherwise covered under a collective bargaining agreement (such as sick time for personal illness/injury, or maternity/paternity leave purposes) or an Einstein policy may also be counted as FMLA leave if (a) the underlying reason for the absence qualifies as FMLA leave, and (b) the Employee is eligible for FMLA leave.

Employees must advise their supervisor as soon as they know the need for and expected duration of the leave (except in cases of extreme medical emergencies), and generally within two business days of the time they know of the need for leave.

An employee should apply for a continuous FMLA if they expect to be absent from work for more than 5 consecutive days by contacting the benefits office to request the appropriate FMLA/disability leave forms to complete.

An employee should apply for an intermittent FMLA if they expect to be absent for separate blocks of time for a single qualifying reason based on medical necessity.

To qualify for a leave under FMLA, you must have completed a minimum of 1,250 hours of service in the preceding 12 month period prior to the commencement of the leave and have worked for Einstein for a minimum of 12 months.

If you are eligible for FMLA, you may request up to 12-weeks of leave for the following reasons:

• the birth of a child and to care for the newborn child within one year of birth;
• the placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed child within one year of placement;
• to care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition;
• a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her job;
• any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent is a covered military member on “covered active duty;” or
• 26 weeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness if the eligible employee is the service member’s spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin (military caregiver leave).

The 12 weeks of FMLA leave can be taken in single continuous period of time or, in certain circumstances, intermittently (e.g., leave in separate blocks of time for a single qualifying reason as based on certified medical necessity).

FMLA may be paid utilizing accrued sick hours or accrued vacation hours. Please refer to the FMLA Substitution of Paid Leave Flow Chart using the following link. Click here.

If an employee is on a continuous FMLA due to their own serious health condition and does not have accrued sick hours available you may be paid under Einstein’s Supplemental Sick Pay Plan and/or New York State Disability Benefits, in accordance with the requirements and conditions set forth in such plans. Supplemental sick pay is paid at the rate of two-thirds of the employee’s salary, up to a prescribed weekly limit.

Under the NYC Paid Sick Leave Law if an employee is absent from work, regardless if on FMLA, to care for a family member who needs medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of a mental or physical illness, injury or health condition, or who needs preventive medical care you may be eligible to use up to 40 accrued sick hours. Accrued vacation hours are required to be used upon the exhaustion of the 40 hours available under the NYC Paid Sick Leave Law or you may choose to go unpaid.

Holidays are unpaid during a continuous FMLA.

An employee may be eligible to take an unpaid leave of absence but his/her job will not be protected under the FMLA guidelines. These Leaves of Absences are granted at the discretion and convenience of Einstein.

Short-term disability is the form of payment received while an employee is out due to their own serious health condition once they have exhausted all available accrued sick hours provided the disability is approved by our insurance carrier.

Upon the exhaustion of accrued sick time and if still deemed unable to work, the employee may be paid under Einstein’s Supplemental Sick Pay Plan and/or New York State Disability Benefits, in accordance with the requirements and conditions set forth in such plans. Supplemental sick pay is paid at the rate of two-thirds of the employee’s salary, up to a prescribed weekly limit.

Yes. An employee must provide medical clearance to return to work. If restrictions apply, the medical note must clearly state all restrictions. If restrictions do not apply, the medical note must clearly indicate restrictions do not apply. All medical notes should be sent directly to the benefits department who will notify the employee’s department.

During FMLA leave (paid or unpaid) the employee’s group health benefits, such as medical and dental, will continue during the leave provided that the employee continues all required regular employee contributions to these plans. Employees enrolled in Albert Einstein College of Medicine sponsored benefit plans should contact the Benefits Office to make arrangements for employee contributions. Union-represented employees should contact their Benefit Fund Office so that they can comply with the requirements of their Benefit Fund. All other benefits will be governed in accordance with the terms of each benefit plan.

During an FMLA leave that runs concurrently with paid leave, the employee’s benefits will continue to accrue such as sick, personal and vacation days. However, during an unpaid FMLA leave, these benefits will cease to accrue.

Leave taken for the birth of a child and to care for the newborn child within one year of birth; or the placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed child within one year of placement falls under the scope of the FMLA policy.

For maternity FMLA, sick time will only be used for the period in which the employee’s physician deems the employee disabled.

You may obtain additional information by using the following links:

• Family And Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) Policy
• FMLA Process Flow Chart
• Substitution of Paid Leave during FMLA for your own serious health condition