The Daily Bulletin Archive

The terms of the recently ratified agreement between New York State and United University Professions (UUP) include an employer contribution for UUP-represented Dependent Care Advantage Account (DCAAccount) participants for the 2018 plan year. UUP-represented employees, or employees represented by UUP at the time they enrolled, who have an active 2018 DCAAccount do not need to do anything. The employer contribution will be deposited into the employee’s account with the paycheck of October 3, 2018.

The employer contribution will be as follows:

Employee Gross Annual Salary        Employer Contribution

Up to $30,000                                       $800

$30,001 to $40,000                               $700

$40,001 to $50,000                               $600

$50,001 to $60,000                               $500

$60,001 to $70,000                               $400

Over $70,000                                        $300

Adding the employer contribution to DCAAccounts will not exceed the employee’s annual election amount unless the employee enrolled for less than their employer contribution. If an employee enrolled for less than the employer contribution, the employee will receive the full amount of their employer contribution. In all other situations, WageWorks will recalculate remaining biweekly deductions and, if necessary, the New York Office of State Comptroller (OSC) will issue a refund.

WageWorks will adjust DCAAccounts, and OSC will issue any necessary refunds with the paycheck of October 3, 2018. 

If an employee was on a leave of absence or terminated their 2018 DCAAccount, they will not receive an employer contribution unless the employee re-enrolls. Employees can re-enroll by submitting a change in status application, and they will be eligible for the employer contribution for the remainder of the 2018 plan year. Here are some examples of eligible change in status events:

• Marriage
• Divorce or separation
• Death (spouse/dependent)
• Birth or adoption of a child
• Beginning or end of employment (employee or spouse)
• Dependent disability
• From full-time to part-time employment or vice versa (employee or spouse)
• Beginning of or return from leave of absence (employee or spouse)
• Change in work schedule (employee or spouse)
• Change in custody of dependent
• Change in rate paid (only if the provider is not a relative)
• Change in care provider
• Loss of another Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) plan’s coverage (increase or enrollment only)

We encourage employees to visit www.flexspend.ny.gov or call customer service at (800) 358-7202 to learn more about enrolling during the plan year, and the change in status rules.