Starting or growing your family is an important life event, and Missouri State University offers a range of benefits to support you through pregnancy, childbirth, recovery, and early parenthood.

Health Insurance Coverage

If you’re enrolled in MSU’s self‑funded medical plan administered by Point C, your coverage includes prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum care.

Maternity & Parental Leave

Family and Medical Leave (FMLA):

Eligible full‑time employees may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job‑protected leave under FMLA for pregnancy, childbirth, and bonding with a newborn. Your group health coverage continues during FMLA.

Shared Leave Parental Benefit:

Through the Shared Leave program, eligible employees may receive up to 80 hours of paid parental leave after the birth, adoption, or placement of a child. This paid benefit is separate from your accrued leave balances.
🔗 Shared Leave Program

Short‑Term Disability (STD)

Short‑Term Disability is a voluntary insurance benefit you elect to help protect income if you’re unable to work due to illness, injury, or childbirth‑related recovery. Payments from STD are not offset by your accrued sick or vacation leave. Once approved, STD pays you a portion of your income while you’re medically unable to work.
🔗 Short‑Term Disability Information

Hospital Indemnity Plan

Hospital Indemnity insurance provides cash benefits if you or a covered family member are admitted to the hospital for illness, injury, or childbirth. These cash benefits can help with out‑of‑pocket costs such as co‑pays, deductibles, or household expenses while you’re away from work. The plan also offers an annual wellness screening incentive.
🔗 Hospital Indemnity Plan Details

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

• Dependent Care FSA: Use pre‑tax dollars for eligible childcare expenses (daycare, preschool, etc.).
• Healthcare FSA: Use pre‑tax dollars to help cover out‑of‑pocket health expenses related to pregnancy, delivery, and newborn care.

🔗Flexible Spending Plan Details 

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

MSU’s EAP offers free, confidential, 24/7 support for employees and household members, including counseling and resources for parenting, breastfeeding, stress management, and more.

Contact EAP:
• Phone: 314‑729‑4600 #2 or 1‑800‑413‑8008 #2
• Website: Help Where You Are (Username: MSU | Password: MSU)

Workplace Accommodations & Lactation Support

Missouri State University provides reasonable accommodations for pregnancy and related needs under its official policy:
🔗 Pregnancy and Related Accommodations Policy

Lactation Rooms:

Private lactation spaces are available across campus to support nursing parents who return to work.

Planning Ahead

Review your benefits early so you understand your options for coverage, leave, income protection, and workplace support during family planning and when welcoming a new child. For help with FMLA, Shared Leave, Short‑Term Disability, Hospital Indemnity, or accommodations, contact the HR- Benefits Office.

How can these benefits work together:

How Health Insurance and Hospital Indemnity Work Together

If an employee is enrolled in the Buy-Up Health Plan and has a normal vaginal delivery, they may reach their $5,000 in-network out-of-pocket maximum due to hospital and delivery costs.

If the employee is also enrolled in the Hospital Indemnity Option 1 Plan, they can file a claim for $1,200 ($1,000 per admission + $100 per inpatient day × 2 days). This pays directly to the employee and can be used to offset the out-of-pocket expenses incurred under the health plan.

Bottom line: The health plan covers medical costs up to the out-of-pocket maximum, and the Hospital Indemnity payment provides extra cash to reduce or eliminate what the employee actually pays, giving additional financial protection during a hospital stay.

Employee Family Leave Benefits Example 

Assumptions / Disclaimer:

• Employee has 2 years of service, with 192 hours each of vacation and sick leave.
• Donated 8 hours vacation to Shared Leave (eligible for 80 hours paid parental leave).
• FMLA runs concurrently; vacation and sick leave continue to accrue.
• Accrual posting and leave hours may vary based on payroll periods and delivery dates.
• Employee enrolled in Short-Term Disability (STD) at $300/week, 8-day waiting period, coverage >1 year, no pre-existing limitations. STD pays only for medically necessary time away from work (e.g., recovery from childbirth).

Week	Leave Type	Paid Hours	Accruals During Leave	Remaining Sick	Remaining Vacation	STD ($300/week)
1	FMLA + Shared Parental Leave	40	0	192	184	$0 (waiting period)
2	FMLA + Shared Parental Leave	40	0	192	184	$300 (medically necessary)
3	FMLA + Sick Leave	40	0	152	184	$300 (medically necessary)
4	FMLA + Sick Leave	40	+8 sick / +8 vacation	120	192	$300 (medically necessary)
5	FMLA + Sick Leave	40	0	80	192	$300 (medically necessary)
6	FMLA + Sick Leave	40	0	40	192	$300 (medically necessary)
7	FMLA + Sick Leave	40	0	0	192	$0
8	FMLA + Vacation Leave	40	+8 sick / +10.67 vacation (milestone accrual increase)	8	162.67	$0
9	FMLA + Sick & Vacation Leave	40	0	0	130.67	$0
10	FMLA + Vacation Leave	40	0	0	90.67	$0
11	FMLA + Vacation Leave	40	0	0	50.67	$0
12	FMLA + Vacation Leave	40	+8 sick / +10.67 vacation accrued	8	21.34	$0

Key take aways:

• Shared Leave Paid First: 80 hours of paid parental leave
• Sick & Vacation Used Next: Sick leave until exhausted, then vacation
• FMLA: 12 weeks total, job-protected, runs concurrently with paid leave benefits
• Pay maintained through combination of leave use
• Short term disability payment in addition to normal payroll
• Accruals Continue: Vacation and sick accrue while on leave (shown in chart)
• Health Coverage: Maintained during FMLA