This page contains a list of some of the major benefits, resources and "perks" available to employees of Virginia Tech. This is not intended to be an "all-inclusive" list. If you have any questions, please contact your local Human Resources Representative or you may also contact a member of the HR Service Center.
- Tuition Assistance for Employees -- Full-time salaried employees, meeting admission requirements and with the approval of their department, may have waived or reimbursed twelve (12) credit hours per academic year (Fall through Summer II) not to exceed six (6) hours in a Fall, Spring, Summer I, or Summer II term. Part-time salaried employees are also eligible for a total of six (6) credit hours per academic year with the tuition waiver/reimbursement programs with departmental approval. Departmental approval is contingent on a number of factors including but not limited to funding & budgetary constraints.
- Help with courses at other institutions --The Virginia Tech tuition reimbursement program is not just limited to classes taken at Virginia Tech. It also applies if, with required approvals, you take a job-related course at another accredited institution.
- University Organizational and Professional Development -- serves Virginia Tech by providing development opportunities and consulting services that are of the highest quality, affordability, and convenience for the campus community. Whether you are an individual wanting to develop your skills or a manager or administrator seeking to more effectively guide your team – UPD can help you succeed.
- VT Online -- Virginia Tech Online offers 29 graduate degree, certificate, and licensure programs, a program of 55 undergraduate core course offerings, an undergraduate concentration in the Humanities, and five non-credit professional or personnel development programs--all delivered through an interactive, distance learning environment.
- Blacksburg Transit -- Service is free to all Staff & Faculty of Virginia Tech with valid University I.D. Listed as one of Metro Magazine’s top 10 transit systems in North America, Blacksburg Transit is dedicated to providing you with fast, easy, professional and inexpensive transportation all over the town of Blacksburg, across the Virginia Tech campus, and into key spots throughout the surrounding area.
- Smart Way bus -- this is a commuter bus service that links the Roanoke Valley to the New River Valley. The service begins in downtown Roanoke at Valley Metro's Campbell Court Transportation Center and ends at the Virginia Tech Squires Student Center. A great, economic alternative for some commuters!
- Van Pool -- an exciting new option for commuters which provides several benefits including: employees share the cost of commuting by sharing the ride, monthly cost of vanpooling is payroll deducted using pre-tax dollars, van pool participants have special reserved parking spaces; vans can be fueled inexpensively at Fleet Services' pump; van maintenance is included in the monthly cost; and qualified vanpool drivers ride for free.
- ATM Machines on campus -- There are more than a dozen ATM machines from several financial institutions available throughout the campus community for convenience and use.
- Proximity to downtown and surrounding areas -- Virginia Tech is located in downtown Blacksburg, which means your workplace is actually near many downtown restaurants, shops, banks, and lots of other cool places - all within walking distance and many, many more within just a couple of miles drive or bike ride.
- Food choices on campus -- Student Programs' department of Housing and Dining Services is pleased to provide employees and students with a national award-winning dining program that is committed to innovation and satisfaction. They serve more than 5 million meals each year at 11 conveniently located restaurants. Come experience dining at Virginia Tech for yourself and find out what makes ours one of the top college dining programs in the nation.
- My VT -- provides personalized access to applications and services at Virginia Tech. My VT allows you to access and update your personal information including addresses, phone numbers and leave information; enroll in direct deposit; view/print pay stubs; review your deductions history; change tax withholding allowances for federal and/or state and much more! External information resources are also available including weather, local classified ads, headline news and more – all in one convenient location!
- Virginia Retirement System -- Retirement income is based on the number of years of service in the retirement system, age at retirement, and the highest consecutive 36 months of salary. Full benefits are available at the age of 65 or at the age of 50 with 30 years of service.
- Optional Retirement Plans (Faculty Only) -- Benefits with the Optional Retirement Plans are based on the level of contributions, investment gains or losses, retirement age and the retirement income option. Virginia Tech contributes 10.4 percent of the employee's base monthly income to the Optional Retirement Plan.
- Pre-retirement Seminars -- offered annually to all employees regardless of age; covers retirement process, social security and medicare enrollment, legal issues facing retirees, estate planning and more.
- Other investment options/programs -- employees enrolled in one of the qualified 403(b) or 457(b) plans may be eligible for a cash match contribution from the state. Salaried faculty and staff employees working 20 or more hours per week who contribute $40 per pay period are eligible for the maximum cash match contribution of $20 per pay period. Employee contributions of less than $40 per pay period are eligible for a 50% cash match contribution.
- Financial Planning Workshops -- Human Resources brings retirement investment companies to campus regularly for educational workshops and one-on-one advisory sessions to answer questions related to retirement planning.
- Flexible Spending Accounts -- available for medical and dependent day care expenses -- Full-time staff and faculty can hold back a portion of their pay, pre-tax, to pay for medical expenses or for day care for children or dependent older adults.
- Employee Discounts -- Discounts available on a wide range of products/services including dining, amusement parks, entertainment, automobiles, flowers, and much more
- Health benefits -- Virginia Tech offers comprehensive medical benefits, with a variety of health plan options to choose from to best fit your individual circumstance.
- Dental insurance -- Both standard and expanded dental programs are available.
- CommonHealth -- CommonHealth is the employee wellness program for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Quarterly programs cover a variety of health and wellness subjects and are presented in a variety of formats that make it easy to participate. Not only are the programs educational and fun, they help you stay fit and healthy.
- Lunch and Learn Nutrition Series -- fun and informative program designed to provide information on a wide range of health related topics including: healthy cooking/eating, dealing with stress, managing diabetes, and more.
- Workplace massage program -- for more information please contact a member of the Work/Life Resources team
- On-site CPR classes
- Free flu vaccines for all COVA care members
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) -- As part of Virginia Tech’s health care benefit plan, employees who are covered by the university’s health insurance have access to an employee assistance program. The first four visits are at no cost with subsequent appointments charged as co-payments under your health care plan.
- On site health checks every two years
- Future Moms -- free program for employees who are Cova Care members. Future Moms is designed to help women have healthy pregnancies and to reduce the chances of premature birth.prenatal program. For details call 1-800-828-5891.
- Tobacco cessation program -- includes free patches and gum to help you quit. Quit for Life 1-866-Quit 4 Life (1-866-784-8454)
- Blood pressure screenings -- offered throughout the year at various locations around campus.
- Annual Benefits Open Enrollment Meetings -- communicate changes and serve as a reminder of all services covered under the health insurance plans.
- Annual Health and Benefits Fair -- The CommonHealth and Benefits Fair is free to all faculty staff, retirees and their adult family members. A partial listing of the services available include: Bone Density Screenings, Cholesterol/Glucose Screening, Blood Pressure Check, Posture Analysis, and Vision Check. Flu shots are also available. There are various tables inside the fair covering a variety of topics from health related topics to financial planning and retirement. Massages are also given on-site for free throughout the fair
- Employer provided Life Insurance for staff and faculty -- Virginia Tech provides to staff and faculty a life insurance benefit equal to two times their annual salary with no premium payment required by the employee. In cases of accidental death, a double indemnity clause provides the beneficiary double the amount of insurance or four times their annual salary.
- Optional Life Insurance for staff and faculty -- in addition to the employer provided life insurance coverage, employees have the option to purchase up to four times their annual salary, if they choose.
- Life insurance for dependents -- through the Optional Life Insurance program, Virginia Tech employees may elect to purchase coverage for their spouse and eligible children. Coverage for a spouse is equal to one half of the employee’s coverage amount and eligible children can be covered in amounts of $10,000, $20,000 or $30,000; depending on the level of coverage selected for the employee.
- Short-term disability insurance -- Classified and University employees who are participants in the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program are provided short-term disability insurance with up to 6 months of income protection.
- Long-term disability insurance -- should you become disabled and are not able to work at your job for 6 months or more, this coverage will pay a defined percentage of your salary depending on the options selected.
- Accidental death and dismemberment insurance -- available to all salaried employees. Employees may purchase coverage for themselves or their entire family. Employees may enroll or cancel coverage at any time.
- Sick leave -- Virginia Tech offers an array of leave benefits to allow time off from work to meet various needs of employees. Sick leave may be used for personal illness or medical appointments that cannot be scheduled during non-work hours.
- Long-Term Care Insurance -- State employees participating in the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP) are covered under the VRS Long-Term Care Program administered by the Long Term Care Group, Inc. Employees have the option to purchase additional long-term care coverage through the Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM).
- Retiree Health Insurance Credit -- paid by VT at the rate of $4 per year of service after minimum of 15 years of service
- Retirement payments made during long-term disability -- if you leave your job for long-term disability, you don't have to lose out on your retirement. Virginia Tech’s LTD plans provide for retirement contributions/credits for covered employees to continue until they return to work or to age 65.
- Fitness center discounts -- offered at dozens of facilities around the state. Click the link for full details.
- War Memorial Hall -- War Memorial Hall commemorates the alumni that fought and died in WWI. Admission is free with Hokie Passport and provides students, faculty, and staff an area to pursue many different sport and recreational activities, such as racquetball, basketball, aerobics, and swimming.
- On-Campus Fitness Classes - Recreational Sports holds fitness classes at various times of the day in War Memorial Gym. The cost for these is only $10 for summer session, $25 for a semester.
- Employee Appreciation Day -- Each year the University sets aside one day to honor the people who work here. There are tours, events, dancing, music, food, fun, and ceremonies, all designed to recognize the dedication and contributions of all employees of the University.
- Rental of recreational equipment -- The Student Recreation Center has a wide variety of recreational equipment--stuff like backpacks, volleyballs, and camping tents--available for rental to staff and faculty. The Center also organizes recreational trips.
- BreakZONE Recreation Center -- The BreakZONE is the best place on campus to relax with your friends. Features include pool tables, bowling lanes with automatic scoring, and table tennis tables. So when you need a place to unwind: take a break in the ZONE!
- Venture Out program -- Fun, safe, and, educational outdoor services to the students, faculty, staff, and the community of Virginia Tech. Venture Out is an affordable way to experience the great outdoors.
- Theme park discounts -- Heading to Disney World, Six Flags, Busch Gardens, Sea World, or other major theme parks? Check out the discounts in the Faculty/Staff Discount Program before you go and save some money.
- The Perspective Gallery -- located on the second floor of Squires Student Center on the Virginia Tech campus, includes exhibitions of works by distinguished artists, available at no charge and within walking distance of most of campus.
- Movies -- Squires Student Center shows good movies several times a week and don’t forget you can also get discounted tickets to showings at Regal Cinema located at New River Valley Mall.
- University calendar of events online -- a convenient way to keep track of events around campus--sports, parties, musical events, dance, theater and other events.
- Lactation rooms -- Virginia Tech is proud of its network of lactation facilities, located throughout the Blacksburg campus. These rooms are available to all students, staff and faculty at the University.
- Summer Camps -- The Virginia Tech campus is brimming each and every summer with a wide variety of camps to keep youngsters amused and to teach them new skills. Camps include those related to sports, academics, recreation and much more!!
- Around a month of paid time off -- Full-time calendar year Staff and Faculty earn at minimum a combined total (vacation, holiday, and family/personal) of 28 days of paid time off for the first full calendar year which begins accruing from the start of employment.
- Flexible Work Options (FWO) -- Virginia Tech supports alternative work arrangements as viable options for staff in some situations based upon the needs of the job, department, and/or organization. Options include telecommuting, flexible schedules, compressed work weeks, etc. Obviously, not all jobs lend themselves to such arrangements, and the employee, supervisor and department/organization have to be in agreement.
- Organization of Women Faculty at Virginia Tech -- The goal of OWF is to promote the professional development of women faculty at Virginia Tech by offering a variety of workshops and networking opportunities.
- The Virginia Tech Newcomers' Network (VTNN) -- offers support to new faculty and staff as they become part of our community. Formal and informal events provide opportunities to meet others, socialize on an informal basis, and learn about Blacksburg and the New River Valley. Our listserv and Facebook groups allow members to share their thoughts about local events and interests.
- The Women's Center -- was founded in 1994 to serve the students, faculty, and staff of Virginia Tech. The mission of the Women’s Center is to promote a Virginia Tech community that is safe, equitable, and supportive for women and that celebrates their experiences, achievements, and diversity.
- A Great Community -- recently ranked 14th on the list of America’s most educated small towns, Blacksburg is a unique place to live and to work. Check out the link to explore more reasons that make VT’s hometown such a special place to be.
- Community Information page -- this page contains links to area businesses and organizations including the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce which includes, among other things, information on local banking, real estate, utilities, religious organizations, shopping and much more; also links are provided from the Community Information page to other sites including the regional newspaper - the Roanoke Times and the Department of Motor Vehicles for license renewals, vehicle registrations/transfers, and much more. Check it out!
- Highly ranked area schools -- recently Blacksburg High School was ranked among the top 5% in the nation by Newsweek magazine. Click the area schools link to find more detail on a variety of public and private schools available in the area.
- Assistance locating Child Care -- Work/Life Resources is happy to provide assistance in finding care for your child or children. Lists include child care providers located throughout the New River Valley as well as information about local public and private schools for older children. The Work/Life Resources website also offers information about choosing care.
- Virginia Tech Retiree Association -- serves as primary point of contact for retirees. Designed to maintain contact and communications between the university community and retirees following retirement.