Campus Services / Benefits

Benefits
As a postdoctoral scholar at Caltech you are entitled to a number of benefits including:

• Three separate health plans
• Two separate dental plans
• Tax exempt flexible spending accounts for dependent care and health care¹
• Group life insurance
• Group personal accident insurance
• Travel accident insurance
• Disability insurance
• 403(b) Retirement plan²
• Sick and Vacation Leave
• Child care assistance program³

A copy of the official statements on your benefits is available here (pdf 30K). If you have any questions about your benefits and what (if any) expenses are associated with the benefit, please direct all questions to the benefits hotline at extension 6443. For the childcare assistance program you should contact Lorrie Yamazaki at extension 6188.

In addition to the aforementioned benefits several agencies on campus offer services for members of the postdoctoral community. Please consider using their services whenever necessary.

The Ombuds Office

The Ombuds Office is a confidential, informal, problem-solving resource for the Caltech community. If you are struggling with a work-related issue or concern of a sensitive nature, and you want an opportunity to discuss it with a neutral third party off the record, the Ombuds Office is the safe place to go. Visitors are guaranteed confidentiality (unless someone’s physical safety is in jeopardy.) Ornah Becker, Caltech’s Ombudsperson, also serves as an informal advisor and resource person for the CPA.

The Staff and Faculty Consultation Center (SFCC)

The Staff and Faculty Consultation Center is available to postdocs and their families for short-term counseling and referrals for personal concerns. Licensed mental health professionals provide these services at no cost. You can set up an appointment by calling x8360. The office is located in Millikan Library and has its own collection of self-help books on a broad range of topics that you might want to check out.

1. Tax exempt accounts put some of your salary into a holdin account pre-tax. You can then request reimbursements for eligible expenses, tax free. The limit is $5000 a year for dependant care and health care separately. 2. After two years of service you are eligible for matching funds from the institute. This will happen automatically, and they will contact you to request where to place the funds. Prior to the two years you are free to put any amount (up to $15000 a year) into funds of your own choosing. 3. If you have children under 13 in any type of formal daycare (home or institution based) you may be eligible for assistance from the institute.

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