Miscellaneous Benefits

Athletic Events

All A-State employees may purchase season football and basketball tickets for themselves and their immediate family at a reduced rate. A free lifetime pass to athletic events is available for the employee upon retirement.

Bookstore Purchases

Faculty, staff, and the immediate relatives of those parties will receive a 10% discount on any NEW textbooks or NEW software purchased (not rented), and 15% on any USED textbooks purchased (not rented). Textbook Brokers will provide a 25% discount on all non-textbook items sold in store or on the website for all faculty, staff, and immediate relatives of those parties.

Textbook Brokers is now A-State's official bookstore, located at 2160 E Johnson Ave, and may be contacted at (870) 935-2325 or Bookstore.

Catastrophic Leave Bank

After completing two years of service, employees become eligible for the Catastrophic Leave Bank. Employees may elect to donate to the Catastrophic Leave Bank after completing two years of service and may donate hours in increments of 8 hours. Employees who have 80 hours of vacation and/or sick leave in the system at the onset of an illness or injury and have completed the two years of service may apply for Catastrophic Leave or for a Catastrophic Leave for Dependent/Child to supplement their income while they are on leave from the University.

Learn more about the Catastrophic Leave Bank>>

Child Education Leave

Employees are allowed the opportunity to participate in their children's educational activities by granting (8) hours of children's educational activity leave per calendar year.

Learn more about Child Education Leave >>

COBRA

In the event of termination of employment or a qualifying event that ends dependent coverage, continuation of coverage may be elected through our COBRA provider, ConnectYourCare.  Employees will receive notification directly from ConnectYourCare upon benefit termination, including rates and information on how to enroll in COBRA Continuation benefits. 

Also upon termination of coverage, at your request, we will issue a Certificate of Credible Coverage to present to future employers as proof of your coverage under this plan.

Credit Union

All employees of Arkansas State are eligible to join Success Credit Union. Contact the Credit Union Office for more information at (870) 935-9336 or visit their site at https://www.successcreditunion.com/.

Direct Deposit

Effective July 1, 2015, the University is transitioning to electronic payment of all payroll funds for all employees. Employees will have the option of establishing payment via direct deposit with their personal bank account or receiving a new USBank payroll card.

Cards will be issued by A-State through Payroll Services and can be utilized anywhere VISA cards are accepted. Individuals will have the ability to monitor their accounts via website, mobile banking app, phone or text messaging.

Employees may complete the Direct Deposit Authorization to enroll for the Focus Card.

Discounts

AT&T Arkansas State Discount:

CODE:  FAN 99632
Link to AT&T College & University Website:
https://www.att.com/signatureprog/

Enter employee email address on right side of the page in box titled “Students & Faculty”.  AT&T will then list eligible discounts and deals.

Enterprise Rental Car Discount Code (for personal use)

CODE:  56WN811
www.enterprise.com

Hotel Discount Offer:  

Embassy Suites by Hilton Jonesboro Red Wolf Convention Center:

Booking link code for A-State employees:  Go to www.embassysuites.com/ and under ‘special rates’ enter 0002737784 in the ‘corporate account’ field. That will direct you to the next page to choose your room type preference and finalize your reservations.  

Hotels in Arkansas

Some hotels in Arkansas provide a discount for State employees when you present your ID card.  Always inquire upon making a reservation if they provide a discount for State employees for personal reservations.  

Additional Discounts

Many restaurants in Jonesboro provide discounts to A-State students and employees, when you present your ID card.  Always ask if the business provides a discount.

Employee Assistance Program

The A-State Jonesboro Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider is St. Bernards Counseling Center. This service includes 6 free visits per year and is provided to assist employees and their family members when dealing with problems that may occur in everyday life. Individuals can seek assistance in a simple and confidential manner from a trained professional. Referrals to the EAP can be made by yourself, family members, supervisors or physicians, etc. 

Please see the brochure for additional information including location and phone number.

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) provides time off for employees to care for family members or due to their own illness. To be eligible, employees must have been employed by Arkansas State University for a total of 12 months and have worked a total of 1,250 hours in the past 12 months.

The FMLA entitles eligible employees to a total of 12 work weeks of leave during any 12-month period for one of the following reasons:

• The birth of a child, and to care for the newborn child;
• The placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care
• The care of the employee's spouse, child, or parent for a serious health condition; or
• A serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the functions of the employee's job.

At the beginning of 2008, the President signed into law permission for an employee to take up to 26 workweeks of leave to care for a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperating from a medical procedure, therapy, other outpatient status, or is otherwise on the temporary disability retired list for a sickness or illness. The 12-month period used by Arkansas State University for determining eligibility is a rolling year forward, with the 12-month period beginning the first day of FMLA leave usage. (For example, if an employee begins leave for surgery on April 10 of 2008, the 12-month period begins on April 10, 2008 and ends on April 9, 2009.)

Employee Rights and Responsibilities

Fill out the Notice of Eligibility and Rights & Responsibilities

Also, complete one of the following:

Certification for Employee, Employee's Family, Qualifying Exigency for Military Family Leave, Covered Service member for Military Family Leave

Fitness Leave Time

A-State employees may make use of a three (3) hour per week release time benefit for physical fitness purposes. This program is a year round benefit and is available to fulltime, benefited employees. This benefit may not be used in conjunction with the educational benefit, and may be used in increments of 90 minutes or less. Employees who wish to make use of this benefit should get approval from their supervisor, and complete the form linked here. 

For additional details see the operating procedure Release Time for Fitness Purposes.

ID Card

All employees must be issued an Identification Card from the Campus Card Center located in the Student Union. Employees may also set up mobile access for their ID card. Upon termination, the ID card must be returned to the supervisor before the last payroll check will be released.

Parking Permit

All students, faculty and staff members who park a vehicle on the A-State campus are required to display a parking permit as instructed in the Parking and Motor Vehicle Regulations.

Each vehicle which does not display the parking permit in the proper manner will be considered in violation of the rules and subject to fine. All visitors on campus must park in designated visitor parking or in a paid metered or garage space.

Parking permits may be purchased through the Parking System in My.Astate.

Tuition Discount

Arkansas State University regular, full time employees, retired employees, their spouses and their unmarried dependent children (dependent children must be 23 years of age or less, unmarried, living at home or in a residence hall, and must be an identified dependent for IRS tax purposes on the annual tax form, or some other form of dependency documentation, such as divorce decree) may enroll for undergraduate studies for credit or for audit on a space-available basis at a 75% discount of tuition. For graduate level studies, these persons are eligible for a waiver of one-half tuition. As of January 1, 2021, full-time employees (not dependents) are eligible for 50% discount on all A-State Online courses. 

Dependent tuition discounts will continue to be available after the death of a current full-time employee or retiree of the university.

Persons who receive the tuition discount will have any university-sponsored scholarships adjusted accordingly. Persons who choose to accept a full-fee grant-in-aid or assistantship will be charged the regular tuition.

Employees may take one course during regular working hours with supervisor approval. The Tuition Discount Form must be completed and approved prior to the beginning of the course.

A Tuition Discount Form must be submitted in order for the discount to be applied:

Tuition Discount Form - Employee
Tuition Discount Form - Dependent

For more information, view our Frequently Asked Questions or contact Human Resources at 870-972-3454.

Vacation and Sick Leave

Employees accrue vacation leave according to years of employment, and eight (8) hours of sick leave for each complete month of service.

Note: Faculty accrue eight hours of sick leave per month based upon the contract period.