Virginia Commonwealth University

The following wellness programs are offered to full- and part-time employees: flu shots, health screenings, health-risk appraisals, smoking-cessation programs, health club discounts, physical activity and exercise programs, weight loss programs, and stress-management training. Sixty-two percent of the university’s employees have used at least one of its wellness benefits during the past 12 months.

Full- and part-time employees are eligible for the following dependent-care benefits: on-site care for children, grandchildren, and elders, and referral services to assist with care for children, grandchildren, and elders. The ElderCare Support Group holds monthly meetings with topics such as estate planning and elder law, caregiving through the holidays, top-10 tips to reduce stress, accessing veterans benefits for long-term care, and resources and support for caregivers of family members with dementia.

Benefits/Alternative Work Arrangements: VCU offers the following alternative work arrangements to its full- and part-time employees: flextime, compressed work schedules, job-sharing, and telecommuting. Formal phased retirement is offered exclusively to full-time employees. Full-time employees are eligible to move to part-time work on a permanent and temporary basis.  

Opportunities for Retirees: VCU currently has 1,068 retirees and an employee responsible for retiree relations. The university stays connected with retirees by communicating regularly, inviting retirees to organization events and celebrations, and by providing ongoing access to retirement planning workshops and information. Following retirement, every faculty retiree becomes a member of the Retired Faculty Council, which meets several times throughout the year. VCU offers retirees temporary work assignments, consulting and contract work, telecommuting, and part-time work.

Age of Workforce: Thirty-seven percent of VCU employees are age 50+. The average tenure of employees age 50+ is 15.5 years.