Total Rewards
Who we are
Total Rewards is made up of functional units that support the university’s commitment to providing a comprehensive approach to benefits and enhancing the employee experience. Through its offerings, Total Rewards attracts and retains a motivated workforce where success and personal well-being go hand in hand.
What we do
Total Rewards oversees diverse wellness and employee-centric initiatives that empower faculty and staff and cultivate an environment where they feel valued and appreciated. The department is comprised of the following units:
- Benefits Administration: A team made up of benefits specialists dedicated to overseeing and assisting with inquiries about various offerings (i.e., MetLife voluntary products and death claims, COBRA, flexible spending), manage faculty and staff eligibility, and Open Enrollment, specialize in Tuition Assistance, and contribute to USC’s Competes moonshot by enhancing benefits. Explore all the offerings on the Benefits page on the Employee Gateway.
- Child Care: When you’re at USC, your family is part of the Trojan family. Faculty and staff have access to high-quality childcare through Bright Horizons. There are on-site childcare centers at UPC and HSC and back-up dependent care for dependents. More information is available on the Family and dependent care resources page on the Employee Gateway.
- Compensation: USC proudly ensures employees feel recognized and rewarded through equitable pay practices. The Office of Compensation directs the strategic planning, design, implementation, administration, and communication of all compensation practices, ensuring alignment with the university’s culture and strategy.
- Disability and workers’ compensation: A team of coordinators stands ready to support employees should they have a need for time off. Their responsibilities include managing workers’ compensation claims, facilitating effective communication between third-party leave administrators and employees, consistently adhering to state regulations, and ensuring the seamless return of individuals to the workplace. Visit the Disability and workers’ compensation page on the Employee Gateway for more details.
- Leave Administration: A team of leave specialists dedicated to developing, implementing, and coordinating comprehensive absence management policies and procedures for faculty and staff across the university. This team fosters a strong customer service culture, supporting HR partners when clarification is needed on leave of absence cases.
- Retirement Plan Administration: This team plays a vital role in guiding faculty and staff through their retirement journey, covering accuracy in contributions and distributions, managing enrollments, overseeing loans, and when within two years of retirement, offering specialized support through a Retirement Navigator. For additional details, refer to the Retirement benefits pages on the Employee Gateway.
- USC WorkWell Center: The WorkWell Center is an excellent resource for faculty and staff well-being and includes brief solution-focused counseling and referral, as well as wellness programs that support all domains of health and well-being. In addition, LifeWorks for USC offers digital resources and counseling for no cost to benefits-eligible employees. Visit the WorkWell Center website to learn more.