State of Ohio
Member Benefits

The following union benefits are available to all State of Ohio bargaining unit members (including Attorney General, Treasurer and State Auditor offices), unless otherwise indicated.

Member-only Benefits | Education Benefits | Discount College | Health Care Benefits | Retiree Membership

OCSEA Extras MyOCSEA sign in required
The OCSEA Extras are exclusive consumer discounts for OCSEA dues-paying members and retirees. Sign in with your member-only MyOCSEA account to see what's new. This includes summer member-only discounts to Ohio theme parks, water parks, zoos and more plus tuition discounts.

Workplace Security Insurance
OCSEA has teamed up with Pearl Insurance to offer free, member-only Workplace Security Insurance, which covers death and dismemberment while on the job and in the event of a hostage situation. The $10,000 insurance policy is provided at absolutely no cost to members ONLY. Non-members can receive the benefit if they sign a union membership card.

AFSCME Advantage afscme.org/advantage
Being an AFSCME member not only gets you an advantage at the bargaining table––but it also gets you access to nationwide discounts, perks and benefits that can help make life a little easier.

Union Plus unionplus.org
Union Plus is a non-profit consumer benefits organization created and endorsed by the AFL-CIO. Their mission is to improve the quality of life for union members and their families by providing valuable benefits and services.

Union Education Trust uedtrust.org
The Union Education Trust (UET) provides State of Ohio bargaining unit employees with money for college, vocational school, computer training and short-term courses. UET education assistance is also available to ALL alternative contract members at the State Auditors, Ohio Attorney General and Treasurer of State offices.

Les Best Scholarship
OCSEA members and their families are eligible to apply for the union's college scholarships. The annual OCSEA Les Best Scholarship program, with a total of $12,000 awarded each academic year, includes scholarship for members, dependents and spouses. The deadline to apply is April 30 each year. Members and families may also be eligible for the AFSCME and AFL-CIO Union Plus scholarships.

OCSEA members and family have access to discounted college rates. All dues-paying OCSEA members and retirees as well as their extended family members are eligible. The programs cover a diverse range of discounted educational programs, including degrees and certifications at online colleges and universities nationwide. These benefits include a 2026 expansion to two discount college programs, opening the door to more educational options for members and families.

EBS Union College Benefit 
Where education meets affordability! OCSEA’s college benefit through the Employee Benefit Systems (EBS) guides OCSEA dues-paying members and family members (including extended family) to find the right college and degree options for you. Full- and part-time programs are available. This exclusive union college benefit partnership was negotiated by OCSEA for hard-working OCSEA member families only as an additional way to reduce the cost of higher education and training. 



NEW! Edvance Union College Benefit 
Cutting college costs for union families! With affordable, online options for certificates, associate, bachelor's and graduate degrees, plus annual scholarship awards, Edvance is here to help your union family reach its education goals. The Edvance discount college partnership benefit, available to all OCSEA dues-paying members and family members (including extended family), helps union families reach their education goals without breaking the budget.

Additional Tuition Discounts MyOCSEA sign in required
OCSEA members and their immediate family members are eligible for even more tuition discounts at select online universities through the OCSEA Extras member-only discount program. This includes the following online universities: Columbia Southern University, Drexel University Online and University of Arizona Global Campus.

State of Ohio employees' health care benefits are negotiated in Article 20 of the OCSEA Contract by members and monitored by the member-driven Joint Health Care Committee. The JHCC is a labor-management committee that meets quarterly and presents recommendations on health care. Learn about the union-negotiated health care, vision, dental, life and supplemental insurance plans offered to State of Ohio employees.

Union Benefits Trust benefitstrust.org
Explore the Union Benefits Trust (UBT), which offers dental, vision, life insurance benefits and the legal service plan to approximately 35,000 union-represented State of Ohio employees.

Take Charge! LiveWell! das.ohio.gov
Take Charge! Live Well! is a wellness program for State of Ohio employees and their families who are enrolled in the state's medical plan. The program encourages and supports healthy choices by providing biometric screenings, health and well-being surveys, health coaching, chronic condition management programs, rewards, and more.

Ohio Employee Assistance Program  das.ohio.gov
State of Ohio employees also have access to the Ohio Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a screening, information, referral and support service for state employees and their family members.

Salary Continuation and OIL
Learn more about Salary Continuation and Occupational Injury Leave (OIL) programs for State of Ohio employees who are injured on the job.

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Retiree Union Membership
OCSEA retirees can become an active OCSEA Retiree Member for an annual fee and get many of the OCSEA benefits of being union. Lifetime Retiree Membership is also available to activists through their chapter. 

Ohio Public Employees Retirement System opers.org
Public employees work hard and depend on their pensions when they reach retirement. The Ohio Public Retirement System (OPERS) provides for retirement, disability retirement and survivor benefits programs for more than 1 million members, including 49,300 state employees. While OCSEA IS NOT involved in the administration of state pension plans, OCSEA's President is an elected representative on the OPERS Board of Trustees working on behalf of state employee union members to ensure those pension dollars are being properly managed. 

The Ohio Deferred Compensation Program ohio457.org
The Ohio Deferred Compensation Program is a supplemental retirement plan for public employees. Participants can invest tax-deferred money to help meet their long-term financial goals.