Staff members are eligible to enroll for these benefits when assigned to regular positions scheduled to work at least half-time (1,040 hours per year). Full-time faculty members, faculty members contracted to teach four units of course work or meet an equivalent set of responsibilities during the academic year, and visiting faculty members contracted to teach three units of course work in one semester, are eligible for the flexible benefits plan.
Here’s what you need to do within 30 days of your date of hire (or date you move into a benefits-eligible position):
We invite you to review the 2024 Benefits Guide (PDF) to explore the comprehensive benefits package offered to eligible University of Puget Sound faculty and staff. Below you will find a high-level overview of the flexible benefits offered to qualifying faculty and staff, along with links you may find helpful as you navigate the benefits enrollment process. Please contact benefits@pugetsound.edu if you have any questions regarding the University's benefit offerings!
- High deductible HRA medical plan (Premera Blue Cross)
- You or your child(ren) may qualify for coverage under Medicaid or CHIP. For more information about these programs, visit https://www.hca.wa.gov/.
- Other options are available to you under the Washington Health Benefit Exchange. For more information about this program, visit http://www.wahbexchange.org/.
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Dental plan (Premera Blue Cross)
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Base dental plan provides diagnostic and preventive care services; or
- Buy-up dental plan includes benefits for basic, major and orthodontia services.
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- Vision plan (VSP)
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Voluntary life insurance (Lincoln Financial Group)
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Voluntary accidental death and dismemberment insurance (Lincoln Financial Group)
- Voluntary health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts (Discovery Benefits) (PDF)
- Voluntary Critical Illness Coverage (PDF)
- Voluntary Group Accident Coverage (PDF)
To enroll in benefits as an eligible new-hire or to modify your benefits elections as a result of a qualified family status change, please log in to Employee Navigator. Benefits eligible faculty and staff will be contacted by the University's HR and Benefits team and provided with benefits enrollment information. Benefits elections must be received within your first 30-days of employment. If you do not submit your benefits elections within the first 30-days of employment, your elections will be defaulted to the base level of coverage and the next opportunity to make modifications to your elections and/or to add dependents in open enrollment, which occurs annually each fall.
If you are requesting a change in benefits elections due to a qualified family status change, please review page 4 of the 2024 Benefits Guide (PDF) and submit your request on Employee Navigator within the specified timeframe. Please note that you must submit supporting documentation to request a qualified family status change to benefits@pugetsound.edu.
- Employee Navigator (if it's helpful, there's an optional worksheet linked below to help you think about your elections before you enroll)
- Affidavit of Marriage or Domestic Partnership Form (PDF) (required if you are enrolling your spouse, domestic partner and/or domestic partner's child for a benefit for the first time)
- After-Tax Payroll Authorization Form (required if you are enrolling a domestic partner and/or domestic partner's child for one or more benefits)
- Beneficiary Designation Form (PDF) (strongly encouraged for everyone)
Please send applicable benefits forms to Puget Sound Human Resources and Benefits by emailing benefits@pugetsound.edu, sending via campus mail to CMB #1064, or delivering in-person to the HR Office in 016 Howarth Hall during standard business hours.
Need help?
Please contact the HR Office at 253.879.3369 during regular business hours or via email at benefits@pugetsound.edu.
HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
View a PDF of The University of Puget Sound Flexible Benefits Program Privacy and Security Policy and Procedures (PDF).
COBRA Continuation of Healthcare Coverage
COBRA can become available to you when you would otherwise lose your group health coverage. It can also become available to other members of your family who are covered under the plan when they would otherwise lose their group health coverage. For additional information about your rights and obligations under the plan and under federal law, please review (PDF) this general notice about COBRA, which is also provided in hard copy to all faculty and staff newly eligible for health care benefits. You may also want to evaluate other medical plan options in addition to COBRA, referenced on the ACA website and on this flyer (PDF).