New Employee Information
Welcome to Washington State University!
Let’s Talk Benefits …
Washington State University offers a comprehensive benefits package, encompassing a sizable amount of our employees’ overall compensation package. Options to best fit our employees’ and their families’ needs are offered, and we are happy to extend these benefits to you!
New employees will receive a notification through Workday letting them know they need to make their benefit elections within the 31-day election window. This site contains general information to assist you with making your benefit elections; it is applicable to the majority of our new employees, but may not address all individual benefit scenarios. A key piece of information is the 2025 Enrollment Guide, the Public Employees Benefits Board’s (PEBB) primary benefit publication.
New Employee Orientation
Visit Percipio to access the following online benefits and retirement orientations. These links are to the 2024 orientations and will be updated to 2025 soon:
- Employee Benefits Orientation
- AP & Faculty Retirement Orientation
- Civil Service, Bargaining Unit, and Nonpermanent Retirement Orientation
Enrollment Deadlines
Benefit elections must be made in Workday within the election window to receive preferred coverage. If no election is submitted, certain rights and options may be lost. Listed below are the due dates and links to additional information on the benefits offered through WSU.
Retirement:
Faculty/Administrative Professionals have 30 days from their date of hire to make an election; Classified Staff and eligible nonpermanent employees have 90 days.
Faculty and Administrative Professional Employees
Civil Service, Bargaining Unit, and Hourly Employees
Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters
Voluntary Retirement Plans – additional optional retirement benefit. No due date
Medical and Dental Insurance:
Election due within 31 days of hire/benefit eligibility.
Dependent Eligibility – includes list of valid dependent verification documents
Long Term Disability (LTD):
Election due within 31 days of hire/benefit eligibility.
LTD – Optional Long Term Disability insurance is not available to seasonal employees who work a season that is less than nine months. These individuals are eligible for the Basic LTD.
Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) and/or Flexible Spending Account (FSA):
Election due within 31 days of hire/benefit eligibility.
FSA – available for those enrolled in a non-CDHP medical plan or who waived coverage
Life Insurance:
Election due within 31 days of hire/benefit eligibility.
Other Benefits and Information:
No associated due dates.
Liberty Mutual – Car, Home and Rental Insurances
GET – Guaranteed Education Tuition
Commuter Benefit – Pay for your work-related travel expenses, including transit passes, non-WSU campus parking, and vanpool, pre-tax through WageWorks.
Employee Assistance Program – The EAP provides confidential counseling and referral services to WSU faculty and staff, as well as free legal consultation and financial counseling services, and comprehensive work-life and wellness resources.
Watch your Workday inbox for the action item to make your benefit elections.
If you do not receive this benefit change event by the 2nd week of your employment, please contact us.
Resources
Total Compensation for WSU Faculty and Staff