June 2024 Benefits Updates
Washington Cares Fund: Long-Term Benefits
The WA Cares Long Term Care benefit is now portable to other states! The state legislature recently changed the benefit to allow those who reside outside of the state of WA to receive a benefit from this program once they have contributed to the plan for the required number of years. Prior to this change, in order to benefit this program, someone would have to reside in the state of Washington. Many employees who live out of state submitted an exemption from paying the tax, assuming they would not be eligible for a future benefit. The LTSS Trust Commission, who oversees this benefit, is recommending to the legislature that workers be provided with a grace period to rescind their exemption in light of this change. If the grace period is approved by the legislature, which would at the earliest be in the 2025 legislative session, it would be at some future date that employees would be able to rescind their exemption and start paying the WA Cares tax, earning a future benefit.
2025 Benefit Year Open Enrollment Updates
2025 sounds so far away, however, it’s never too early to begin planning for your benefit Open Enrollment window. So you can be prepared, here are some recent changes for you to consider as we pass through summer, into the fall:
- New dates for benefit changes! Open enrollment will run from October 28 to November 25. Be sure to make your elections before Thanksgiving week.
- Vision benefits will become a separate plan from medical, however, will remain a paid employer benefit. Moving forward, employees will be required to make vision, medical, and dental elections.
For information about these topics and more, access the PEBB “For Your Benefits” Newsletter.
Pre-Retirement Seminar
If you are thinking of retiring in the next one to five years, you may find a pre-retirement seminar helpful. At these sessions, a variety of topics are discussed including:
- WSU retirement process
- Retiree medical/dental options
- Leave payout
- Who to contact regarding DRS or WSURP retirement benefits
Visit the Retirement Information page of the HRS Benefits website for a schedule of upcoming dates and sessions.
Considering a Change in Your Appointment at WSU?
When contemplating potential changes to your employment, such as a decrease in FTE, altering your position’s term (e.g., 12 months, 9 months), it’s important to consider the potential effects on your benefits.
Maybe you’re curious about the Phased Retirement plan, and whether it could suit your needs. Your HRS Benefits team is here to answer these questions and more! Reach out via email or phone 509-335-4521 to explore your options.
Resources available through the Employee Assistance Program
Navigating personal change can be difficult. EAP offers an abundance of free and reduced-fee Work-Life resources to help with legal, financial, family, aging, mental health, relationships, and professional development to name a few. EAP also has a robust resource library full of articles, videos, and recorded sessions available on-demand to access whenever it fits your schedule. Visit the Washington State Employee Assistance Program and use organization code “WSU” to access all these tools and more!
Content Credit: Ann Monroe, HRS Benefits Director