Student Hourly Employees
In most cases, student hourly employees are not eligible for the university’s employee benefits; details regarding possible exceptions are identified below.
Student employees enrolled in 6 or more credits are not eligible for PEBB benefits, as administered by Human Resource Services and the Public Employees Benefit Board (PEBB). This includes both undergraduate and graduate students.
Student employees enrolled in fewer than 6 credits may become eligible for PEBB benefits if they meet the hourly eligibility criteria outlined below. Once eligible, they will remain in PEBB eligible status as long as they continue to work 8 hours per month or until their credit load increases to 6 or more. Additional information can be found at Non-Student Temporary Hourly Employees.
- Eligible upon initial appointment: PEBB benefits begin at the start of the employee’s appointment if a position is expected to average 80 hours or more over a 6 month period, as identified by the appointment details entered in Workday and confirmed by the Additional Data field.
- Eligible based upon work pattern: PEBB benefits begin on the first day of month 7 if the employee demonstrates a work pattern that meets the above eligibility criterion, as confirmed by hours posted on payslips.
Questions about student insurance options should be directed to Cougar Health Services.
Student employees enrolled in fewer than 10 credits may become eligible for PERS Retirement participation if they meet the hourly eligibility criteria outlined below. Once eligible, provided they remain enrolled in fewer than 10 credits, they will remain in PERS retirement even if there are periodic breaks in service. In the event their credit load increases to 10 or more, they may apply to stop participation in the plan via a Student/Student Spouse Exemption, and should contact HRS Benefits as soon as they know they will be enrolled in this higher credit load.
- Eligible upon initial appointment: Retirement participation begins as of the start of the appointment if a position is expected to work 70 hours or more in at least 5 months in a 12 month period, as identified through the appointment details in Workday and confirmed by Additional Data field.
- Eligible based upon work pattern: Retirement participation begins the first of the month after the above eligibility criteria has been demonstrated through the employee’s work pattern, as confirmed by hours posted in Workday.
Please note that hourly retirement eligibility is attached to the position, not the employee. If a position has previously been determined to be retirement eligible, anyone hired into that position in the future will be automatically retirement eligible.