Variable Hour Employee Notice

IMPORTANT HEALTH BENEFITS INFORMATION/OFFER OF COVERAGE FOR VARIABLE HOUR EMPLOYEES OF EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY

With the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), variable hour employees of Eastern Oregon University MAY, in some cases, become eligible for employee health benefits offered through the Public Employees Benefit Board (PEBB). For ACA purposes, EOU is defining a Variable Hour employee as an employee hired into a temporary, intermittent or part-time hourly employee in a Temporary Service (TS) appointment. Below are some key facts that may assist you in understanding your potential rights and responsibilities.

If you have any questions about your rights and responsibilities, please contact EOU Employee Benefits at (541) 962-3286 or by email at ascott@eou.edu.

Variable Hour employees who are hired to work variable and/or intermittent hours:

• You may be offered benefit enrollment information following an Initial Measurement Period if you work an average of 130 hours per month or more during that period. The Initial Measurement Period is defined as the 12 month period immediately following your start date.

Variable hour employees who are hired with the expectation to work an average of 30 or more hours per week:

• You may submit the PEBB benefit enrollment information at any time in the three months following your start date. HOWEVER, you will only get actual coverage IF you are still ACTIVELY employed on the 1st day of the fourth month following your hire. For example, if you are hired March 15, 2015, you can complete enrollment any time before June 15, but your coverage will only be effective on July 1, 2015 if you are still actively employed on July 1, 2015.
• An offer of coverage and/or enrollment in no way alters the temporary status of your assignment. Your employment may be ended at any time.
• If you chose to enroll and are employed on the 1st of the fourth month following your hire date you will receive coverage.
• PEBB’s employee benefits are in whole month increments for coverage. Employees work one month to earn coverage for the following month. To continue your coverage for each month following your first effective month you must meet the requirement of a minimum of 80 paid hours earned in the month.
• If you work less than 80 hours in a month you will not receive coverage (unless you are in a current stability period*) the following month, however you will receive a COBRA notification.
• If you chose coverage and your employment later terminates your coverage will terminate (and you will receive a COBRA notification) as follows:
  • On the last day of the month in which you terminate employment, if you work less than 80 hours in the month.
  • On the last day of the month following your termination, if you work at least 80 hours during the month you terminate employment.
• In order to receive coverage, you must enroll in coverage during your New Employee Open Enrollment window. Late enrollment requires the submission of an appeal to PEBB.
• If you choose to not enroll in coverage when offered, opt out of medical in lieu of cash or decline all coverages, you will not be eligible to enroll at a later date unless you remain benefit eligible and have a qualifying midyear change event.
• IMPORTANT: FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR PEBB ENROLLMENT BY THE END OF YOUR THIRD CALENDAR MONTH OF EMPLOYMENT WILL BE CONSIDERED A REJECTION OF THE OFFER OF COVERAGE.

Enrollment Information & Resources for Variable Hour Employees who are hired with the expectation to work an average of 30 or more hours per week:

• PEBB Enrollment Form is located at: http://www.oregon.gov/DAS/PEBB/Pages/forms.aspx
• Return completed form at any time within the three months following your start date to Employee Benefits:
  • Campus mail: One University Blvd, Inlow Hall 205
  • US mail: One University Blvd, Inlow Hall 205, La Grande, OR 97850
  • Email: ascott@eou.edu
  • Fax: (541) 962-3023
• PEBB Information for New Employees is located at: http://www.oregon.gov/DAS/PEBB/Pages/NewHireResourceCenter.aspx
• If you chose to enroll in coverage, plans available and the employer contribution will be as follows:

• Temporary Service (TS) employees working 30 hours but less than 40 hours per week
  • May enroll in the PEBB Full-time or Part-time Plan
  • Employer contribution[i] will be pro-rated based on the number of hours worked. An additional subsidy is available if you enroll in a Part-time Plan.
  • May enroll in the PEBB Optional Insurance programs except for Short-term and Long-term Disability.
• Temporary Service (TS) employee working 40 hours per week
  • May enroll in a PEBB Full-time plan
  • Employer contribution[i] will be 95% of the premium or 97% if you enroll in the least costly plan
  • May enroll in the PEBB Optional Insurance programs except for Short-term and Long-term Disability.

[i] Employer contribution is towards the CORE benefits (medical, vision, dental, employee basic life insurance)

      Stability Period is the 12 month period following a 12 month Measurement Period. If during the Measurement Period the employee is determined to be Full-time (worked on average 130 or more hours per month), the employee is to be offered benefits during the ensuing Stability Period regardless of hours worked as long as the employee is still employed.