Human Resources

Benefits Eligibility

Initial Benefit Eligibility

There are three factors which determine your eligibility for benefits:

  • job classification/ employee group or bargaining unit,
  • time base (e.g. full-time or part-time), and
  • length of appointment.

Please peruse the initial benefit eligibility criteria document for each CSUMB benefit.

For information regarding eligibility based on the Affordable Care Act, please contact Human Resources at (831) 582-3389.

Staff

Employees appointed to work half time or more for six months and a day are eligible to enroll in CSUMB's health, dental, vision, Flex Cash, and flexible spending health and dependent care plans. Eligibility is subject to collective bargaining and policy.

The earliest date benefits can be effective is the first of the month following the employee's hire date, depending on the type of benefit and when the enrollment forms are received by Human Resources Benefits.

Tenure-Track Faculty

Tenure-track faculty with a 12-month or one academic year (AY) appointment teaching a minimum of 7.5 weighted teaching units (WTUs) are eligible to enroll in CSUMB's health, dental, vision, Flex Cash, and flexible spending health and dependent care plans. Eligibility is subject to collective bargaining and policy. The earliest date benefits can be effective is the first pay period of the academic semester (October 1st for Fall semester or March 1st for Spring semester), depending on the type of benefit and when the enrollment forms are received by Human Resources - Benefits.

For further information on specific benefits, enrollment deadlines, the academic year pay plan, and how to schedule a benefits orientation, please refer to the benefit eligibility letter.

For further information on eligibility requirements for faculty, please review the Faculty Benefits Eligibility brochure in the Related Documents & Forms section.

Lecturers and Coaches

Employees appointed for at least 6 weighted teaching units (WTUs) or a 0.4 timebase (FTE) for at least one semester are eligible to enroll in CSUMB's health, dental, vision, Flex Cash, and flexible spending health and dependent care plans. Eligibility is subject to collective bargaining and policy and generally begins October 1st for fall appointments and March 1st for spring appointments.

For further information on specific benefits, enrollment deadlines, the academic year pay plan, and how to schedule a benefits orientation, please refer to the benefit eligibility letter.

Dependent Eligibility

Dependents of an eligible employee include:

  • Spouse (unless legally separated or divorced);
  • Domestic partner (registered through the Secretary of State process - same sex, or opposite sex);
  • Dependent children from birth to the end of the month in which the child reaches 26.

A dependent child includes a step, natural, adopted, domestic partners', a child certified disbabled prior to age 26, or a child living with the employee in a parent-child relationship who is economically dependent upon the employee. For a listing of required supporting documentation, please contact our benefits office at (831) 582-4426.

Other Eligibility Factors

You may also be eligible for other benefit programs, such as employer-paid life and long-term disability insurance, depending on your employee category. For a list of benefit programs by employee category, please refer to the Benefits and Leaves Programs Summary.

Employees already enrolled in a CalPERS health plan as a dependent are ineligible. If this coverage is terminated then the employee may enroll. Dual coverage is not allowed.

Please note that the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) laws govern eligibility for medical benefits. Special consultants, hourly and intermittent employees are not eligible for most benefit plans, including health, dental, and vision.

Maintaining Benefit Eligibility

Upon establishing initial benefit eligibility, an employee remains eligible as long as they maintain at least a 0.5 timebase for staff and 0.4 timebase for temporary faculty (AY lecturers), regardless of the length of succeeding appointments. Appointments must be consecutive with no breaks in service.

Permitting Events

A permitting event is a life change that happens to the employee and/or their dependents, allowing the employee to make changes to their benefits. Permitting events include but are not limited to:

  • Marriage/ Domestic Partnership
  • Separation/ Divorce
  • Birth/ Adoption/ Custody
  • Move
  • Dependents move out of household
  • Employee or dependents obtain other insurance
  • Loss of alternate insurance coverage

An Add/ Delete Worksheet and other applicable forms must be filled out and returned to Human Resources - Benefits within 60 days of the permitting event date. Forms received after the 60-day deadline will be subject to a 90-day waiting period set forth by CalPERS. Failure to report a permitting event within the specified time may result in delays and/or penalties.

Should you have questions regarding a permitting event, please contact Human Resources/ Benefits at ext. 4426.