Skip navigation - Jump to main content

Medical/Dental Insurance
for Faculty, Staff & Librarians - Eligibility

Eligibility to participate in UW-paid medical, dental, life, and long term disability insurance programs depends on your job class title, employment percentage, and the length of your intended employment. In most cases, you have 31 days from the eligible appointment date to submit your enrollment forms.

Benefits Eligibility Chart for Staff

Use this chart to review benefits eligibility for contract classified staff, classified staff, professional staff, temporary seasonal employees, career seasonal employees, and instructional seasonal employees; check when coverage starts; and learn how to maintain eligibility.

Employment type When your appointment is... Coverage starts... Coverage continues if you...
Classified and Professional Staff ...at least 50% salaried per month (80+ hours) and you are expected to continue employment for more than six months in an eligible job classification. ...on the first day* of the month following the date of appointment. ...maintain a 50% or greater salaried appointment in an eligible job classification.
Temporary, Seasonal, Career Seasonal, and Instructional Year


Please see the Insurance Eligibility For Temporary Employees website for additional information.

*Notes:

  1. If an eligible appointment begins on the 1st business day of the month, eligibility begins on that day.
  2. If there is a conflict between the information on this site and Washington Administrative Code (WAC), the WAC rules will govern.
  3. Benefits may be continued under certain circumstances including leave of absence and layoff.

Benefits Eligibility Chart for Faculty, Academic Staff or Librarians

Use this chart to review UW faculty, academic staff, or librarian benefits eligibility; check when coverage starts; and learn how to maintain eligibility. See UW Summer Quarter (below) for important information about summer quarter appointments and benefits eligibility.

Employment type When your
appointment is...
Coverage starts... Coverage continues
if you...
Faculty, Academic Staff or Librarian ..paid at least 50% or more for the academic year or equivalent period. ...on the first day* of the month following the date of appointment. ...maintain a 50% or greater appointment.
Part Time Faculty, Academic Staff or Librarian hired on a quarter-to-quarter basis

Note: Faculty, Academic Staff and Librarians may meet these eligibility criteria by combining or "stacking" appointments at other higher education institutions while employed as Faculty, Academic Staff or a Librarian. You must notify the UW Benefits Office if this applies to you.
...on a quarter-to-quarter basis, and paid 50% or more. ...on the first day* of the month following the start of the second quarter. ...work quarter to quarter while maintaining a 50% or greater paid appointment.
...for one quarter and paid at the 50% FTE level or more and if at any time in the last 12 months you were eligible under faculty rules at the UW or another state higher education institution. ...on the first day* of the month in which the quarter begins. ...work quarter to quarter while maintaining a 50% or greater paid appointment.
...on average, paid 50% or more in each of the two preceding academic years (beginning with the summer quarter). ...on the first day* of the month following the start of the quarter. You must notify the Benefits Office in writing of your eligibility under this provision within 31 days of your Appointment Begin Date.

*Notes:

  1. If an eligible faculty appointment begins on the 1st business day of the month, eligibility begins on that day.
  2. If there is a conflict between the information on this site and Washington Administrative Code (WAC), the WAC rules will govern.
  3. Faculty benefits may be continued under certain circumstances including leave of absence, layoff and summer quarter between academic year appointments.
  4. Faculty appointments at other Washington State Agencies of Higher Education may also impact eligibility for faculty and librarians.

UW Summer Quarter

Faculty eligibility for the PEBB insurance package is based on the academic year.  Academic quarters for the year are defined by the University of Washington. All quarters are three months in length.

Autumn September 16 - December 15
Winter December 16 - March 15
Spring March 16 - June 15
Summer June 16 - September 15*

For PEBB insurance eligibility purposes the academic year begins in July.

*Summer quarter appointments of less than three full months in duration will be "averaged" over the full three months of the quarter to equalize the appointment with the other three academic quarters in order to determine PEBB eligibility.

Examples:

Dependent Benefits Enrollment

In addition to reviewing your own eligibility, it is important to review your dependent enrollment(s) periodically. Qualifying life events such as adding a spouse or qualified domestic partner; birth or adoption of a child; or death of a family member can impact insurance eligibility. You are responsible for notifying the Benefits Office of any changes in your family or employment circumstances. Prompt enrollment or removal of a dependent ensures access to benefits when needed and ensures that unnecessary benefits will be appropriately stopped.

To add, change, or delete enrollment(s), visit the Changing Medical/Dental Enrollment web site.

EXPLORE


Disclaimer: The information on this page does not substitute for official plan documents. If there is a conflict between the information on this site and an official plan document, the official plan document will govern. Refer to the Benefits Forms & Publications page.

Plan availability and eligibility may change depending on your employment status and/or actions of the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA), the agency that purchases and coordinates health insurance benefits for public employees, including employees of the University of Washington, through the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) program.

Medical & Dental
Insurance Topics

Are you taking an approved leave of absence? Learn about continuing your coverage(s) while you are away from the UW.