Temporary employee benefits

benefits puzzle piece

Temporary employees are eligible for certain benefits depending on the nature of the position and which category the position falls. Please review information from the Benefits webpage regarding Temporary Employees, or reach out to us at ua-benefits@alaska.edu if you have any questions.

Health care

It depends

Eligibility is determined by the number of hours expected at hire and the number of hours worked over a set period of time.

Eligible - Hired to work 30+ hours per week

Temporary employees hired to work 30+ hours a week will be offered health care. A form will be provided to them from the Benefits team and must be submitted within an employees first 30 days. If no form is submitted, the employee will automatically opt-out of all health coverages.

May be eligible - Hired to work 29 hours per week or less

Temporary employees hired to work 29 hours per week or less will not receive health care unless they meet the hours worked requirement over a 6-month lookback period.

Unsure?
Reach out to ua-benefits@alaska.edu.

Retirement

Voluntary 403(b) only
Temporary employees do not participate in PERS, TRS, ORP, and/or the UA Pension Plan. All UA employees - including temporary and student employees - are eligible to participate in the voluntary 403(b) program.

TouchCare

Eligible
TouchCare is our patient advocacy and price transparency program. TouchCare helps UA employees select the best medical plan for them and their families, provides billing assistance, training, and general support.

This is a free benefit provided to all UA employees - both temporary and benefit-eligible.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Eligible
The Employee Assistance Program provides work-life balance tools for all UA employees, including 8 counseling sessions per family member per issue.

This is a free benefit provided to all UA employees - both temporary and benefit-eligible.

Corestream Deals and Discounts

Eligible
The Benefit Enhancement Program - Powered by Corestream provides discounts to all UA employees on various items including apparel, gym memberships, hotels, travel, and more.

Emailed via benefits newsletter on 1/20/2026.

Published in UA News on 1/23/2026.
Contact Benefits: (907) 450-8242 | ua-benefits@alaska.edu | schedule one-on-one time

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Temporary employee benefits