Temporary Employee Benefits

Benefits Overview for Temporary Employees

 

Welcome to the University of Alaska!

Below you will find information on your benefits as a temporary employee in category (1) hired at 29 hours per week or less or category (2) hired at 30+ hours per week. Temporary employees are eligible for certain benefits depending on the nature of the position and which category the position falls. If you have questions about what benefits you are eligible for, please reach out to your HR Coordinator or to ua-benefits@alaska.edu.

 

Hired at less than 29 hours per week
Hired at 30+ hours per week

 

Temporary Employees Hired at Less than 29 Hours Per Week

Temporary employees that are expected to work up to 29 hours per week. Temporary employees are not eligible for health care benefits unless they work an average of 30+ hours per week (130 hours per month) over the previous 6 months.

​Open Enrollment for temporary employees for FY24 will run through 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. 

 

Temporary employees who work 30+ hours per week over the last 6 months (130 hours per month).

If you are eligible to participate, you will receive an email directly from the UA Benefits team with instructions on how to enroll.

All forms must be submitted before 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28th, 2023. 

1. Newly eligible temporary employees who are receiving a notice for the first time or after a break in coverage eligibility 

If no form is submitted by the deadline, newly eligible employees will be automatically opted-out of all coverage

2. Temporary employees who are wanting to make a change to their current coverage level or their dependents

If no form is submitted by a currently covered temporary employee, we will not make any changes to current coverage level or dependents

  • Medical (Premium, Basic, HDHP)
  • Dental (Premium, Basic)
  • Vision (Vision)
  • Health Savings Account (HSA)
  • Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
  • Basic and Supplemental Life Insurance
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance 
  • Corestream voluntary benefits
  • Sick leave
  • Annual leave or Faculty Time Off (FTO)
  • Short and long-term disability
  • Wellness program
  • PERS, TRS, ORP, or UA Pension Plan retirements
  • Tuition waiver

Review these specific drop downs on the Open Enrollment website in section 4 to understand what benefits are provided to temporary employees.

  • Medical and Prescription Plans
  • Dental Plans
  • Vision Plans

 

Temporary employees may be eligible for health care coverage after a 6 month look back period from the employee's start date.

If a temporary employee works an average of 30 hours per week (130 hours per month), the employee will be provided an opportunity to enroll in coverage for a 6 month period. Temporary employees must remain employed to maintain coverage on a UA Choice Plan. 

After the 6 month period is over, the employee will need to meet the hour requirements over the previous 6 months again in order to maintain coverage for the next 6 months.

A member of the benefits team will notify temporary employees if they are eligible for health care and provide instructions on how to enroll.

As a temporary employee you are eligible to participate in a Tax-Deferred Annuity (TDA) retirement plan. More information on the TDA can be found on our TDA webpage.

Regardless of hours worked and health care eligibility, temporary employees are not eligible to participate in:

  • Health Savings Account (HSA)
  • Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
  • Basic and Supplemental Life Insurance
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance 
  • Sick leave
  • Annual leave or Faculty Time Off (FTO)
  • Short and long-term disability
  • Wellness program
  • PERS, TRS, ORP, or UA Pension Plan retirements
  • Tuition waiver

If you are an employee who is re-entering the workforce after retirement from a PERS or TRS plan with the State of Alaska Division of Retirement and Benefits (DRB), you must meet the bona fide termination regulations.

  • You cannot return to work in any capacity with the same employer from which you retired for at least 6 months if under 62 years old at retirement or 60 days if over 62 years old at retirement.
  • There can be no pre-arranged return to work agreement - either written or verbal.

If you have retired from PERs or TRS and are returning to the workforce, please reach out to the DRB at 1-800-821-2251 to see how this will affect you. The DRB also provides bona fide retirement resources on their website. 

 

Temporary Employees Hired at 30+ Hours Per Week

Temporary employees that are expected to work at least 30 hours per week on a regular basis at the time of hire. 

Open Enrollment for temporary employees for FY24 will run through 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. 

Temporary employees who work 30+ hours per week over the last 6 months (130 hours per month).

If you are eligible to participate, you will receive an email directly from the UA Benefits team with instructions on how to enroll.

All forms must be submitted before 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28th, 2023. 

1. Newly eligible temporary employees who are receiving a notice for the first time or after a break in coverage eligibility 

If no form is submitted by the deadline, newly eligible employees will be automatically opted-out of all coverage

2. Temporary employees who are wanting to make a change to their current coverage level or their dependents

If no form is submitted by a currently covered temporary employee, we will not make any changes to current coverage level or dependents

  • Medical (Premium, Basic, HDHP)
  • Dental (Premium, Basic)
  • Vision (VIsion)
  • Health Savings Account (HSA)
  • Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
  • Basic and Supplemental Life Insurance
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance 
  • Corestream voluntary benefits
  • Sick leave
  • Annual leave or Faculty Time Off (FTO)
  • Short and long-term disability
  • Wellness program
  • PERS, TRS, ORP, or UA Pension Plan retirements
  • Tuition waiver

Review these specific drop downs on the Open Enrollment website in section 4 to understand what benefits are provided to temporary employees.

  • Medical and Prescription Plans
  • Dental Plans
  • Vision Plans

 

For information about the three UA Choice Health Care Plans offered, please visit the medical webpage of the benefits website. You will find plan summaries, plan comparison, rates, and other beneficial information to help you in the decision making process. 

A member of the benefits team will notify temporary employees of their  health care eligibility and provide a due date along with instructions on how to enroll.

Health coverage must be elected during your first 30 days of employment. If you do not select a coverage, you will automatically waive health care. Coverage will begin on your 31st day of employment.

If you find you need additional assistance, please contact TouchCare as they can help you choose which plan may be right for you.

A member of the benefits team will notify temporary employees of their  health care eligibility and provide a due date along with instructions on how to enroll. 

To enroll in a UA Choice Health Care Plan for you and your dependents, please complete the temporary employee enrollment form via NextGen (must have UA login credentials to access forms) within 30 days from your employment date. 

  • You must have supporting documentation to provide proof of relationship at time of enrollment. For information on a Financially Interdependent Partner (FIP), please review the FIP Statement and FIP Form.
  •  If you do not make a selection within the 30 day election period, you will automatically waive your right to health care coverage.
  • Health coverage will begin on your 31st day of employment 
  • You must remain employed to maintain coverage through a UA Choice Plan.
As an extended temporary employee, you are eligible to participate in a Tax-Deferred Annuity (TDA) retirement plan. More information on the TDA can be found on our TDA webpage.

Regardless of hours worked and health care eligibility, temporary employees are not eligible to participate in:

  • Health Savings Account (HSA)
  • Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
  • Basic and Supplemental Life Insurance
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance 
  • Sick leave
  • Annual leave or Faculty Time Off (FTO)
  • Short and long-term disability
  • Wellness program
  • PERS, TRS, ORP, or UA Pension Plan retirements
  • Tuition waiver

If you are an employee who is re-entering the workforce after retirement from a PERS or TRS plan with the State of Alaska Division of Retirement and Benefits (DRB), you must meet the bona fide termination regulations.

  • You cannot return to work in any capacity with the same employer from which you retired for at least 6 months if under 62 years old at retirement or 60 days if over 62 years old at retirement.
  • There can be no pre-arranged return to work agreement - either written or verbal.

If you have retired from PERs or TRS and are returning to the workforce, please reach out to the DRB at 1-800-821-2251 to see how this will affect you. The DRB also provides bona fide retirement resources on their website.