We want to provide you with important information on your benefits if you should go on leave without pay or have a reduction in hours. If you have questions, please contact the Benefits Office by email at hrbenefits@uoregon.edu or by phone at 541-346-3085. The following outline defines eligibility requirements for PEBB Benefits and summarizes coverage termination, your rights for continuation of coverage, returning to benefit eligible status and your responsibilities.

Benefit Information

The following information provides guidance for employees experiencing a reduction in hours or FTE or entering a leave without pay status.

Action Steps:

1. Notify the Benefits Office when reduction of hours/FTE occurs or leave without pay begins.
2. Make allowable changes described below, if desired.
3. Submit payment through self-pay procedures if payroll deductions discontinue.
4. Notify the Benefits Office when hours/FTE return to standard eligibility as defined below.

Allowable Changes

You cannot make changes to your core benefit plans or coverage levels. However, you can cancel your enrollment in optional benefits or choose to cancel enrollment in all benefits. If you take no action, then your benefits elections will continue without any changes.

Your options include:

1. Continue all core benefits and optional benefits elections without any changes. If you take no action, then your benefits elections will continue without any changes.
2. Cancel optional benefits such as life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance, and long term care insurance. There is no option to change plans or coverage levels for core benefits, which includes medical, dental, and vision.
3. Cancel all core benefits and optional benefits.

Contact the Benefits Office for instructions if you wish to make allowable changes.

Self-Pay Procedures

Payment for benefits may continue through payroll deductions during a period of reduced hours/FTE or leave without pay. However, if payroll deductions are not withheld to cover the cost of benefits, then the employee is required to follow self-payment procedures by mailing a check or money order to the Benefits Office.

Standard PEBB Eligibility

Employees are eligible for PEBB insurance benefits based on working or "paid regular hours" of at least "half time" in the current month (or in the current pay period if paid mid-month to mid-month). PEBB eligibility rules define "paid regular hours" as paid work time (including vacation, sick, personal leave and compensatory time). "Half time" means no less than 80 hours per month for represented employees or working at least half the working days in the month for Officers of Administration and Faculty.

Employees are eligible for the next month's PEBB insurance benefits based on working or "paid regular hours" of at least "half time" in the current month (or in the current pay period if paid mid-month to mid-month). PEBB eligibility rules define "paid regular hours" as paid work time (including vacation, sick, personal leave and compensatory time). "Half time" means no less than 80 hours per month for represented employees or working at least half the working days in the month for Officers of Administration and Faculty.