Benefits Eligibility & Loss of Eligibility

Employees qualified for benefits have 60 days from the date of their appointment to sign-up for benefits.

Employees are eligible for benefits if appointed half-time or more for a period of more than six (6) months.

Lecturers and Coaches appointed based on the academic-year calendar for two (2) or more consecutive quarters (one appointment letter) at .4 timebase or greater are eligible for benefits. Coaches and Lecturers (Non-academic calendar year) are eligible for benefits if appointed half-time or more for a period of more than six (6) months. Click here to view faculty-benefits eligibility flyer.

Employees appointed on an hourly, intermittent basis do not qualify for benefits.

An enrolled employee may carryover coverage into a position with an appointment of less than 6 months as long as the time base is half time or more (.4 for lecturers/academic-year calendar), and there is no break in service in excess of a full pay period or more. The coverage will continue indefinitely when subsequent appointments of less than 6 months apply, as long as the time base does not fall below half time (.4 for lecturers/academic-year calendar), and there are no breaks of a full pay period or more.

Click here to view faculty-benefits eligibility flyer
Click here to find out about your options if you are not eligible for benefits

Note: Eligibility for retirement plan membership in the California Public Employees’ Retirement System differs from the eligibility for health benefits. See the Retirement Plans section of this site for more information.

Family Members Eligible to Enroll

Eligible employees may enroll for self only, or for self and all eligible family members (who are not otherwise enrolled as an employee, annuitant or dependent under the Public Employees’ Medical and Hospital Care Act-PEMHCA). The following family members are eligible to be covered by an employee’s plan:

Spouse- A copy of your marriage certificate and your spouse’s Social Security number are required.
Registered Domestic Partner - Same sex if both are over the age of 18 or opposite sex if at least one is over the age of 62.
Children (Natural, adopted or stepchildren under age 23 who have never married whether or not they may be living with the employee. Children under age 23 who marry and subsequently divorce, and the spouse of an employee’s child are not eligible.)
A child other than the employee's natural, adopted or step-child, who is living with the employee in a parent-child relationship and for whom the employee has been granted custody or joint custody. Also eligible is a grandchild living in the employee's household in absence of their natural, adopted, or step parent.

Note: Completion of an Affidavit of Eligibility is required for the addition of a child other than the employee's natural, adopted or step-child. If the employee's existing enrollment includes a child under this eligibility criteria and the employee requests to add an additional child under this provision, then an Affidavit will be required for the new child, and an updated Affidavit for each existing child currently enrolled.

An eligible child over age 23 who has never married and who is incapable of self-support because of a mental or physical disability that existed prior to age 23 (refer to the CalPERS Health Program Guide, available through Human Resource Services, for details).