Officers - Benefits Eligibility

Eligibility

Eligibility for most benefits begins on date of hire. Log in to CUBES to see the benefits and options you are eligible for, as well as monthly cost and coverage start date.

Are you unsure if you are an Officer? Learn about Employment Groups.

Who Is Eligible?

Eligible for:

  • All benefits programs
  • Voluntary benefits

Ineligible for:

  • N/A

Note: Part-Time Officers of Administration who are regularly scheduled to work 20 hours or more per week are benefits eligible, as described below.

Eligible for:

  • Medical, Vision and Prescription Drug coverage
  • Dental coverage
  • Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan (VRSP)
  • Officers' Retirement Plan
  • Tax Savings Accounts:
    •  Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
    • Transit/Parking Reimbursement Program (T/PRP)
  • Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment, Disability* and Voluntary Benefits

Ineligible for:

  • Child Care Benefit
  • Tuition Programs
  • Long-Term Care
  • Basic Long-Term Disability
  • Optional Long-Term Disability

*If you are a Part-Time Officer of Administration, you are not eligible for Basic or Optional Long-Term Disability insurance.

Note: If you are a Postdoctoral Fellow, learn more about your benefits eligibility.

Eligible for:

  • All of the same Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug and Wellness benefits as full-time Officers
  • Tuition Programs (same benefits as Officers, plus the American Language Program)
  • Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan (VRSP)
  • Officers' Retirement Plan
  • Voluntary Benefits

Ineligible for:

  • N/A

Note: Temporary Full-Time Officers are hired for a period of four months or more and with a specific end date.

Eligible for:

  • Medical, Vision and Prescription Drug coverage
  • Dental coverage
  • Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan (VRSP)
  • Tax Savings Accounts:
    • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
    • Transit/Parking Reimbursement Program (T/PRP)
  • Child Care Benefit
  • Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment, Disability and Voluntary Benefits

Ineligible for:

  • Officers' Retirement Plan
  • Tuition Programs
  • Long-Term Care

Eligible for:

  • Medical, Vision and Prescription Drug benefits
    (Part-Time Officers of Administration rates)
  • Dental (Part-Time Officers of Administration rates)
  • Basic Life insurance 
  • Optional Term Life insurance
  • Long-Term Care insurance 
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment
  • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
  • Child Care Benefit
  • Transit/Parking Reimbursement Program (T/PRP)
  • Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan
  • University Retirement Plan contributions 
  • Tuition Exemption (Nine-Month Program eligible for 75% of full-time benefit; Ten-Month Program eligible for 83% of full-time benefit)
  • Voluntary Benefits

Ineligible for:

  • Basic Long-Term Disability   
  • Optional Long-Term Disability

Eligible for:

  • All benefits programs
  • Voluntary benefits

Ineligible for:

  • N/A

Eligible for:

  • Medical, Vision and Prescription drug benefits
  • Dental benefits
  • Officers’ Retirement Plan
  • Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan (VRSP)
  • Basic Life Insurance
  • Optional Term Life Insurance
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment
  • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
  • Transit/Parking Reimbursement Program (T/PRP)
  • Voluntary Benefits

Ineligible for:

  • Tuition benefits
  • Basic Long-Term Disability
  • Optional Long-Term Disability

The following employees are not eligible for coverage under most University benefits:

  • Temporary part-time Officers
  • Variable hours Officers
  • Part-time academic Officers, including student Officers
  • Part-time administrative Officers regularly scheduled to work less than 20 hours per week

However, if you have W-2 earnings, you are eligible to contribute to a Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan.

For most University benefits—including Medical, Vision and Dental—your dependents can be covered if you verify they are your:

  • Legal spouse; 
  • Legally-dependent child(ren), including adopted children and stepchildren;

Go to Dependent Eligibility to learn more.

Active Officers and their spouses age 65 and over who are enrolled in a University medical plan do not need to enroll in Medicare because they still have creditable coverage through the University.

At least three months in advance of retirement from the University, you should enroll in Medicare to avoid any gaps in coverage.

If you are planning to retire, and you are 65 or older, you have the opportunity to enroll in individual health care coverage through Via Benefits.

Info

Both Spouses Work at Columbia

If you and your spouse both work for the University and are eligible for coverage, choose coverage in one of the following ways:

  • One spouse enrolls for the entire family, including eligible dependent children, if any. In this case, the other spouse selects “No Coverage”; or
     
  • Each spouse enrolls separately and one spouse covers eligible dependent children.