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?

Full-Time Officers

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

Part-Time Officers of Administration

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

Postdoctoral Research Scientists/Scholars

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

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

Temporary Full-Time Officers

Nine and Ten Month Programs

Eleven Month Program

Visiting Faculty (full-time, salaried)

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, as of January 1, 2023, the University will offer you 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.