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Benefits » Affordable Care Act

Affordable Care Act

Employee Eligibility

New variable-hour, part-time or seasonal employees, who are not expected by their employer to average 30 hours a week during the first 12 months they are employed. Because their employer cannot determine their eligibility, they may not enroll in benefits immediately. Their employer must measure their hours to determine whether these employees work an average of 30 hours a week during the 12 months beginning the first of the month after the employee is hired.  If the employee works an average of 30 hours a week during this period, the employee is eligible for coverage during the 12-month period that follows.

Ongoing employees, who have worked for their employer from October 4, 2017 - October 3, 2018, a period in which their employer measured their work hours. If the ongoing employee worked an average of 30 hours a week during this 12-month period, the employee is eligible for coverage during 2018, even if the employee’s hours decrease during 2018.

If the ongoing employee worked an average of fewer than 30 hours a week during this period, the employee is not eligible for coverage during 2018, unless the employee gains coverage through some other provision of the plan.

Benefits-eligible employees and eligible dependents may enroll in:

  • Health insurance – the State Health Plan Savings Plan and Standard Plan and, for eligible members of the military community, the TRICARE Supplement Plan.
    • Members enrolled in the Savings Plan are eligible for a Health Savings Account.
  • State Dental Plan and Dental Plus
  • State Vision Plan
  • Basic, Optional and Dependent Life insurance
  • Basic and Supplemental Long Term Disability insurance
  • Dependent Care Spending Account
  • Medical Spending Account or a Limited-use Medical Spending Account 

If you have questions about how your eligibility for benefits is affected by the Affordable Care Act, contact your Benefits Administrator.

For information about options for permanent, non-permanent, seasonal and variable-hour employees who lose coverage, view the General Information chapter of the Insurance Benefits Guide.