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Enrollment

Benefits Eligibility & Enrollment

The CSU offers a comprehensive package of benefits including health plans, employee programs, savings plans, retirement and more.

Eligibility Information

To be eligible for health coverage:

  • An employee must be appointed at least half-time (equivalent to 7.5 Weighted Teaching Units for academic year appointments) for more than six months, or;
  • If employed in a Unit 3 Lecturer or Coach Academic Year position, employee must be appointed for at least six (6) weighted teaching units for at least one semester, or two or more consecutive quarter terms.
  • Qualifying appointments may be either permanent or temporary.
  • Once an employee has acquired eligibility and has enrolled in a plan, he/she may continue enrollment during subsequent continuous appointments of at least half-time regardless of the duration of the new appointment.
  • Note: Employees who are not eligible to enroll in benefits under the standard benefits eligibility criteria specified above may be eligible to enroll in medical or FlexCash benefits under the Affordability Care Act (ACA).

Benefits Packet and Information

A Benefits Packet has been compiled below to help facilitate your Benefits Enrollment. Detailed information about the CSU Benefits offerings be found on the CSYou Benefits page

Life Events

Certain Life Events allow the employee to enroll, make changes or cancel enrollment outside the open enrollment period due to qualified permitting events. Employees have 60 calendar days from the date of the event to enroll. Examples of permitting events include:

  • Marital Status change (i.e. Marriage, Divorce, Dissolution of Domestic Partnership or Certification of Domestic Partnership)
  • Birth/Adoption/Placement for Adoption
  • Loss or gain of other coverage.
  • Court-ordered coverage.

How to Choose a Life Event

Enrollment Deadlines

Due to timing with State Controller’s Office, your enrollment deduction for health coverage may be delayed in appearing on subsequent pay warrants. You will receive an email from the Benefits Office for you to authorize your portion of the premium to be collected as a payroll deduction once an Accounts Receivable has been established.

Below is a review of the deadlines and effective dates for enrolling in the available benefit programs:

Program Enrollment Deadline Deadline Coverage Effective Date
Health 60 days Month Prior 1st of the following month
Dental 60 days Month Prior 1st of the following month
Flex Cash 60 days 3rd of the month 1st of the following month
TAPP 60 days 3rd of the month 1st of the following month
Dependent Care/ Healthcare Reimbursement 60 days 3rd of the month 1st of the following month
Note:  Basic Vision coverage is automatic.  Enrollments are effective the first of the month following your appointment. Premier vision coverage is considered a voluntary benefit. Eligible new employees must enroll by completing an enrollment form and submitting to the Benefits Office.
Enrollments will be processed once the Benefits Office receives a completed submission through Employee Self-Service, AND receives all required supporting documentation and necessary information.

How to Enroll

To enroll in benefits:

  1. Log in to My Sac State Portal
  2. From Employee Quick Links, select Common Human Resources System (CHRS)
  3. From the Employee Self-Service Screen, select Hire/Newly Eligible Enrollment or Life Events tile
  4. Complete your enrollment via Employee Self-Service
    1. New Hire Enroll in Benefits Instructions
    2. CSU Life Event Self Service- to add/delete dependents, enroll/cancel benefits
    3. Navigate Benefits in Employee Self-Service (video)
  5. Gather the supporting documentation required for enrollment of family members, and submit to:
    1. Benefits Office Del Norte Hall – 3004, Public Service Hours: Mon - Fri 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. OR
    2. Supporting documentation/forms can be submitted electronically via MOVEit to Luis Diaz, Benefits Coordinator, at luis.diaz@csus.edu or via Sacramento State Secure Mail (GoAnywhere Secure File Transfer) to the Benefits Office at benefits@csus.edu.

Leaving Employment/Loss of Eligibility

If as an active employee, you were covered by a health plan, your benefits coverage will typically continue through the month of separation or loss of benefits eligibility and the month following.

  • For example: separation date is June 30, 2025; benefits end effective August 1, 2025

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) allows you to continue health coverage for yourself and your dependents if you involuntarily lose your health benefits.Under COBRA the individual pays 102% of the monthly premium. View the COBRA Premium Rate Chart for current COBRA rates.

A COBRA Qualifying Event Election Notice will be sent to your mailing address upon your separation or loss of benefits eligibility to notify you of the date your benefits will end and provide information about how to continue coverage through COBRA, COBRA premium rates, and the election form you will need to complete should you decide to elect COBRA.

DID YOU KNOW employees who retire from the CSU may be eligible for lifetime medical and dental benefits?

  • Employees who are losing coverage and are eligible for CalPERS retirement may wish to consider retiring to maintain health benefits.
  • Review the Retirement Processing page for additional details.