Administration

Penn State OHR continues to apply rules of Affordable Care Act

Since the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law in 2010, the Penn State Office of Human Resources (OHR) has taken several early steps to comply with ACA. To date, OHR has removed lifetime maximums on health care coverage, enrolled dependent children as old as age 26, and implemented no-cost preventative coverage programs related to tobacco cessation and flu immunizations. A required notification about the new public Health Insurance Marketplace was mailed to all employees in early October 2013.

ACA also requires that Penn State, as an employer, offer health insurance to employees who work an average of 30 hours or more per week over a specific time period. Penn State’s initial measurement period is in effect currently and will be from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2014, with coverage offered to employees meeting the requirement beginning in 2015.

In addition, Penn State is implementing changes to several University policies related to part-time University employees. Part-time staff employees (wage payroll or fixed-term 2 assignments) hired on or after Jan. 1, 2014, who are not currently full-time students, will be permitted to work a maximum of 24 hours per week. Hours for part-time employees hired before Jan. 1, 2014, will not be reduced due to these new limitations. Full-time student employees will not be subject to the 24-hour maximum that is set for part-time employment.

Updated guidelines for new, part-time academic employees are being developed and discussed with the University Faculty Senate at its scheduled meeting in January. Information will be released when guidelines are finalized.

As ACA continues to evolve, OHR will monitor and adapt University policies to comply with the law, while also representing the best interests of the University and its employees. For additional information, visit the OHR Benefits website at http://ohr.psu.edu/benefits/health-care-reform.

Last Updated January 9, 2014