Benefits
Benefits Summary
University of Houston faculty and staff enjoy a comprehensive choice of insurance plans including medical, vision, dental, life, accident, short-term disability, long-term disability, and short-term disability, long-term care insurance and flexible spending accounts. Optional benefits include accident, cancer, critical illness and hospital protection plans as well as universal life with long-term care. Medical coverage is provided through Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) at no cost to full-time benefits eligible faculty and staff Dependent medical coverage and other insurance coverage is available at group rates. Dependent eligibility is subject to occasional audits by ERS or their designee.
Benefits Eligibility
Faculty and staff who work 20 hours or more per week for a period of 4.5 months or longer in a fiscal year (September through August) are eligible for some benefits, while other benefits are available to employees with 12 month appointments or who work an average of at least 30 hours per week.
Benefits Elections
An employee has 30 days from the date of hire/benefits eligibility to elect optional benefits such as dental, vision, or life insurance. An employee has 60 days to select a medical insurance plan and add dependents, otherwise their medical benefits will default to Health Select insurance for self only. These election windows are regardless of any state or university holidays, or university closures. It is the employee's responsibility to learn about their benefits options and make elections in a timely manner. Unless otherwise instructed, employees should make their benefits elections online at https://www.ers.state.tx.us/.
Most new hires will be assigned by their department to attend New Hire Orientation on their first day of employment, but one can also learn about UH benefits by attendinig a Be Benefits Wise workshop, watching our online training video, or by contacting the HR Service Center. Information about these options is noted below.
Changes to benefits can be made outside the 30-day window during annual summer enrollment, which is typically in late July. One can also make benefits changes if one experiences a qualifying life event (QLE). A QLE can be marriage, divorce, the birth or adoption of a child, or a married partner gaining or losing insurance through their own employer. Please contact the HR Servcie Center if you have questions about what types of events are considered a QLE for benefits purposes.
Hours
Our hours of operation are Monday – Friday 7:30am-5:30pm. You may also call 713-743-3988 for benefits assistance.
Online Benefits Training
Need an overview? Check out our Online Training!
Be Benefits Wise Classroom Training
Understanding your benefits can be challenging. This session will increase your knowledge of benefits available to you as a benefits eligible employee at UH including: health, dental, optional life insurance, TexFlex (Flexible Spending Account), short- and long-term disability, Aflac, and universal life long term care insurance.
Register online in PASS for course HRT022. Dates and times are available on the HR Course Calendar.
Please call the HR Service Center if you have questions at 713/743-3988.
To view all HR classroom trainings, including Retirement, Benefits, HR topics, and Lunch & Learns, please visit the HR Course Calendar.