Employee Benefits and Risk Management

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Benefits While On Leave of Absence

If you take an unpaid leave of absence from Pasco County Schools, the information on this page explains how your benefits will be affected.

Employees who anticipate a leave of absence any time throughout the year should contact Employee Benefits for information about their benefits while on leave. Employee Benefits can help you understand what happens with your group health benefits and how long your coverage will remain active while on leave.

What You Should Know

If you take an unpaid leave of absence, you cannot continue standard payroll deductions for your benefits plans. Your benefits will change according to the length of your leave. Click here to review chart that summarizes these changes.

Benefit Period: A benefit period is defined as one month of coverage. The benefit coverage period is first day of the month through the last day of the month, i.e., May 1 - May 31. Depending on your payroll deduction schedule, it is possible that your payroll deduction do not coincide with your benefit period. If this occurs, you will receive notification from Employee Benefits of any premiums due.

While on a leave of absence you may experience either a Board-paid benefit period or an Employee-paid benefit period. During a Board-paid benefit period, the Board will continue to pay your (employee only) group health benefits, if you continue to pay your share. During an Employee-paid benefit period, you are required to pay premiums for all group health and voluntary benefits you elect to continue.

If you continue coverage during your leave and your payments are delinquent more than 30 days, your coverage will be cancelled, and you will be offered coverage under the provisions of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA).

Returning to Work after a Leave of Absence

Employees returning from an unpaid leave of absence will have a waiting period for benefits (standard waiting period). Employee Benefits will notify you of your benefits enrollment period at your work email. If you return to work before your FMLA expires or you continued your benefits under COBRA, your current benefits will continue. All employees returning from a leave of absence should email Employee Benefits at mybenefits@pascok12.fl.us stating that he/she has returned to work.

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