FAQs

Employee contributions to their HSA account can be changed throughout the calendar year. To change your pretax contribution to your Health Savings Account, log into BenefitFocus and navigate to the health savings account section.

HSA Bank administers all of Purdue’s spending and savings accounts. (FSA, LPFSA, HSA, HRA, DCFSA) To check the balance of your spending or savings account, log into your HSA Bank online account.  (If you have not already done so, you will need to register your account first.)

To receive services at the lowest cost, it is always best to select services from those that are in network. Login to your anthem.com account to search for in network medical providers.  Login to your deltadentalin.com account to search for in network dental providers.

Contributions to voluntary retirement accounts with Fidelity Investments must be made directly with Fidelity. You can do so by logging into your Fidelity net benefits account or contacting Fidelity at 800-343-0860 for assistance.

The IRS determines eligibility requirements for Health Savings Accounts. If an individual is NOT eligible to have a Health Savings Account, this means NO contributions can be made (employer or employee) pretax to an HSA. See this interactive flow to determine if you qualify. 

Employees who have been employed with Purdue for at least one year, have worked at least 1,250 hours in the previous twelve month period and have not exhausted the allowable FMLA allotment in the previous twelve month period may be eligible for job protected FMLA leave due to a serious health condition or to care for a family member with a serious health condition. Intermittent, reduced schedule and continuous leaves more than three days in duration may qualify. Please contact your Benefits Administrator for more information.

Children can be covered on most insurance until reaching age 26. Medical, Prescription Drug, Lab, Vision and Dental insurance benefits end on the last day of the month in which the individual turns 26. No action needs to be taken. The dependent will be dropped from insurance and the individual will be sent COBRA continuation of coverage information shortly following the last day of coverage. See this document for more detailed information. 

If you are currently receiving contributions to an HSA (Health Saving Account), the funds will be deposited into your account monthly when eligible.

If you are not eligible to receive contributions to an HSA, an HRA (Health Reimbursement Account) will be opened for you and the funds will be deposited quarterly when eligible. An HRA will only be opened for those who are ineligible to receive contributions to an HSA. Some examples of this are as follows: A person on the Purdue Health Plan, a person taking Medicare Part A, a person opted out of Purdue’s medical plans/is on a health plan outside of Purdue.

An individual with a FSA will receive a HRA.

An HRA is a Health Reimbursement Account. HRA accounts are similar to flexible spending accounts (FSA). The funds in this account can be used for qualified medical, vision, prescription and dental expenses you pay out of pocket, like funds in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA).

You will have until the end of the year (or termination/loss of benefits date) to incur eligible expenses and 90 days from December 31 (or termination/loss of benefits date) to submit claims for reimbursement.

Your PNW ID card is a sign of Pride, showcasing your affiliation with Purdue University Northwest! ID cards are issued to employees for uses such as:

• Campus Fitness & Recreation
• Campus Libraries
• May also function as an office/building key

Please contact Facilities Services to get your Purdue Northwest photo ID card.

Request an ID Card

Although most employees are not expected to work during Winter Recess, some areas within the University cannot completely shut down.  In those areas, employees designated as Essential Staff will be notified by their Department Heads if they are required to work during Winter Recess. If you have any questions whether your position will be deemed essential during the Winter Recess, please contact your supervisor.

The answer varies based on your position and designation:

1. Essential, Benefits Eligible Staff Who Work During Winter Recess –
   1. Both Exempt and Non-Exempt employees will have the opportunity to re-designate any time worked during the Winter Recess to another normally scheduled workday(s) within the current Fiscal Year (prior to June 30, 2022).
2. Non-Essential, Benefits Eligible Staff Who Work During Winter Recess –
   1. Will not have the opportunity to re-designate any time during the Winter Recess to another normally scheduled workday but instead will be paid at the regular rate for all hours worked during the Winter Recess.
3. Benefits Eligible Staff Who Do Not Work During Winter Recess –
   1. Will receive regular rate of pay for all normally scheduled hours and do not need to take any steps to record time not worked during the Winter Recess.

No, temporary and student employees do not receive Winter Recess pay. They will only be paid for actual hours worked during the Winter Recess.

Benefit payments will continue in these situations.  If employees are supplementing their benefit payments with sick leave or vacation time, these benefit payments should be supplemented with Winter Recess paid time in place of the hours that would have been paid as sick leave or vacation time.  For any questions on how to properly record time, please contact the Benefits Team for assistance.

No.  The Winter Recess is a special “closure” of the University allowing employees to have an extended period of time off when classes are not in session and the general level of activity slows.  The Winter Recess is part of Purdue Northwest’s ongoing efforts to recognize and reward hardworking employees.

No. As part of the normal academic schedule, Academic Year Faculty and Staff do not work over winter break.

Yes, if an employee is supplementing FMLA with sick leave/vacation/personal business day, they are able to use Winter Recess in place of the sick leave/vacation/personal business day hours.  For any questions on how to properly record time, please contact the Benefits Team for assistance.

No, all time to be re-designated must be used between December 22, 2022 and June 30, 2023.

Departments will be required to manually track essential personnel’s re-designated time off.

Essential personnel who call in sick during the Winter Recess who are scheduled to work, must record their sick time and may not re-designate the time off to a future date.

No, if the Winter Recess occurs on a normally scheduled day off, the employee does not re-designate that time off.  For example, if an employee normally has Tuesday off, they do not re-designate the Winter Recess day which falls on Tuesday.

Yes, if the University Holiday (December 23, 26, 30) falls on a normally scheduled day off, the employee will be able to re-designate the Holiday to be used prior to June 30, 2023.