Handbook Definitions

Term	Definition
Exempt Staff	One who is exempt from the overtime and minimum wage provisions of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Washington State Minimum Wage Act. This definition is based on job responsibilities and categories defined by the FLSA.
Nonexempt Staff	One who is entitled to the protection of the FLSA and the Washington State Minimum Wage Act, including the payment of overtime for hours worked over 40 in one week. This definition is based on job responsibilities and categories defined by the FLSA.
Regular Full-time Employee	One who is regularly scheduled to work a minimum of .75 FTE as faculty, or 32 hours (.80 FTE) per week as staff, in a regularly budgeted position.
Regular Part-time Employee	One who is regularly scheduled to work less than .75 FTE as faculty, or 20 to 31 hours (.50 to .79 FTE) per week as staff, in a regularly budgeted position.
Short Hour Staff	One who is regularly scheduled to work less than 20 hours (.50 FTE) per week in a regularly budgeted position.
Temporary Staff	One who is assigned to a position for a limited period of time, usually less than 6 months.
Dependents	For Healthcare Benefits (starting 7/1/2011): An eligible dependent child under 26 years of age. When an enrolled child turns 26, they remain eligible for insurance coverage through the end of that month. At the end of that time, they will be eligible for COBRA. An eligible child is one of the following: A natural offspring of either or both the subscriber or spouse A legally adopted child of either or both the subscriber or spouse A child placed with the subscriber for the purpose of legal adoption in accordance with state law. "Placed" for adoption means assumption and retention by the subscriber of a legal obligation for total or partial support of a child in anticipation of adoption of such child. A legal ward of the subscriber or spouse. There must be a court order signed by a judge, which grants guardianship of the child to the subscriber or spouse as of a specific date. When the court order terminates or expires, the child is no longer an eligible child. Coverage may continue beyond the limiting age (in other words, may continue beyond the month of the 26th birth day) for an unmarried dependent child who can't support himself or herself because of a developmental or physical disability. For Tuition Discount Benefit: Dependent child: A child of an eligible employee by birth or adoption, who is under age 24 at the start of the quarter for which the discount is to be applied and is claimed as a dependent on the employee’s tax return. Nondependent Child: A child of an eligible employee by birth or adoption, who is under age 24 at the start of the quarter for which the discount is to be applied and is not claimed as a dependent on the employee’s tax return and is pursuing a first baccalaureate degree. Under current IRS regulations, tuition benefits for nondependent children are considered taxable income and will be shown on the employee's payroll information as such for federal tax purposes. The tuition discount benefit for non-dependent children is available only to children of employees. It is not available under any of the tuition exchange programs.
FTE	Full time equivalent percentage. For regular employees, FTE is based on a 40 hour work week.
Open Enrollment	A time during which employees may elect to make changes to their insurance coverage. Employees may use this opportunity to change insurance plans or coverage, to add insurance, enroll or re-enroll in flexible spending accounts, and to change dependents covered. Generally, this is the only such opportunity during the year to make such changes.
Special Enrollment & Family Status Changes	Special cases outside of Open Enrollment (LINK) when employees may make changes to their benefits.
Premium	The monthly amount charged by insurance vendors to provide insurance coverage. Sometimes referred to as premium rate or fringe benefit premiums.
Year of Service	In reference to paid leaves, the employee's anniversary will coincide with the employee's beginning date of regular employment with Seattle Pacific University. Also referred to as years of employment.