Hiatus Leaves

Compensation & Benefits

What happens if I work for Dartmouth during my hiatus?

Working for your regular department during hiatus period: If you are scheduled to work in a regular capacity during your hiatus period, you will be paid for the hours worked and will receive an adjusted medical credit at year end to help cover your monthly medical premiums for those hiatus months.

Working in a different position at Dartmouth during hiatus period:  This is considered working in a temporary position and although employees will be paid for the hours worked, you will not receive a medical credit toward your benefits.

Not working during the hiatus period: If the department is closed and employees are not scheduled to work, then you will not be paid during the hiatus period. 

Benefits: Employees will have the option to either keep or cancel benefits during the hiatus period. If you choose to keep your benefits, you will be required to pay the full cost for the period of time that you are on Hiatus. 

There are two options to pay for benefits while on hiatus:

1. Amortize benefits and pay for them during the months in which you are scheduled to work.
2. Receive a bill from Dartmouth and pay monthly while out on hiatus.

Amortizing  Benefits

Amortized hiatus employees pay for 12 full months of benefits during the months they are working. These additional amounts of premium are added to their regular amounts of premium each pay period:

• 11-month employees, pay for their 1 month of hiatus during the 22 pay periods in which benefits are deducted.
• 10-month employees, pay for their 2 months of hiatus during the 20 pay periods in which benefits are deducted.
• 9-month employees, pay for their 3 months of hiatus during the 18 pay periods in which benefits are deducted.

New Hires, starting in a hiatus eligible position in the middle of a calendar year, will need to follow the instructions in the "NON-AMORTIZED" information below.  All other hiatus eligible employees should follow the instructions below, based on their decision last November on whether they chose to amortize or not-amortize for the current calendar year.

What to Expect

Depending on whether or not you chose to amortize your benefit premiums throughout the calendar year or not, below is a chronological explanation of what you can expect to happen at each point.  Please follow the instructions throughout based on the option you chose to follow for the year; Amortized or Non-Amortized.

1. Pre-Hiatus Period

• Amortized: During the months in which you are working, you will pay the increased amortized amount, each pay period
• Non-Amortized : During the months in which you are working, you will pay the regular non-amortized amount each pay period. This amount can be found using the Benefits Cost Estimator.

2. Two-three weeks prior to hiatus starting:

• Amortized: You DO NOT need to complete the Hiatus Leave of Absence Form.
• Non-Amortized in the current year: ACTION: Complete a Hiatus Leave of Absence Form and return it to the Benefits Office prior to leaving for summer hiatus.

3. First day of the month, following your hiatus start date:

• Amortized: Deductions will stop in your last paycheck after leaving for hiatus.
• Non-Amortized: All benefits that you chose to cancel through your Hiatus period will end. 
  ACTION: If you plan to take other insurance through another source during your hiatus period, you will need to enroll in the other coverage within the next 30 days. Deductions will stop in your last paycheck after leaving for hiatus.

4. Hiatus Period

• Amortized: Your benefits will continue throughout the entire hiatus period and you will not receive an invoice for premiums.
• Non-Amortized: You will receive a monthly invoice for the full cost of your benefits for any benefits that you did not cancel.

5. Return from Hiatus Date

• Amortized: Deductions will resume in your first paycheck after returning from hiatus.
• Non-Amortized: All previously cancelled benefits will be reinstated, unless otherwise notified. 
  ACTION: Be sure to cancel any outside coverage taken during your hiatus, within 30 days of returning. Deductions will resume in your first paycheck after returning from hiatus. Note:  Any unpaid premiums owed will be collected upon your return.

6. Post Hiatus Period through remainder of calendar year, or until next hiatus cycle begins

• Amortized: During the months in which you are working, you will pay the increased amortized amount, each pay period.
• Non-Amortized: During the months in which you are working, you will pay the regular non-amortized amount each pay period. This amount can be found using the Benefit Cost Estimator.

7. Early October

• Amortized: ACTION: You will receive a Request to waive amortization form via US Mail in early October each year. If you DO NOT wish to amortize premiums in the following calendar year you will need to complete this form and mail it in to the Benefits Office, prior to deadline date, listed on the form.
• Non-Amoritized: ACTION: You will receive a Request to waive amortization form via US Mail in early October each year. If you DO NOT wish to amortize premiums in the following calendar year you will need to complete this form and mail it in to the Benefits Office, prior to deadline date, listed on the form.

8. Benefits Open Enrollment (Late October)

• Amortized: FlexOnline will reflect the new year's amortized rates during Open Enrollment.
  ACTION: If not amortizing in the following calendar year, use the Benefits Cost Estimator to determine non-amortized rates for the upcoming year.
• Non-Amortized: FlexOnline will reflect non-amortized rates during Open Enrollment. 
  ACTION: If amortizing in the following calendar year, contact the Benefits office or use the example below (under paying premiums) to determine your amortized premiums for the upcoming year.

9. November Payroll Audit

• Amortized: An audit will be completed on your account prior to your last paycheck to ensure that you have paid the appropriate number of pay periods (22, 20 or 18).
• Non-Amortized: An audit will be completed on your account prior to your last paycheck to ensure that you have paid premiums for the appropriate number of pay periods for the calendar year (22, 20 or 18).

10. December Hiatus and Payroll

• Amortized: Premiums will be deducted in December based on the results of your November Audit and available wages paid.
• Non-Amortized: Premiums will be deducted in December, based on the results of your November audit and available wages paid.  If you plan to cancel benefits during a winter hiatus period, you will need to follow steps 2-5 above.

Paying Premiums

The cost of your medical, supplemental life insurance, and long-term disability benefits are dependent upon your annual salary and full-time equivalency (FTE=hours worked/week ÷ 37.5) hiatus status, and how many people you are covering. It is also dependent upon whether you wish to continue your benefits through your hiatus period and amortize your hiatus premiums. Below are two examples of how to calculate what you will pay each pay period for medical premiums:

Example 1 - Non-Amortized Premiums
A hiatus employee working at 53 Commons, for 9 months out of the year, receives 18 paychecks, and makes $50,000/year. They regularly work 40 hours per week and are considered a 1.0 FTE. The employee elects the OAP medical plan for 2023 at the single person tier level. The full cost of the plan per month is $917.17, and their monthly medical credit, which can be determined based on the information found in the Benefits Cost Estimator is $727.33.  The employee pays $189.86 per month ($94.93 per pay period if bi-weekly paid) during the 9-months in which they are working.  This employee will either cancel medical insurance during the hiatus months or receive a bill and pay $2,751.51 ($917.17 x 3mos) to keep the insurance during the 3-month hiatus period.

Example 2 - Amortized Premiums
A hiatus employee working at 53 Commons, for 9 months out of the year, receives 18 paychecks, and makes $50,000/year. They regularly work 40 hours per week and are considered a 1.0 FTE. The employee elects the OAP medical plan for 2023 at the single person tier level. The full cost of the plan per month is $917.17, and their monthly medical credit, which can be determined based on the information found in the Benefits Cost Estimator is $727.33.  This employee also pays $94.93 per (bi-weekly) pay period for their medical insurance.  But this person is going to pay the additional $2,751.51 over the 18 pay periods in which they are working.  So, this person is going pay an additional $152.86 each bi-weekly pay period, on top of the $94.93. ($152.86=$2,751.51 for the full cost of 3 months of premiums ÷18 pay periods).  That means this person will pay $247.79 each pay period, and they will have health insurance through the summer months.  If this person works for their regular department during the summer/hiatus months, they may be able to earn some medical credit back to help pay back some of the $2,577.77.

What happens if I leave Dartmouth or my position changes the amount of hiatus time that I will be taking?

Leaving Dartmouth - If you leave Dartmouth please contact the Benefits Office to discuss any reimbursement or premiums owed.

Changing position during the year: Please let the benefits office know and we will adjust your premiums accordingly.