Breaks in Service
Sometimes breaks in service happen. Know what happens to your benefits if you experience a break in service.
What is a break in service?
If you have no hours of service for 14 weeks or longer, you will be considered as having a break in service. When you return to work, you will be treated like a new Team Member for benefits and subject to the initial eligibility review as described in Benefits 101.
If you return or are rehired and begin accruing hours of service within 14 weeks of your last day of service or your termination date, you will not be considered as having had a break in service and your eligibility will not be reset.
If you are benefit-eligible and your break in services lasts less than 30 days, your previous benefit elections will be automatically reinstated with no gap in coverage.
What is a break in service?
If you have no hours of service for 14 weeks or longer, you will be considered as having a break in service. When you return to work, you will be treated like a new Team Member for benefits and subject to the initial eligibility review as described in Benefits 101.
If you return or are rehired and begin accruing hours of service within 14 weeks of your last day of service or your termination date, you will not be considered as having had a break in service and your eligibility will not be reset. If you are benefits-eligible upon your return, you will have the opportunity to re-elect benefits effective the first of the month following or coinciding with your rehire date. You will have 45 days from your benefits effective date to enroll in coverage. For example, if you can join the benefits plan starting on June 1st, you will have until July 15th to enroll.
If you are benefit-eligible and your break in services lasts less than 30 days, your previous benefit elections will be automatically reinstated with no gap in coverage.
Do I lose my benefits if I go on disability leave?
If you go out on company paid disability you will be credited with hours of service during your approved leave. However, this time away will be considered a break in service if it lasts 14 weeks or longer which may result in benefits being terminated. In this case, you will be given the option to elect COBRA to continue your benefits.
If you return to work after 14 weeks, you will be treated like a new employee for benefits.
Contacts
BBI Resource Center
General benefits information and eligibility