Pennsylvania State University benefits

Public land-grant research university with campuses across Pennsylvania and World Campus.

19 recorded benefits. Record edited: Sun Oct 04 2026 19:17:19 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time).

Recorded work model: U.S. staff may request remote, hybrid or flexible schedules subject to position suitability and unit approval..

Health insurance

Full-time reduced-FTE staff remain eligible for full-time benefits; elected insurance premiums during unpaid months are billed at employee rates

Eligibility & sources

FullTime · For full-time reduced-FTE schedules maintaining at least 75% annual FTE; unpaid-month coverage deductions are billed at employee rates. · Full-time staff on a reduced-FTE schedule. Eligible schedules are year-round at least 30 hours per week, or 40 hours per week for at least nine months per year. If medical coverage is discontinued during unpaid months, re-election is limited to annual open enrollment for the following benefit year.

Sources & dates

  • Policy document HR105 Reduced FTE Schedules

    Read 2026-10-04T18:36:52.160Z

    Source context

    Active policy for full-time reduced-FTE staff; accruals and caps are prorated by annual FTE, and eligibility can vary by benefit.

Sick leave

Accrues 8 paid hours per month when the employee is paid for at least 88 normally scheduled hours; accrual is prorated by annual FTE

Eligibility & sources

FullTime · Full-time staff employees. Monthly accrual requires pay for at least 88 normally scheduled hours and is prorated by annual FTE. Exempt employees whose exempt employment began before October 1, 1992 remain under a prior sick-leave plan.

Sources & dates

  • Policy document HR34 Employment Conditions for Full-Time Staff Employees

    Read 2026-10-04T18:36:52.290Z

    Source context

    Active policy for full-time staff employees, including exempt and nonexempt staff; the policy page identifies its current version as effective January 29, 2026.

  • Policy document HR105 Reduced FTE Schedules

    Read 2026-10-04T18:36:52.160Z

    Source context

    Active policy for full-time reduced-FTE staff; accruals and caps are prorated by annual FTE, and eligibility can vary by benefit.

Caregiver leave

Up to 80 hours of accrued paid sick leave per calendar year may be used to care for an ill family member

Eligibility & sources

FullTime · Full-time staff; family means any person or persons the employee considers family. Care may include bedside support, accompanying the family member to a medical appointment, and emotional support.

Sources & dates

Remote work

Eligibility & sources

US · FullTime, PartTime · Case-by-case University approval based on position and unit needs; arrangements may be modified or discontinued. Duties and in-person interaction must permit the arrangement, with clear outcomes, a safe private workspace, reliable internet and required security. Out-of-Pennsylvania work requires legal review. Remote work is not a substitute for child or adult care. · Full-time and part-time staff appointments located in the U.S.; excludes faculty and postdoctoral appointments.

Sources & dates

  • Policy document HR107 Staff Flexible Work Arrangements

    Read 2026-10-04T18:36:52.153Z

    Source context

    Active policy, effective November 10, 2022, for full-time and part-time staff appointments located in the U.S.; arrangements depend on position and unit suitability and require approval.

Hybrid work

Eligibility & sources

US · FullTime, PartTime · Case-by-case University approval based on position and unit needs; arrangements may be modified or discontinued. Duties and in-person interaction must permit the arrangement, with clear outcomes, a safe private workspace, reliable internet and required security. Out-of-Pennsylvania work requires legal review. Hybrid work is not a substitute for child or adult care. · Full-time and part-time staff appointments located in the U.S.; excludes faculty and postdoctoral appointments.

Sources & dates

  • Policy document HR107 Staff Flexible Work Arrangements

    Read 2026-10-04T18:36:52.153Z

    Source context

    Active policy, effective November 10, 2022, for full-time and part-time staff appointments located in the U.S.; arrangements depend on position and unit suitability and require approval.

Flexible schedule

Approved options can include staggered start/end times, alternative shifts, compressed schedules, and variable core hours.

Eligibility & sources

US · FullTime, PartTime · Requires review and approval; arrangements depend on position suitability and unit needs and may be modified or discontinued. · Full-time and part-time staff appointments located in the U.S.; arrangements are case-by-case and not suitable for every position.

Sources & dates

  • Policy document HR107 Staff Flexible Work Arrangements

    Read 2026-10-04T18:36:52.153Z

    Source context

    Active policy, effective November 10, 2022, for full-time and part-time staff appointments located in the U.S.; arrangements depend on position and unit suitability and require approval.

Retirement plan

Retirement contributions are made during paid months only; TIAA members may make private contributions at any time

Eligibility & sources

FullTime · For employees on an HR105 reduced-FTE schedule; contributions are not made in unpaid months, except that TIAA members may make private contributions at any time. · Full-time reduced-FTE staff maintaining at least 75% annual FTE; year-round schedules require at least 30 hours per week, or a 40-hour schedule for at least nine months per year. SERS participants' reduced annual FTE is reported to SERS.

Sources & dates

  • Policy document HR105 Reduced FTE Schedules

    Read 2026-10-04T18:36:52.160Z

    Source context

    Active policy for full-time reduced-FTE staff; accruals and caps are prorated by annual FTE, and eligibility can vary by benefit.

Vacation & time off

Nonexempt staff accrue 12 hours/month through 10 years of continuous service, 16 hours/month after 10 through 25 years, and 18 hours/month after 25 years; exempt staff accrue 16 hours/month through 25 years and 18 hours/month thereafter.

Eligibility & sources

FullTime · Full-time staff employees. Accrual depends on exempt/nonexempt status and continuous service, is prorated by annual FTE, and requires pay for at least 88 normally scheduled hours in a month.

Sources & dates

  • Policy document HR34 Employment Conditions for Full-Time Staff Employees

    Read 2026-10-04T18:36:52.290Z

    Source context

    Active policy for full-time staff employees, including exempt and nonexempt staff; the policy page identifies its current version as effective January 29, 2026.

  • Policy document HR105 Reduced FTE Schedules

    Read 2026-10-04T18:36:52.160Z

    Source context

    Active policy for full-time reduced-FTE staff; accruals and caps are prorated by annual FTE, and eligibility can vary by benefit.

Company holidays

14 paid holidays, including one personal holiday; 8 hours per holiday at 100% FTE, prorated by annual FTE

Eligibility & sources

FullTime · Full-time staff; some units substitute service days or follow alternate schedules. Personal holiday requires two months of employment; hires on or after November 1 first qualify January 1. Holiday hours are prorated by annual FTE.

Sources & dates

  • Policy document HR34 Employment Conditions for Full-Time Staff Employees

    Read 2026-10-04T18:36:52.290Z

    Source context

    Active policy for full-time staff employees, including exempt and nonexempt staff; the policy page identifies its current version as effective January 29, 2026.

  • Policy document HR105 Reduced FTE Schedules

    Read 2026-10-04T18:36:52.160Z

    Source context

    Active policy for full-time reduced-FTE staff; accruals and caps are prorated by annual FTE, and eligibility can vary by benefit.

Company-wide closure

The University closes normal business on the Friday after Thanksgiving; normally scheduled staff receive regular pay, with up to 8 hours of compensatory time if required to work, while staff not normally scheduled receive 8 compensatory hours if not required.

Eligibility & sources

FullTime · Full-time staff. Normally scheduled Friday employees who are not required to work receive regular pay; those required to work receive regular pay plus up to 8 compensatory hours. Staff not normally scheduled to work Friday who are not required to work receive 8 compensatory hours.

Sources & dates

Bereavement leave

Full pay for up to 40 or 8 hours, depending on relationship, to attend a funeral or memorial service.

Eligibility & sources

FullTime · Full-time staff; permitted paid hours depend on the employee's relationship to the deceased and the corresponding spouse/domestic-partner relationship.

Sources & dates

Jury duty leave

Full salary is maintained for scheduled work time missed for jury duty; if the absence exceeds half a shift, the remainder is excused without salary loss.

Eligibility & sources

FullTime · Paid covered time includes the activity, travel, and time needed for normal sleeping, as determined by management. · Full-time staff absent for jury service during scheduled work hours; if more than half of a regularly scheduled shift is missed, the remainder is excused without salary loss.

Sources & dates

Volunteer firefighting leave

Full pay is maintained for regular-work-hour firefighting or public alarms when the employee is a member of the responding volunteer fire department; organized forest-fire operations must be in the campus/center area.

Eligibility & sources

FullTime · Paid covered time includes the activity, travel, and time needed for normal sleeping, as determined by management. · Full-time staff during regular working hours; employee must belong to the volunteer fire department engaged in the activity, or participate in an organized forest-fire operation in the area of the employee's campus or center.

Sources & dates

Ambulance driving leave

Full pay is maintained for nonscheduled ambulance driving during regular work hours for a community-serving volunteer ambulance organization; nonlocal organizations qualify only for unplanned emergencies when the employee is not called from work.

Eligibility & sources

FullTime · Paid covered time includes the activity, travel, and time needed for normal sleeping, as determined by management. · Full-time staff during regular working hours; the volunteer ambulance organization must serve the campus/center community, or, if it does not, driving must be limited to unplanned emergencies and the employee must not be called from work.

Sources & dates

Subpoenaed witness leave

Full salary is maintained for work time spent as a subpoenaed witness when the employee is not a party to the legal action.

Eligibility & sources

FullTime · Paid covered time includes the activity, travel, and time needed for normal sleeping, as determined by management. · Full-time staff subpoenaed as a witness in a legal action in which the employee is not a party.

Sources & dates

Civil Air Patrol leave

Full salary is maintained during regular work hours for an authorized Civil Air Patrol air-search-and-rescue mission when authorities request the employee to report for duty.

Eligibility & sources

FullTime · Paid covered time includes the activity, travel, and time needed for normal sleeping, as determined by management. · Full-time staff who are members of a Civil Air Patrol group; the activity must be an authorized air-search-and-rescue mission and Civil Air Patrol authorities must request the employee's duty.

Sources & dates

Emergency rescue leave

Full pay is maintained during regular work hours for organized emergency rescue in the area of the employee's campus or center.

Eligibility & sources

FullTime · Paid covered time includes the activity, travel, and time needed for normal sleeping, as determined by management. · Full-time staff who are members of a bona fide search-and-rescue organization and take part in an organized rescue in the area of their campus or center.

Sources & dates

Employee tuition discount

75% off tuition payable per credit for up to 16 credits per academic year.

Eligibility & sources

FullTime · University-credit courses charged regular tuition; excludes professional curricula at the College of Medicine, Dickinson Law and Penn State Law, and noncredit camps/workshops. No University scholarship or other University funding except employee-benefit endowed funds applied to remaining tuition, without direct reimbursement. Department-funded professional-development courses use a separate 100%-department-payment route, not this discount. · Full-time employees, including approved leave. Semesters/summer sessions must begin on or after full-time regular employment; no retroactivity. If eligibility ends during a semester, the discount continues only through that semester. Courses during work hours require supervisor approval. Academic employees above Instructor/Research Assistant or equivalent cannot pursue a University master's/doctorate in a program where they have faculty membership, teaching, degree-committee or supervisory responsibilities creating a conflict of interest.

Sources & dates

Dependent tuition discount

75% off tuition payable per credit.

Eligibility & sources

FullTime · Eligible spouse excludes graduate assistants, graduate fellows and non-stipend scholars. Eligible child means biological, step, adopted or legally guarded child, up to age 26 until first Penn State bachelor's/IUG degree; child credits must be undergraduate/IUG, not master's-or-higher enrollment. Approval before age 26 permits continuation toward first Penn State bachelor's while avoiding two consecutive nonregistered semesters (summer excluded). Documented serious illness/injury permits re-enrollment after that gap, then two further nonregistered semesters end eligibility. Active/honorably discharged military children may continue beyond age 26 with proof; recall to active service can excuse the registration gap. HR36-eligible dependents cannot also use HR37. Regular-tuition University-credit courses only, with professional curriculum and noncredit camp/workshop exclusions. · Dependents of full-time employees, including employees on approved leave. Semesters/summer sessions must begin on or after full-time employment and not after the employee's final day; no retroactivity. Loss of employee eligibility during a semester preserves only that semester. Only one parent-employed tuition discount applies; collective-bargaining employees must consult their agreement. Child-specific program limits are not applied categorically to spouses.

Sources & dates

  • Policy document HR105 Reduced FTE Schedules

    Read 2026-10-04T18:36:52.160Z

    Source context

    Active policy for full-time reduced-FTE staff; accruals and caps are prorated by annual FTE, and eligibility can vary by benefit.

  • Policy document HR37 Tuition Discount for Dependents

    Read 2026-10-04T19:03:23.116Z

    Source context

    Active policy, effective September 8, 2026; dependents of eligible full-time employees have separate age, degree, dependent-type, course, and bargaining-agreement conditions.