Overview of University Benefits
- 2026 Benefits Guide (PDF) Updated February 25, 2026
- 2026 Summary of Benefits for Staff Members in Exempt Positions (PDF)
- 2026 Summary of Benefits for Staff Members in Non-Exempt Positions (PDF)
- 2026 Summary of Benefits for Faculty Members (PDF)
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Benefits Philosophy Statement and Guiding Principles
Benefits are essential in the recruitment, retention, and engagement of the talented and diverse faculty and staff members needed to serve University of Puget Sound students. To carry out Puget Sound’s mission and values and advance the university’s strategic plan, the university’s benefits program for faculty and staff members must necessarily reflect the finite resources available for benefits and the competitive environment in which the university operates. The benefits program is, therefore, guided by the following principles:
- To structure benefits, as well as benefits costs that are shared between the faculty or staff member and the university, in a way that allows the university to provide the greatest benefits to the faculty and staff community as a whole even as we recognize that there are significant differences in our individual family life circumstances and economic resources
- To remain open to adjusting benefit priorities in response to changes in the university’s financial position, faculty and staff members’ interests and needs, the competitive market for faculty and staff members, or the external benefits landscape (e.g., changes in the benefits marketplace or in applicable laws and regulations)
- To offer meaningful and flexible choices that meet the changing needs of our diverse community of faculty and staff members with prudent default enrollment options for faculty and staff members who do not make timely choices about benefits programs for which they are eligible
- To provide a core set of benefits that includes health care benefits, a retirement savings plan, and education benefits, understanding that economic and regulatory realities may mandate adjustments even to core benefits
- To support the health and well-being of faculty and staff members, encouraging preventive care and providing opportunities to foster wellness
- To structure insurance programs in a way that pools a large portion of individual risk, allowing Puget Sound and faculty and staff members collectively to purchase coverage at economical rates
- To protect against catastrophic expenses or income interruptions for faculty and staff members (e.g., in the form of paid leave benefits, disability insurance coverage, life and accidental death insurance coverage)
- To incorporate, to the extent provided by law and cost-effective, tax-preferred benefit structures that allow faculty and staff members to save or defer taxes
- To continuously put into practice sound financial management, fiscal responsibility, regulatory compliance, sustainability and administrative efficiency
- To take advantage of the resources that Puget Sound is uniquely able to provide as a campus-based higher education institution (e.g., education opportunities, facilities use, subject-matter experts on the faculty and staff), thereby contributing to a positive work environment and culture
- To recognize that benefits education and planning is a responsibility that is shared by the university and faculty and staff members--that we are responsible for informing ourselves about and remaining informed about university benefits and the choices available to us
Notice: 1095 Form Requests
Starting in 2024, based on the newly passed and updated government guidance on the Paperwork Burden Reduction Act, employers are no longer required to deliver Form 1095 to employees, but to make them available upon request.
To receive a copy of your Form 1095, please contact us through one of these methods:
Email: benefits@pugetsound.edu
Physical Mail: Human Resources, 1500 N Warner St #1064, Tacoma WA 98416-1064
Call: 253.879.3369
Form 1095 requests will be made available within 30 days from the time we receive your request.
Email is the preferred and most expedient method for form distribution. By providing an email address to us, you give your consent for us to furnish this form electronically.
If you would like the form to be mailed to your home address on file instead, please note that in your response request and provide a valid mailing address.
As a reminder, 1095 forms are informational only and are not required by individuals for federal tax returns. For more information on how to interpret your 1095-C form, see: https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i109495c. For 1095-B forms, see: https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i109495b