Unpaid Leave - Benefits Continuation
Employees who have a need for extended leave may go into a Leave Without Pay (LWOP) status. Generally, employees must use any/all available accrued leave before going into LWOP. This page describes an employee's responsibility for paying certain benefit premiums while on LWOP.
LWOP while on FMLA/OFLA Leave
Deschutes County Leave Policy HR-14 requires an employee to use any/all available accrued leave time before going into LWOP. This includes leave taken under FMLA/OFLA. Employees who exhaust all available leave, and who are on LWOP for an entire pay period are responsible for timely payment of the employee health premium cost share during the LWOP period. Failure to timely pay the employee health premium cost share may result in retroactive termination of health coverage back to the month in which the premium cost share was last paid. Please review the Supporting Document below titled "Protected Unpaid Leave of Absence Benefits Template" for further information and options on how to continue to pay for benefits while on LWOP.
LWOP while on Paid Leave Oregon (PLO)
Paid Leave Oregon (PLO) statutory language allows the employee to use any accrued paid leave while receiving PLO benefits. If the employee exhausts accruals, or has accruals available but chooses not to use them while receiving payment from PLO, the employee will be considered on LWOP and will still be responsible for timely payment of employee premium cost shares while on LWOP.
LWOP - Other Employee Benefits
When an employee is on an extended period of unpaid leave, other benefits may be affected. Oregon PERS service credit may be reduced, and employees who are eligible for paid county holidays may not receive pay for the holiday if they are on a continuous leave without pay.
For questions related to Oregon PERS service credit, contact Oregon PERS at 888-320-7377.
For questions related to paid county holidays, consult your collective bargaining agreement or contact Human Resources at HR@deschutes.org.
