If a school employee strikes and does not start work on the first day of school, it could affect their benefits in the following ways:

• If the new school employee does not start on the first day of school, the school employee would get benefits the first day of the month following when they start working (WAC 182-31-040(7)). If a school employee were to strike long enough they may no longer be anticipated to work 630 hours in the school year and would not get benefits.
• A school employee returning to the same SEBB Organization who is anticipated to work at least 630 hours in the coming school year, and who was receiving the employer contribution in August of the prior school year, will receive uninterrupted coverage from one school year to the next (WAC 182-30-080(6)). The previous school year’s benefits would end on August 31 and the current school year’s benefits would begin on September 1. View the chart under Enrollment Requirements to determine the number of days an employee could miss before they would risk not being anticipated to work 630 hours.

If a school employee strikes after the first day of school, it could affect their benefits in the following way:

• A school employee who was determined to be eligible for the employer contribution toward SEBB benefits will remain eligible for the rest of the school year unless they lose eligibility for the employer contribution as described in WAC 182-31-050. For example, this could happen if the employment relationship is terminated or the school employee has a change in their work pattern that would cause them to no longer be anticipated to be eligible. View the chart under Enrollment Requirements to determine the number of days an employee could miss before they would risk not being anticipated to work 630 hours.