Life Events
The Life Events site provides you with information to consider when major life changes occur; such as, the birth or adoption of a child, marriage, retirement, or termination of employment. Each event lists your options, tells you who to consult with questions, links you to forms and publications, and describes how to make changes to your benefits.
Qualifying Status Change
A qualifying status change is a specific event or change that allows you to make changes to your benefit elections. Federal restrictions prohibit you from dropping, adding, or changing any plan paid with pre-tax dollars during the plan year, unless a qualifying status change occurs. When a qualifying status change occurs, notification must be received by the Office of Human Resources, Benefits Services Department, within 30 days of the status change, but preferably as soon as possible. If the change increases your insurance premiums, catch-up deductions may apply.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides guidelines on when employees can and cannot make changes to their pre-tax benefit programs. The categories listed below reflect the “Qualifying Status Changes” that are required by the IRS for a change to be allowed:
- You change your legal marital status, which includes marriage, death of spouse, divorce, legal separation, or annulment.
- Your dependents change due to birth, adoption, placement for adoption, or death of the dependent.
- You, your spouse, or your dependents terminate or commence employment.
- You, your spouse, or your dependents reduce or increase their hours of employment.
- Your dependents cease or commence to satisfy the requirements for coverage due to attainment of age or student status.
- You, your spouse, or your dependents are entitled to coverage under Part A or Part B of Medicare, or Medicaid.
- You, your spouse or your dependents commence or return from an unpaid leave of absence such as Family and Medical Leave or military leave.
- You receive a court order to provide coverage for your child(ren).
If none of the events listed apply to an employee’s situation, the employee will need to wait for the next annual enrollment period in order to enroll or make changes to their benefits.
