Need Help?
If you have questions about what qualifies as a life event, how to complete your paperwork, or need forms in an accessible format, please contact the Office of Human Resources.
Life Status Changes
Certain major life events — like getting married, having a child or losing other health coverage — qualify you to update your benefits elections outside of the regular open enrollment period. If you experience a qualifying event, you must notify the Office of Human Resources and submit the necessary forms within 30 days to make changes to your benefits.
What Counts as a Qualifying Event?
Only specific events qualify employees to make mid-year changes to their benefits. Below are examples of qualifying events:
- Legal marriage, legal separation, divorce or death
- Change in domestic partner status
- Gain or loss of an eligible dependent for reasons such as birth, legal adoption, placement for adoption, foster or death
- Dependent satisfies or no longer satisfies eligibility requirements for reasons such as reaching the dependent child age limit
- Changes in the legal spouse’s or domestic partner’s employment affecting benefits eligibility
- Changes in the legal spouse’s or domestic partner’s benefits coverage with another employer that affects benefits eligibility
- Change in employee work status affecting benefits eligibility
- The employee enters and/or is discharged from military service
- Eligibility for enrollment in Medicare/Medicaid
- Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) eligible
How to Make a Life Status Change
If you experience a qualifying event, follow these steps to update your benefits:
- Notify the Office of Human Resources within 30 days of the event.
- Complete and submit the appropriate Life Status Change forms.
- Provide any required supporting documentation (such as marriage or birth certificates).