Most changes with your benefits must happen at open enrollment or when you have a qualifying event. Per IRS section 125, different qualifying events allow different benefit changes. If you experience a qualifying event during the calendar year, you may be able to make a benefit change that corresponds with the event. A request for change must be within thirty (30) days of the date of the event.
Qualifying Events for Change of Health/Dental Coverage
- Birth/Adoption (changes must be made within 60 days)
- Death of spouse/dependent/domestic partner
- Marriage/domestic partner affidavit
- Divorce/legal separation/termination of domestic partner agreement
- Loss of health or dental insurance coverage
- Gain of health or dental insurance coverage
- Entitlement to, or loss of eligibility for, Medicare/Medicaid/SCHIP for employee or dependent
- Approved leave of absence
- Dependent (over age 26) no longer eligible
- Dependent (over age 26) returning to school full-time
Depending upon the qualifying event, you may be required to submit documentation. If you do not make the changes timely, you will not be able to change your benefits until the next annual enrollment period.
To review which benefits can be changed per qualifying event, please visit the Benefits Change Matrix (pdf).
Qualifying Events for Dependent Care Spending Accounts
The changes below may be qualifying events to change dependent care spending account contributions. Visit the flexible spending account page for more detailed information on this topic.
- Change of work schedule or work site for yourself or spouse or dependent
- Change of residence for yourself or spouse or dependent
- Termination or commencement of employment of your spouse or dependent
- A change in a child-care provider
Coverage changes begins the first of the month following the event (except for birth or adoption, in which case coverage begins the first of the month in which the child is born or, in the case of adoption, enters the home). Changes permitted are limited to those consistent with the reason for the change.