Employee Benefits Qualifying Events
While you are generally only allowed to change your employee benefits elections during the annual open enrollment period, certain life events provide for an exception. Those life events allow you to change your benefits elections in the middle of the plan year if certain requirements are met. The following are examples of types of life events that may allow you to change your benefit elections during a plan year or outside of the annual open enrollment:
- Birth / Adoption
- Change in Insurance Coverage
- Change of Address
- Change in Employment Status
- Death in the Family
- Dependent Child Reaches Limiting Age
- Divorce / Anulment
- Marriage
- Legal Seperation
- FMLA - related Leave
- Spouse Loss of Other Coverage
You should notify your employer's Human Resources Department immediately if you experience any life event changes so that you can ensure there is no interruption or error in your benefits. Most companies and insurance plans will allow a 30 day limit from the life event or qualifying event for the notification and necessary changes to occur.