Changing Your Benefits

Major life events—such as getting married, welcoming a child through birth or adoption, retiring, or ending employment—may allow you to make changes to your University benefits outside of the annual Open Enrollment period.

If you experience a qualifying life event (QLE), also known as a qualifying status change, you have 30 days from the date of the event to request eligible benefit changes in Workday. If you miss the 30-day deadline,* your next opportunity to make changes is during the annual Open Enrollment period, with changes effective January 1 of the following year.

* except in cases of ineligibility of a dependent, such as divorce or death

Making Changes

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  • Medical, Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending, Voluntary Accidental Death and Dismemberment

    You can only make changes to your medical, dental, flexible spending account, and voluntary accidental death and dismemberment during annual Open Enrollment or if you experience a QLE.

    Qualifying Life Events include, but are not limited to:

    • Marriage or divorce
    • Birth or adoption of a child
    • Death of a covered dependent
    • Change in insurance eligibility for a dependent
    • Change in health insurance eligibility due to a relocation of residence or work place (for example, an employee or dependent moves out of plan service area)
    • Change in employment status of employee, spouse, or dependent that affects health insurance coverage (employment status changes include termination of a spouse or dependent’s employment, unpaid leave of absence of more than 30 calendar days and change from part-time to full-time or vice-versa).

    You must submit your benefit change request within 30 days of the event in Workday or the Workday mobile app.

    Important Note: Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are government-sponsored health coverage programs. If you or a dependent gain or lose eligibility for Medicaid/CHIP, you qualify for an extended 60-day window to make benefit changes.

    How to Change Your Benefits
    1. From the Workday home page, click Benefits & Pay Hub Overview.
    2. Under Overview Tasks and Reports, click Change Benefits, and select appropriate Change Reason.

    Please note, you are required to provide documentation which supports your request. Any change will be made retroactively, if applicable, to the date of the life event and you may be responsible for past due premiums. 

    Supporting Documents Required to Verify a QLE
    • Marriage: A marriage certificate
    • Divorce: A divorce decree
    • Birth or Adoption: A birth certificate or birth notice from the hospital, or an adoption agreement
    • Death: A death certificate
    • Change to Spouse/Dependent Benefits: 
      • If your spouse/dependent gained new coverage: A letter on company letterhead stating the date the new coverage became effective, the type(s) of coverage gained (for example – medical, dental, vision), and the names of the affected dependents
      • If your spouse/dependent lost their coverage: A letter on company letterhead stating the date coverage terminated, the type(s) of coverage lost (for example – medical, dental, vision), and the names of the affected dependents. A complete COBRA notice including all of the required information previously listed is also acceptable.
    • Loss of Other Coverage: A letter on company letterhead stating the date coverage terminated, the type(s) of coverage lost (for example – medical, dental, vision), and the names of the affected dependents. A complete COBRA notice including all of the required information previously listed is also acceptable. 
    • Gain of Other Coverage: A letter on company letterhead stating the date the new coverage became effective, the type(s) of coverage gained (for example – medical, dental, vision), and the names of the affected dependents
    Effective Dates for a QLE Submitted within 30 Days of the Event
    • If you enroll or add eligible members, the change will be retroactive to the date of the QLE (such as date of marriage) and retroactive payroll premiums deductions will be taken.
    • If you cancel coverage or drop eligible members, the change will be retroactive to the date of the QLE (such as date new coverage was obtained). Payroll deductions will be stopped or changed when the change is entered/approved in Workday. Amounts already deducted from pay will not be refunded.
    • If your eligible dependent member loses eligibility, the change will be retroactive to the date the individual is no longer eligible under the plan rules (such as the date of divorce).  Payroll deductions will be stopped or changed when the change is entered/approved in Workday or when Total Rewards is notified (unless the QLE is later). Amounts already deducted from pay will not be refunded.


    For events other than loss of eligibility, if the change is not made within 30 days of the date of the QLE, it cannot be made until the next Open Enrollment in the fall of each year, with changes effective on the following January 1st.

  • Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Legal Plan, Illness & Accident Plans

    You can only make changes to your Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Legal Plan, and Illness & Accident Plans during the annual Open Enrollment period.

  • Retirement, Voluntary Excess Life Insurance

    Other benefits such as the voluntary 403(b) retirement plans and voluntary excess life insurance, are not part of the Open Enrollment process. You may enroll in, or make changes, at any time.

    Note, some benefits may require you to complete an application, medical evidence of insurability (if applicable), and be approved by the vendor.

    You may also review and make changes to your beneficiary designations for group and voluntary life insurances, as well as the Employees' Retirement Plan, in Workday.

    To review and make changes to your 403(b) plan beneficiary designations, log into your secure Fidelity and/or TIAA-CREF account(s).

     

Beneficiary Updates

If you are experiencing a QLE, such as marriage, divorce, or death of a dependent, please ensure you visit Workday and update your beneficiary(ies), if applicable.

If you need to update your retirement plan or HSA benefits, you'll need to update Fidelity or TIAA, depends on where your account is held. 

Updating Your Beneficiaries for Your Retirement Plans

Fidelity Participants

If your retirement account is held with Fidelity:

  1. Log in to your Fidelity account.
  2. Select Accounts & Benefits on the top header.
  3. Navigate to About You and click Update Your Beneficiaries.
  4. Add your primary and contingent (backup) beneficiaries.
  5. Decide how your plan benefits will be distributed by assigning % amount or check.

TIAA Participants

If your retirement account is held with TIAA, log in to your account to review and update your beneficiary information or contact TIAA at 800-732-8353 for assistance.

Click here for more information. 


Updating Your Beneficiaries for your Health Savings Account (HSA)

Health Savings Account (HSA)

If you did not designate your beneficiary during the HSA online application process, be sure to designate your beneficiary at fidelity.com/fidelityHSA.

For additional support, contact Fidelity at 800-642-7131.

 

Questions?

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