As defined by the IRS, a qualifying life event includes:

• Change in marital status (marriage/divorce)

• Birth, adoption or legal guardianship of a child

• Death of a spouse or dependent

• Termination of a spouse's employment

• Switch from full-time to part-time employment

• Begin or return from an unpaid leave of absence

• Change in dependent eligibility

• Loss of other medical insurance

An employee has thirty (30) days from the date of the event to make changes to their benefit elections and submit required dependent documentation and proof of the event.

How To Make Benefit Changes for a Qualifying Life Event

Remember that you have thirty (30) days from the date of the event to make your benefit changes and submit the required documentation to Human Resources.

If you are adding a dependent to your health insurance coverage then you must submit the required dependent documentation to Human Resources. See this chart for the documentation that is required.

Documentation must also be provided for the qualifying life event. For example, if you and/or a dependent lose health insurance coverage through a spouse's employer, a certificate of creditable coverage or letter from the employer or carrier listing name of the individual(s) affected, the type of coverage lost and the effective date of the terminated coverage. If the qualifying life event is a divorce then a divorce decree indicating names and date of Final Judgment must be submitted.

Contact Roni Williams in Human Resources at Ext. 65316 (410.677.4595) or rwilliams@wcboe.org if you have questions.