You generally have one opportunity each year to make changes to benefits during the University’s Open Enrollment period. However, if you experience a qualified life event change, you may make changes outside of this enrollment period, within 31* days of the event.
Under IRS regulations, there are certain qualified events in family or employment status that permit you to make changes to your benefits. Examples of qualifying life events include:
- marriage or establishment of a domestic partnership
- legal separation or divorce
- death
- birth or adoption of a child
- loss of other coverage, such as through a spouse’s employer
- eligibility for or loss of Medicaid or CHIP coverage
In addition, the IRS allows you to change coverage mid-year if your spouse’s Open Enrollment includes new coverage options not previously available.
Please notify HR Shared Services within 31* days of the event in order to make the change. Supporting documentation will be required, and if approved, the change will be effective as of the date of the qualified change in status. If you do not report this change in status within 31* days of the event, you will not be able to change your coverage until the next annual Open Enrollment period. If you have any questions on this, contact the HR Shared Services team with questions to see if a change is allowed.
*You may make changes to your benefits coverage within 60 days if the event is due to eligibility for or loss of Medicaid or CHIP coverage.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained within this website is accurate. However, benefits are governed by legal documents (which, in certain circumstances, may include insurance contracts). If there is any difference between the information in this website and the official documents, the official documents will control. As is the case with all of Syracuse University’s employee benefit plans, the University reserves the right to modify or terminate these benefits at any time.