Spouse/Partner Changing Jobs or Benefits

If your spouse* has a change in their employment status that affects their eligibility for benefits through that employer, or modifies their benefit coverage through their employer during Open Enrollment or due to another qualifying event, it may provide an opportunity for you to modify your benefit enrollment under the Syracuse University benefit plans.

Consider the following and take action promptly if you need to make any changes.  You must notify HR Shared Services within 31 days of the change in benefits eligibility through their employer. If you do not contact us within 31 days, you must wait for the next annual enrollment opportunity to make changes to your enrollment.

Spouse* Gains Employment or Gains Benefit Coverage Through Their Employer:  Examples of Changes

  • You may drop medical, dental or vision coverage (with proof that coverage is now being provided by the other employer plan).
  • You may drop/decrease your contributions to a health care flexible spending account (FSA) if your spouse* enrolls in their own FSA (with proof from the other employer plan).
  • You may enroll/increase your contributions to a dependent care FSA if your spouse’s employment increases your dependent care expenses.
  • You may increase (with approval of Statement of Health) or decrease your life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, as appropriate.
  • Consider any changes you want to make to your voluntary retirement contributions.
  • Review your emergency contact information and make any updates in MySlice.

Spouse* Loses Benefit Coverage Through Their Employer:  Examples of Changes

  • You may enroll eligible family members who lost other coverage in medical, dental or vision coverage (with proof of the date coverage was lost from the other employer’s plan).
  • You may enroll/increase your contributions to a health care FSA.
  • You may increase or decrease your contributions to a dependent care FSA, consistent with the effect your spouse’s change in status has on your costs.
  • You may increase (with approval of Statement of Health) or decrease your life and AD&D insurance, as appropriate.
  • Consider any changes you want to make to your voluntary retirement contributions.
  • Review your emergency contact information and make any updates in MySlice.

Should you have any questions, or require accommodations to access any information on this webpage, please reach out to HR Shared Services at 315.443.4042.

*Note: for some benefit plans, you may be allowed to modify your enrollment if your domestic partner’s employment status changes; however, federal tax regulations or policy limitations may apply.


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.