Qualifying Life Events

A significant change in your life, known as a qualifying life event, allows you to make changes to your benefits coverage outside of the annual benefits enrollment period. The following list outlines approved qualifying life events in accordance with ERISA Section 125:

• Marriage, divorce, or legal separation
• Death of a spouse or child
• Birth, adoption, or legal guardianship of a child
• Your child(ren) meets, or fails to meet, the plan’s eligibility rules (for example, student status changes)
• Change in job classification status
• Change in residence or work location that affects benefits eligibility for you or your covered dependent(s)
• You or one of your covered dependents gain or lose other benefits coverage due to a change in employment status (for example, beginning or ending a job)

You must enroll or make changes to your benefits coverage within 30 days of the effective date of your qualifying life event. To process a qualifying life event and make changes to your benefits elections, including adding or dropping dependent coverage, visit Workday and select the Benefits and Pay worklet.

Additional information and instructions can be found in the Manage My Benefits training guide. For questions or assistance with completing a qualifying life event in Workday, please contact the Employee Service Center at 203-432-5552.

Marriage

If you have recently married, you can enroll your new spouse and stepchild(ren) to Yale’s medical, dental, or vision providers. You must complete enrollment in Workday within 30 days from the date of marriage.

Divorce

If you are recently divorced or legally separated from your spouse, you must add this qualifying life event in Workday within 30 days of the date of your divorce or legal separation to disenroll your former spouse from Yale’s medical, dental, and vision coverage. The effective cancellation date will be at the end of the month that you are divorced or legally separated.

Death in the Family

If your spouse or dependent child has deceased, you must process this qualifying life event within 30 days of the date of the death to disenroll your deceased family member from Yale’s medical, dental, and vision providers. The effective cancellation date will be the date of their death. A legal death certificate is required and must be submitted to the Employee Service Center.

Birth, Adoption, Legal Guardianship

If you have a newborn child(ren), have adopted a child(ren), or have become the legal guardian of a child(ren), you can enroll the child(ren) into Yale’s medical or dental coverage within 30 days of the qualifying life event. The effective date is the date of birth, the date you became a legal guardian, or the date of adoption.

Graduation of a Child

If your 19–25-year-old dependent has graduated from college, you must add this qualifying life event within 30 days of your dependent’s graduation date to disenroll them from your medical, dental, and vision coverage. Coverage continues during the remainder of the graduation month. The effective cancellation date will be at the end of the month that your child graduates.

Change in Job Classification Status

Benefits differ based on job classification at the university. Enrollment for healthcare coverage, such as medical, dental, and vision, must be completed within 30 days of the effective date of your change in job status. Your effective date is the first day of the month following your change in job status. You may also add or drop dependents outside of the annual benefits enrollment period within 30 days of a change in job classification.

Contact the Employee Service Center at 203-432-5552 for assistance in determining what benefits might be impacted by your job classification change.