Making Changes to Your Benefits: Qualified Life Status Changes

Getting married. Becoming a parent. These and other life events may affect your employee benefits, so it's important to know when to take action.

Most benefits elections are made during annual Open Enrollment each fall, or when you are a new hire, and remain in effect until the end of the plan year (December 31). If you experience a Qualified Life Status Change, you can make limited changes to your benefits within 31 days of the event.

Examples of Qualified Life Status Changes:

  • Change in legal marital status: Marriage, death of spouse, divorce or annulment
     
  • Change in the number of dependents: Birth, adoption, placement for adoption, legal guardianship or death of a dependent
     
  • Change in dependent status: A dependent losing coverage under another plan, such as a spouse/partner losing coverage from his/her employer
     
  • Change in employment status: Job promotions and/or transfers that change the benefits offerings
     
  • Military service: A spouse or eligible dependent being called to military duty in the U.S. Armed Forces
     

How to Make a Qualified Life Status Change

All benefits changes must comply with IRS regulations and be consistent with the nature of your Qualified Life Status Change. You must make your benefits changes within 31 days of the event.

  1. Log in to CUBES (using your UNI and password).
     
  2. Select "Change in Family Status?" from the Actions menu.
     
  3.  Follow the system prompts to enter information about the event, the date of occurrence and, if applicable, information about your dependent.
     
  4. Provide the requested documentation for your change, such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate or divorce decree.
     

Anytime Benefits Changes

At any time of year you can change your: