Life Events
Update Your Benefits to Stay Protected
Life is full of unexpected changes, and your employee benefits should adapt to keep up with these milestones. Whether you get married, welcome a new child, or experience another qualifying life event, you can update your benefits accordingly. You have 30 days from the date of the event to make most changes. If you miss this window, you’ll need to wait until the next Open Enrollment period. Explore the details below to understand how to manage your benefits during life’s important transitions.
An event that allows you to make changes to your benefit elections during the plan year that is outside the annual Open Enrollment Period. Changes may include adding coverage, removing coverage or a change in covered individuals. The IRS allows changes for the following reasons as long as made within the first 30 days following the event date:
- Birth or Adoption of a Child or Legal Guardianship Placement
- Marriage or Divorce
- Spouse or Dependent lost/gained previous coverage
- Employee had a significant change in working hours that affects benefit status
- Death of a Spouse or Dependent
- Moving from one state to another
There are certain benefits that you may change at any time during the year:
- Qualified Transportation Expense (QTE) – parking or commuter
- Health Savings Account (HSA)
- Beneficiaries for any life insurance policy
- Retirement savings withholding
For more details on reviewing your 401(k) Beneficiary, please visit Retirement 401(k) & Profit-Sharing and scroll to section ‘Getting Started’ / ‘Designate Your Beneficiary’
Need to make a change?
If you experience a qualifying life event, you may be eligible to update your benefit elections outside of Open Enrollment. Common qualifying life events include:
- Marriage or divorce
- Birth or adoption of a child
- Gaining or losing other health coverage
Benefit changes must be submitted within 30 days of the life event’s effective date. Changes submitted outside this timeframe cannot be processed until the next Open Enrollment period.
Supporting documentation is required, and all changes must be consistent with the qualifying life event. To report a life event, submit your request in Workday as soon as possible. Visit the Life Events page for detailed guidance and submission instructions.
There are a few benefit changes that can be submitted at any time without a qualifying life event. These include Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions, Qualified Transportation Expenses (QTE), and beneficiary designations.