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Qualifying Life Events (Change of Status)

Deductions for medical, dental, vision, and Flexible Spending Accounts are payroll deducted on a pre-tax basis. This means you do not pay taxes on those dollars, thus reducing your taxable income.

Once you enroll in pre-tax benefits, either as a new hire or during Open Enrollment, your choices will remain in effect for the rest of the plan year unless you (or your eligible dependent) experience a "Qualifying Life Event." Employees are responsible for notifying the Human Resources office within 30 days of a qualifying event.

When premium deductions are payroll deducted on a pre-tax basis, IRS regulations have specific rules about allowable mid-year changes to benefit elections.

Examples of Qualifying Events:

  • Change in Marital status (marriage, divorce, death)
  • Change in the number of dependents (birth, adoption, death, child reaching limiting age of 26)
  • Change in employment status for employee or spouse (termination of employment, change in hours worked)
  • Entitlement or loss of eligibility for Medicare or Medicaid
  • Change of coverage due to spouse's employer Open Enrollment

Employees are responsible for notifying the Human Resources office within 30 days of a qualifying life event to make a change of coverage (i.e., add/remove a dependent from health, dental, vision), or to request an election change under a PayFlex flexible spending account. The change requested must be consistent with the life event that has taken place.

HR Contact: Julie Nohrenberg, 531-622-2232 or Cindy Croy, 531-622-2231