Life changes don't have to wait for open enrollment

When people think about making changes to their benefits, they often assume they have to wait until Open Enrollment. While that's generally true, there are important exceptions.

Certain life events, known as qualifying life events, may allow you to update your benefit elections during the year. These events can include:

• Marriage or divorce
• The birth or adoption of a child
• The loss or gain of other health coverage
• A spouse's change in employment that affects benefit eligibility
• Other qualifying events permitted under the college's benefit plans

Because these changes are governed by federal regulations and plan rules, requests typically must be made generally within 30 days of the qualifying event. Waiting too long could mean having to wait until the next Open Enrollment period to make changes.

It's also worth remembering that changes to your retirement plan contribution elections are different. You may increase, decrease, start, or stop your retirement plan contributions at any time throughout the year, without waiting for Open Enrollment. If you're considering adjusting your retirement savings, Human Resources can help connect you with the appropriate resources.

In addition to reviewing your benefit elections after a life event, it's also a good time to update your:

• Beneficiary designations
• Emergency contact information
• Home address and phone number
• Dependent information, if applicable

All of this can be done through Paycor. You can find instructions on how to make these changes on our Paycor instructions webpage.

If you're unsure whether a recent change in your life qualifies or have questions about your options, don't guess—reach out to Human Resources. We're happy to discuss your situation, explain what documentation may be needed, and help you understand the deadlines that apply.