Questions on your benefits?
Benefits Team
- Phone: 323-259-2945
- Website: oxy.edu/offices-services/human-resources/meet-our-team
Making Changes During the Year
Enrollment changes outside the Annual Enrollment period are not permitted, unless you experience a qualifying life status event (QLSE), as defined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Examples of qualifying life status events include:
- Marriage, divorce or legal separation
- Birth, adoption or placement for adoption of a child
- Death of a spouse or dependent
- A change in employment status for you or your spouse affecting health care coverage (such as changing from full-time to part-time employment, i.e., a reduction in hours, or your spouse ending or starting employment)
- COBRA coverage under another health plan is exhausted
- A dependent child satisfies or ceases to satisfy plan requirements (such as age limitations)
- Child losing parent’s coverage
- Entitlement to, or loss of, Medicare or Medicaid benefits
- A change in place of residence for you, your spouse or your dependent which affects access to your health care coverage
- Termination of other health coverage
NOTE: Any changes to your election must be made within 30 days* of the event and must be consistent with the event. If you do not change your coverage within 30 days* of the event, you will have to wait until the next Annual Enrollment period to make a change.
*The deadline to change your elections and provide documentation is 60 days for qualifying life events involving Medicare, Medicaid or State Children’s Health Plan.
When Coverage Begins
You are eligible to participate in the Oxy medical, dental, vision, life, flexible spending account (FSA), supplemental benefits and long-term disability insurance plan on the first day of the month following your date of hire. You have up to 31 days from your effective date to apply for coverage.
When Coverage Ends
Coverage for you and your dependents ends on the last day of the month of employment or on the last day of the month you no longer meet the plan’s eligibility requirements. Coverage for your dependents may also end on the last day of the month they no longer meet the definition of an eligible dependent.
Under certain circumstances, you may be able to continue some benefit coverages for yourself and/or your dependents through COBRA or the portability/conversion provisions of the plans.
Registered Domestic Partner (RDP) Coverage
You can add your registered domestic partner (RDP) to your benefit coverage during Open Enrollment. Federal COBRA coverage is not offered to RDPs or the children of RDPs. Proof of dependent eligibility is required.
Your contributions to cover an RDP are the same as those to cover a legal spouse. However, because of Internal Revenue Code (IRC) restrictions, in most cases, the fair market value of your RDP’s or RDP’s children’s (if they are not federal tax dependents) health care coverage will be taxable to you as imputed income. This value is determined by the amount that your employer pays in premium for RDP coverage. This amount raises your taxable gross income. Also, the payroll deductions to cover an RDP must be taken on an after-tax basis.