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Work/Life: You Get Married or Register a Same-Sex Domestic Partner
Impact on Benefits
Back to You Get Married or Register a Same-Sex Domestic Partner
Your coverage under the following benefits programs may be affected:
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 Medical and/or Dental
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| What You May Need to Do |
If you're a medical plan and/or dental plan participant, you may wish to:
- Add your spouse or domestic partner to your coverage, or
- Drop your medical coverage (if your spouse/partner is going to cover you under
his or her medical plan).
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| When You Can Do It |
Within 31 days of your marriage or approved registration. |
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| How to Do It |
- Contact the Benefits Office to request the appropriate medical and/or dental change form(s).
- Complete and return the form to the Benefits Office.
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Verification of relationship is required for any dependent being added for the first time to your coverage. Documentation may include a marriage certificate or domestic partnership statement to add a new spouse or domestic partner. Return a copy of the required documents to the Benefits Office within 31 days of the qualifying life event. |
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| Special notes |
- You cannot drop your dental coverage.
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Group
Life Insurance and/or Personal Accident Insurance |
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| What You May Need to Do |
- You may want to change your beneficiary designation(s).
- You
may also wish to increase the level of your coverage.
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| When You Can Do It |
Anytime
during the year. |
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| How to Do It |
Contact
the Benefits Office to request the appropriate form(s) or click
here to download the form(s):
- Group Life Insurance: Change of Beneficiary Notice (to
change your beneficiary) and a Group Life Insurance card (to
change your coverage level). Note that if you wish to increase
your level of Life Insurance coverage, you must also submit a
Statement of Health.
- Personal Accident Insurance:
Personal Accident Enrollment card (to change your beneficiary
and/or coverage level).
Complete the forms and return them to the Benefits Office. |
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| Special Notes |
UnumProvident
must approve your application before your increased level of Group Life
Insurance coverage takes effect. |
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Flexible
Spending Accounts (FSAs) |
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| What You May Need to Do |
If
you anticipate changes to your health care expenses in the upcoming
months due to your change in marital status, you may want to:
- Begin participating in the Health Care FSA; and
- Increase or decrease your current contributions to the Health Care FSA.
If your new spouse has children who will become your dependents and
you anticipate day care expenses, you may want to:
- Begin participating in the Dependent Care FSA; and
- Increase or decrease your current contributions to the Dependent Care FSA.
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| When You Should Do It |
Within 31 days of your marriage. |
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| How to Do It |
- To enroll: Contact the Benefits Office to
request an FSA enrollment form or click
here to download the forms. Complete the form and return it to
the Benefits Office.
- To change your current
contributions: Contact the Benefits Office to
request a Change in Status form or click
here to download the form. Complete the form and return it to
the Benefits Office.
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| Special Notes |
This
change can only be made in the case of marriage — not in the case of
domestic partnership. |
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Retirement
Benefits |
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| What You May Need to Do |
Under federal law, your spouse has certain
rights with respect to your retirement benefits. Accordingly,
it is important that you notify TIAA-CREF and Vanguard of your
marriage.
If you are registering a
domestic partner, you might want to update your beneficiary designation
with TIAA-CREF and Vanguard. |
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| When You Should Do It |
As
soon as possible after your marriage or approved registration. |
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| How to Do It |
- Contact TIAA-CREF (800-842-2776) and Vanguard (800-523-1188) to
report your marriage and obtain any requisite paperwork.
- Complete
any required forms and return them to the Benefits Office.
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