Qualifying Events

Health Care FSA Qualifying Events:

The annual salary reduction amount cannot be changed during the plan year unless you have one of the following qualifying changes in status. Your request for a change must be received by your benefit office within 30 days of the event and processed by the 15th of the month with an effective date the first of the following month. Your changes must be consistent with the qualifying event.

Marital Status - Your legal marital status changes through marriage, divorce, death, or annulment (legal separation is not recognized in all states). You may enroll in a Health Care FSA or increase your Health Care FSA contribution if you get married.

Change in number of eligible tax dependents - Your number of eligible dependents changes due to birth, death, adoption, placement for adoption, as well as no longer qualifying due to reaching age limits, or as an eligible student, dependent with disabilities, or qualified tax dependent.

Change in employment affecting eligibility for coverage - You, your spouse, or your qualified tax dependents have a change in employment status (termination, retirement, or new employment) that affects eligibility for employer-sponsored health insurance or SAIF-sponsored FSAs.

Judgment/Decree/Court Order - You are served with a judgment, decree, or court order (including a qualified medical child support order) regarding coverage for a dependent. If the order requires you to pay for a child's medical expenses not paid by insurance, then you may enroll in or increase your contribution in the Flexible Spending Account. If the order requires another person to pay for a child's medical expenses not paid by insurance, then you may disenroll from, or reduce, your contribution in the Flexible Spending Account.

Medicare/Medicaid Enrollment - If you, your spouse, or your qualified tax dependent becomes entitled to and covered under Medicare or Medicaid, you may disenroll from or reduce your contribution in the Flexible Spending Account.

Loss of eligibility for Medicare/Medicaid - If you, your spouse, or your qualified tax dependent loses eligibility and coverage under Medicare or Medicaid, you may enroll in or increase your contribution in the Flexible Spending Account.

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) - You may elect to maintain your coverage during a leave taken under FMLA. If you do not maintain coverage while on FMLA, you will have the option of reinstating coverage after you return from FMLA.

A change in a Participant’s residence shall not be considered a status change even if it causes a change in the health coverage offered by the Employer. An increase or decrease in health insurance premiums or benefits shall not be considered a status change.

Dependent Care Qualifying Events:

The annual salary reduction amount cannot be changed during the plan year unless you have one of the following qualifying changes in status. Your request for a change must be received by your benefit office within 30 days of the event and processed by the 15th of the month with an effective date the first of the following month. Your changes must be consistent with the qualifying event.

For example, let's say you get married. In some circumstances, this event would allow you to increase your dependent care election (e.g. additional step children), and in some instances this would allow you to decrease your election (e.g. your new spouse is going to stay at home and take care of your children, thereby eliminating your child care expense). Your individual situation will determine whether or not your change in status is allowed.

  1. Marriage
  2. Divorce or legal separation
  3. Death of a spouse or dependent
  4. Addition of a dependent to the eligible employee's household, such as birth or adoption of a child.
  5. Termination of spouse's employment
  6. Employment of an unemployed spouse
  7. A change in the work hours of eligible employee or spouse that significantly alters the need dependent care.
  8. A change in dependent care provider (school is considered a care provider).