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Qualified Status Changes

Whether you’re saying “I do” or growing your family, here’s what you need to know about how your life change affects your benefits.

Qualified Status Changes

Changing Your Coverage

In accordance with federal law, you may change your benefit elections during the year only if you have a life event or employment status change.

Depending on the nature of your status change, you’re allowed to add or drop a dependent, or elect to waive coverage through Benefits and Pay (Workday).

Any changes in coverage must be consistent with your change in life or employment status.

Changes will be effective on the date of the status change, as long as you report your status change in Workday within 31 days of the event.

Life Event Changes at a Glance

This chart provides an overview of life events and employment status changes and how you may change your benefits for your dependents. If you have questions, contact OTM Shared Services at 469-419-3000 (ext. 7-3000). To get started, go to Workday > Benefits and Pay > Change Benefits > Select Life Event Reason (enter date of event). After you submit your information, Workday will create a task so that you can make the necessary updates for your qualified status change. For additional help, read these step-by-step instructions.

Life Event ChangeAdding¹Dropping¹
Your marital status changes
You get married or divorced YesYes
Your dependent eligibility status changes
Add a dependent through birth or adoption²YesNo
Add a dependent through legal guardianship²YesNo
Your dependent dies or you lose legal guardianship²YesYes
Your spouse’s coverage changes
Your spouse’s medical or dental coverage endsYesNo
Your spouse dies²NoYes
Your spouse’s employment status changes
Your spouse begins employment or changes from part-time to full-time²NoYes
Your spouse involuntarily loses coverage, changes from full-time to part-time or terminates employment²YesNo
You change employment status
You change your employment status (for example, from part-time to full-time or full-time to part-time)²NoYes

1Within 31 days of the event.
2You will be required to provide Parkland with documentation supporting this life event. A Parkland representative will review your request based on the documentation provided. If approved, we will update your status change in Workday. If additional information is needed, we will contact you.

Required Documentation

As part of the dependent eligibility verification process for the medical, dental or vision plans, you will be required to submit documentation to prove your relationship to your dependent, including marriage certificates, birth certificates and tax returns. Our Dependent Verification Administrator will mail a request for dependent eligibility verification to your home address currently on file at Parkland. Do not submit documentation until you receive sends you a verification request.

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Enrolling Newborns and Other Children

You have up to 31 days after the birth, placement for adoption, adoption of your child(ren) or appointment as legal guardian to add the child(ren) to your medical plan, even if you already have dependent coverage. If you do not enroll your newly acquired child(ren) within this time period, you will not have the opportunity to enroll them for coverage until the next Open Enrollment.

If You Leave Parkland

If your employment with Parkland ends, you will receive a letter as soon as administratively possible explaining how your benefits can continue in accordance with COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985). If you are a new hire, letters explaining your rights and those of your dependents to continue group health coverage if you leave Parkland will be mailed to your home. Additionally, see the Legal Notices section to read the notices related to free or low-cost health coverage for you and your children and the Health Insurance Marketplace.

AHS (Allstate Health Solutions/formerly VelaPoint Insurance Insurance) gives future Parkland retirees a resource to purchase benefits outside of Parkland. Visit parklandretire.allstatehealth.com to get competitive quotes for health, dental and vision, supplemental insurance (critical illness and accident insurance), home and auto, and life insurance. Questions? Call 855-909-0181 to speak with a designated Parkland retiree specialist.

If you are Medicare-eligible, AHS has resources to help you, too. Through HealthCompare, an Allstate Company, you have access to a checklist, Medicare annual enrollment key dates, Medicare plan comparisons and enrollment support, and a no-cost health plan review to help you determine the best Medicare plan for you. Speak with a licensed sales agent. Call 888-811-4337 / TTY 711 Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. or Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central time. You can also visit parklandretire.allstatehealth.com.