Qualifying Life Events
Office hours: Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Dec. 19 & 20 (Thur.& Fri.), HR will work remotely and can be reached via phone, MS Teams, and email
Winter Break – UTD campus will be closed from Dec. 23, 2024 to January 2, 2025
If you experience a change in your work or personal life, your benefits may also need to change. You have 31 days from the date of a qualifying life event (QLE) to update your insurance elections in the My UT Benefits portal. If you do not report your QLE within this 31-day period, your next opportunity to make changes will be during the next Annual Enrollment period in July, to be effective the following September 1. In order to report your QLE, you will be required to upload the following documents:
- Documentation that validates your life event (such as a court order, marriage certificate, divorce decree, or proof of loss or gain of insurance, etc.)
- Proof of Relationship Documents that support any added dependents (such as a birth or marriage certificate)
Examples of QLE’s include, but are not limited to:
- Marriage, divorce, annulment, or spouse’s death;
- Birth, adoption, medical child-support order, or dependent’s death;
- Significant change in residence if the change affects you or your dependents’ current plan eligibility;
- Change of job status affecting eligibility (e.g. for employees: from non-benefits eligible part-time to full-time, starting or ending employment, starting or returning from FMLA, or other)
- Change in dependent’s eligibility (e.g. reaching age 26, or gaining or losing eligibility for any other reason); or
- Significant change in coverage or cost of other benefit plans available to you and your family.
- Loss or gain of insurance coverage under the Medicaid or CHIP program.
Steps to Report your Life Event:
- From your Galaxy page, click on My UT Benefits.
- Once Logged in to My UT Benefits, click on “Life Event” on the left-hand menu on the home page.
- Select the reason for change and enter the life event date.
- The system will walk you through the steps and allow you to make changes to each benefit plan that is consistent with your life event.
- Upload your supporting documentation and proof of relationship documents via the “Document Center” on the home page left menu.
- Once you save your changes, your enrollment will remain in pending status until your designated Benefits Administrator reviews and approves your event.
- Once your life event is approved, your new enrollment information will be sent electronically to the insurance carriers.
- Print and save a copy of your “Confirmation Statement” from your home page for your records.
For any issues with reporting your life event via My UT Benefits, please email benefits@utdallas.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
How soon can I start using my new insurance?
- BCBS: Enrollment files sent daily. Allow 1-2 business days to see the enrollment activated.
- Express-Scripts: Enrollment files sent every Monday, Wednesday, Friday Allow 1-2 business days once sent to see the enrollment activated.
- Delta Dental: Enrollment files are sent once a week on Wednesdays. Allow 1-2 business days from Wednesday of the current or following week to see the enrollment activated.
- Superior Vision: Enrollment files are sent twice a week on Wednesdays and Fridays. Allow 1-2 business days from Wednesday or Friday to see the enrollment activated.
When will I see the change reflected on my paycheck?
If your life event was approved prior to payroll processing deadlines, you can expect to see it reflected on your next check following the change. Otherwise, you may not see it until the following check. You can confirm this with your Benefits Administrator.
What effective date will be used for my benefit changes due to my life event?
The effective date for life events is the first of the month following the event.
Example: If you were married on January 15 and added your spouse to your UTD benefits, the changes will be effective as of February 1.