Benefit Changes After a Spouse Employment Change
Changes in your spouse’s employment status may allow you to make changes to your Northwestern University benefits.
Change your health insurance enrollment
- If your spouse loses eligibility for their own group benefits you may elect health, dental, and vision benefits or add dependents online via myHR within 31 days of the change in employment status. Upload a certificate of credible coverage from your spouse’s previous insurer showing the last date of insurance or a letter from your spouse's employer on company letter head stating when his/her coverage will end.
- If your spouse becomes eligible for other group insurance waive coverage or drop dependents online via myHR within 31 days of the coverage begin date. Include a certificate of credible coverage from your spouse’s insurer showing the insurance effective date.
- You cannot change the health or dental plan in which your family is enrolled.
Change your life insurance coverage
- You may enroll in spouse life insurance with coverage up to your total basic and supplemental life insurance, not to exceed $500,000, in $10,000 increments.
- Complete the Evidence of Insurability form to apply for additional coverage above the guaranteed issue amount of $30,000.
Change your dependent care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) enrollment
- If you and your spouse are both employed full-time (or are full-time students) and your gross household income is not greater than $130,000, you may be eligible for the Employer Match. Use the Dependent Care University Match Application and include your most recently filed 1040 federal tax form to apply. For assistance completing this form, review this User Guide.
- You lose eligibility for the Dependent Care University Match if your spouse is no longer in a full-time position.