Who is Eligible

You are eligible for the benefits described on this site if you are an active full-time or part-time employee of the Company in the U.S., scheduled to work at least 24 hours per week. In addition to yourself, you can cover eligible dependents under the medical, dental, vision, group life and AD&D plans.

  • Your legal spouse or qualifying same- or opposite-sex domestic partner.1
  • Your biological, step, or adopted child(ren), or your domestic partner’s child(ren)1, regardless of student or marital status, up to the end of the month in which they turn 26.
  • Your dependent children of any age who are physically or mentally incapable of self-support — you must submit proof of disability to the insurance carrier within 31 days of their 26th birthday to qualify for continued coverage.
  • Your children who are covered by a Qualified Medical Child Support Order (QMCSO).

1 If you cover a domestic partner (or his/her child[ren]), special tax rules apply. See the Domestic Partner tab for details.

Social Security Numbers

You will not be able to complete the enrollment process until you have filled in the Social Security number field for all covered dependents, due to requirements under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The only exception to this requirement is for children up to six months of age. They will be accepted without a Social Security number.

If you need assistance updating a Social Security number, contact the Benefits4Me Program Service Center at 1-844-279-7894. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET.

We understand there is no such thing as a “traditional family,” and we are proud to offer coverage to support your loved ones, whether you are legally married or not.

Important Information about Coverage for Domestic Partners and Their Children

Both you and your partner must sign an Affidavit of Domestic Partnership stating that you meet the criteria shown below, and a notary public must witness your signatures. If you reside in a state that permits domestic partners to register their relationship, a copy of that registration (similar to a marriage certificate) can be used in place of an affidavit.

Qualifying domestic partners must meet the following requirements:

  • You are each other’s sole domestic partner and intend to remain so indefinitely.
  • Neither of you has a spouse or former domestic partner who is currently utilizing Company health insurance benefits (except under COBRA).
  • It has been at least 12 months since either of you has filed a statement of termination of a previous Affidavit of Domestic Partnership.
  • You are each of legal age and mentally competent to consent to a legal contract.
  • You are not related by blood to a degree of closeness that would prohibit legal marriage in the state in which you both legally reside.
  • You have resided together in the same residence for at least the last 12 full consecutive months and intend to do so indefinitely.

Eligible dependent children of your domestic partner qualify for coverage if they:

  • Are unmarried
  • Are primarily dependent on you or your partner for financial support
  • Meet the age requirements of the plan, and
  • May be claimed by you or your partner as a dependent as defined in IRC Section 152.

Tax Implications of Domestic Partner Coverage

If you cover your domestic partner (and/or their children), federal law requires the Company to treat the value of their benefits differently for tax purposes. This may affect you in three ways:

  • You must pay for coverage for a domestic partner with after-tax dollars. You pay for your own coverage and coverage for your tax dependents (i.e., spouse or eligible child) with before-tax dollars.
  • If you enroll in the medical Consumer Choice Plan with Health Savings Account (HSA) or a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), you cannot use your account to pay for expenses for your domestic partner or his/her children, unless they qualify as tax dependents under IRC Section 152.
  • The contributions the Company pays for coverage for your domestic partner and/or your domestic partner’s dependent child(ren) are considered taxable (imputed) income, and you will pay income tax on the Company’s contributions toward the cost of coverage for these dependents. You will see this additional amount appear on your pay stub each pay period and on your W-2 at year-end. However, you may be exempt from imputed income if your domestic partner and their children otherwise qualify as tax dependents under IRC Section 152.

When adding a new dependent to your coverage, you will be required to provide supporting documentation showing proof of your relationship, within 30 days of enrolling your dependent. Dependents are not added to your coverage until the required documentation is received by our benefits administrator, Benefits4MeEnroll, so it is imperative that you provide documents within 30 days. Once documentation is received, reviewed, and approved, dependents are added to your coverage retroactive to the coverage start date for which they have been enrolled.

Relationship

Documentation

Spouse

Marriage certificate (marriage license if certificate is not readily available)

OR

Tax forms from the last 12 months showing joint filing or other proof of current marital relationship

Domestic Partner

Signed Affidavit or Certification of Domestic Partnership or similar proof of state registration

AND

  • Proof of 12-month residency
  • Lease agreement
  • Dated document with names and address

Child

Birth certificate, hospital “footprint” document (for children up to six months of age), or adoption paperwork

OR

Tax forms from the last 12 months showing dependent(s), if birth certificates are not readily available

Note: Be sure that you enroll only dependents who meet the plan’s eligibility requirements

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