Life Events, Changing Insurance, and Leaves of Absence

Congratulations on the addition to your family! You have 31 days from the birth date, adoption, or date of legal guardianship to enroll your child into IIT's health plan and/or make other changes to your benefit elections. There may be a corresponding changes to your insurance premium deductions.

Please contact Human Resources to obtain any applicable required change forms, as well as the secure link to upload a copy of the birth/adoption certificate/proof of guardianship as proof of your new dependent's eligibility.

Information on lactation spaces can be found here.

Typically, the only time you can change benefit elections is during Annual Enrollment, which takes place in the Fall of each year. Annual Enrollment allows employees to enroll in or drop coverage before the start of a plan year, which is generally January 1st of the following year. Occasionally, other life events occur allowing an employee to enroll in or change their benefits coverage. For all life events listed here, the employee has 31 days from the date of the qualifying event to make a change to their insurance as necessary.

Reasons to Change Insurance

• Marriage
• Birth
• Divorce
• Other Qualifying Life Events

Removing Dependents

Within 60 days, once a divorce (or legal separation) is final, unless otherwise provided in the divorce decree, you must drop your former spouse (and applicable dependents) from all plans in which they are currently enrolled within 60 days. Failure to do so could result in disciplinary action.

The spouse (and applicable dependents) will lose applicable coverage the day the divorce is final. COBRA notification will be provided by the carrier, and are eligible for up to 36 months of continuing coverage.

Human Resources needs at least the first and last page of the divorce (or legal separation) decree when you submit this information. If you are required by the divorce (or legal separation) decree to carry dependent coverage, those applicable pages must also be attached. Note that Human Resources can send a request for secure upload of these documents.

Benefit Change Forms/Beneficiary Changes

Please contact Human Resources to obtain any required benefit change forms, including life insurance beneficiary change forms. Beneficiary changes for retirement plan accounts must be made directly with TIAA/Fidelity. Beneficiary changes for HSA Bank accounts (for HDHP medical plan participants) must be made directly with HSA Bank.

You may update your Emergency Contact information in the Illinois Tech Portal (in the Banner Self Service section at this link, Personal Information). Finally, you can change your tax withholdings for Federal and State taxes as well as your direct deposit information by completing the forms on the Payroll department's website and sending these forms directly to payroll@iit.edu.

Enrolling in IIT’s Coverage

If you are losing insurance from your former spouse due to a divorce (or legal separation), you must provide us with at least the first and last pages of the divorce decree, as well as proof of prior coverage when enrolling in IIT's health, dental, or vision insurance.

IIT understands that situations can arise that take an employee away from work for an extended period of time. Below you can find more information about:

• Short-Term Absences
• Family and Medical Leaves of Absence (FMLA)
• Personal Leaves of Absence

If you have questions about leaves of absence, please email us.

First of all, congratulations on your marriage! As you already know, there is lots of documentation required as you and your spouse begin your lives together. We hope to help you make a smooth transition by giving you one place for all the information you may need.

Benefits

You have 31 days from the date of your marriage in order to add your spouse (and any eligible dependents) to our plans in which you, the employee, are already enrolled. There will be a corresponding change in your payroll deduction.

The same timeline applies in order for you (and any eligible dependents) to drop IIT's coverage, with proof of coverage continuing elsewhere. For example, you may drop health, dental, and vision insurance only if you provide proof of new coverage somewhere else.

In all three cases, for health, dental, and vision insurance, Human Resources requires proof of relationship for the spouse to be added onto our plan in the form of a marriage certificate. Other documents may be required in addition to the marriage certificate. Additionally, proof of relationship and eligibility is required for any dependents to be added onto IIT's plans due to this marriage. Note that Human Resources can send a request for you to securely upload these documents.

Benefit Change Forms/Beneficiary Changes

Please contact Human Resources to obtain any required benefit change forms, including life insurance beneficiary change forms. Beneficiary changes for retirement plan accounts must be made directly with TIAA/Fidelity. Beneficiary changes for HSA Bank accounts (for HDHP medical plan participants) must be made directly with HSA Bank.

You may update your Emergency Contact information in the Illinois Tech Portal (in the Banner Self Service section at this link, Personal Information). Finally, you can change your tax withholdings for Federal and State taxes as well as your direct deposit information by completing the forms on the Payroll department's website and sending these forms directly to payroll@iit.edu.  

IIT’s Systems

You may update your Emergency Contact information in the Illinois Tech Portal (in the Banner Self Service section at this link, Personal Information).

If applicable, Human Resources can only change a person's name in any system after proof is provided to us. Once the information has been received, HR will update the information in all systems. A new email address will be supplied to the individual once generated.

Below is a list of other events in which a change to benefits may be necessary. In any case, the employee has 31 days from the event date to make a change to their benefit elections. The following information must be provided:

• Proof of relationship
• Proof of dependents' eligibility
• Proof of prior/ new coverage

Forms

Human Resources will provide forms as is applicable based on the life event.

Employee and Spouse (And Any Eligible Dependents) Lose Coverage From Spouse’s Employer and Want to Add IIT’s Coverage:

The parties involved may enroll in IIT’s plans with appropriate Certificates of Credible Coverage and/or verification of the coverage loss to include covered individuals for each plan. IIT can extend coverage for only the expiring insurance plans. Coverage will begin typically the day after previous coverage expires.

Employee and Spouse (And Any Eligible Dependents) Gain Coverage From Spouse’s Employer and Want to Drop IIT’s Coverage:

The parties involved may drop IIT's plans with appropriate proof of new coverage for each plan. IIT will only drop coverage for the new insurance plans. Coverage will end typically the day before the new coverage begins (if on the first of the month).

Employee’s Spouse (And Any Eligible Dependents) Lose Coverage From Spouse’s Employer and Want to Add IIT’s Coverage:

The parties involved may be added to the employee's current insurance plans with appropriate proof of prior coverage for each applicable plan. The new members will be enrolled into the same plans the employee currently participates in (e.g., if the employee has in-network coverage, the spouse and eligible dependents will all be enrolled for in-network coverage).

EMPLOYEE’S ELIGIBLE DEPENDENT LOSES DEPENDENT STATUS:

For health, dental, and vision insurance, coverage expires no later than the end of the month following the birthday or loss of status. IIT will work with out COBRA administrator to notify the dependent of the loss in coverage and status for COBRA. IIT will work with the employee if the loss of a dependent changes the premiums for any applicable benefit plans.  No action is required on the part of the employee to update benefits information.

Resignation

For Staff

Human Resources needs to be notified as soon as a resignation occurs with a signed letter from the employee that has the date of notification, mention of the last day worked, and an ink signature.

We request that any employee resigning complete the exit interview survey, found here. Human Resources will contact the employee to schedule an exit interview, typically taking place on the employee’s last day to go over benefits and feedback.

During the exit interview, you and an HR staff member will go over information such as benefits, applicable payroll information, etc.

Below are some things to keep in mind as you prepare your departure from the university:

• Give written notice to your supervisor (and HR), of your intent to resign and your anticipated last day worked (a minimum of ten work days) prior to your last day.
• Once you resign, it is expected that you will be actively at work throughout the duration of your notice period (unplanned vacation, sick, or personal time may not be approved after you give notice of your resignation).
• It is expected that you work with your manager in order to effectively transition any work or duties before your departure.
• On some occasions, the employee and manager may meet to discuss the job description as well as qualifications.
• IIT Systems and Property
  • All access to IIT systems will be terminated at midnight on the last day worked, including the Illinois Tech Portal, email, Banner, Blackboard
  • IDs and any keys must be surrendered to the supervisor on the last day
  • Any other university property (computers, cell phones, uniforms, pagers, etc) must be returned to the department
  • Procurement cards, statements, and all receipts must be up to date and given to your supervisor
  • Employee must cancel parking through ACPS and return a transponder (if applicable)
• Benefits and final payments
  • COBRA notification will be provided by the carrier
  • Terminal vacation payouts come after the last paycheck for time worked
  • Benefits (except for disability) run through the end of the month worked
  • Retirement contributions will be collected through vacation payout
  • Employee must inform HR immediately of any address changes to ensure proper delivery of the W2
• Retirees may have access to additional benefits can be found below.

For Faculty

Questions regarding resignations for faculty should be directed to the Provost's Office. Please contact Human Resources if you have questions about your benefits.

For Managers

The supervisor is expected to immediately inform HR of the resignation and last day worked, and forward a copy of the letter to Human Resources.

HR will work with you in order to post the position (after necessary approvals are obtained). Please contact a member of the recruitment team for more information about the recruitment process.

Retirement

Most benefits information can be found above.

Employees ages 65 and older covered under Illinois Tech's health plan should contact Human Resources regarding an employment verification that may be required when signing up for Medicare. Click here to view a presentation on Medicare Basics, recorded recorded in May 2022.

Note: This may require opening the file with a Zip Extractor. 

To receive  a copy of the Powerpoint and worksheet, please email Viktoria Rill at vrill@iit.edu.
 

Employees meeting certain criteria are eligible for additional benefits as described below:

• The former employee may be eligible for retiree medical until age 65. Billing for retiree medical is handled through WageWorks.
• The retiree may continue to use tuition remission to take classes at IIT
• The retiree may continue to use Galvin Library as a visitor
• A new ID card may be issued to gain access to Keating Sports Center

Once the dependent reaches the maximum age, WageWorks will notify them of their eligibility for COBRA. The dependent may continue with IIT's insurance plan(s) for up to 36 months. The former dependent will be provided an individual plan, and pay individual rates for COBRA. Please contact Human Resources for COBRA rates.

Once you receive the notification of ending coverage, a previously covered member has 60 days to enroll in COBRA. The forms should be signed and returned to WageWorks as soon as possible. WageWorks will then bill the member for premiums every month by mail.