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Family Status Changes
A qualifying event to change benefits during the plan year is defined as a change in your status due to:
- marriage
- birth or adoption of a child(ren)
- death of an immediate family member
- divorce
- loss or gain of insurance coverage by your spouse’s employer-sponsored coverage
- termination of employment
To change your benefits elections, you must notify Human Resources within 30 days of the qualifying event triggering the need for the change and complete the Family Status Change process. For example, if you were married September 3, you would need to submit your Family Status Change Request by October 2 (within 30 days of the marriage)..
How to Make a Family Status Change
Please review these instructions before you start the Family Status Change process. There are several steps to the process and it's important for you to follow all the steps.
- Go to C2HR and log in with your VUnetID and ePassword.
- Click on the link for Family Status Change in the right sidebar.
- Read the explanation text on the Family Status Change introductory page and then click on the Continue button.
- Complete and submit the Family Status Change form.
- Your Family Status Change request will be processed. Note that it may take up to 15 minutes for this to happen. (You will also receive an email, sent to your Vanderbilt account, notifying you that your request has been processed.)
- Once your request is processed, you will make your benefits changes using the benefits enrollment tool.
- Print out your benefits enrollment receipt for your records.
- This completes the Family Status Change process. You will receive an email confirming your benefits elections.
Please note: Certain types of family status changes, such as getting married, may require other actions, such as changing your last name. See the Common Qualifying Events section of this web page for more information.
Common Qualifying Events
- Getting Married
- Enrolling Same-Sex Domestic Partner
- Divorce or Legal Separation
- Removing Same-Sex Domestic Partner
- Having or Adopting a Baby/Legal Guardianship
- CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program)
- Death of a Covered Dependent
- Death of a Vanderbilt Employee
- New Hire
- Leave of Absence (includes important information for employees on unpaid leave)
- Leaving Vanderbilt
- Retirement
- Spouse/Partner Coverage Changes
The list, above, does not include every possible qualifying event.
Documentation for Family Status Changes
You will not need to provide documentation for a Family Status Change, but please be aware that Human Resources may contact you for a random audit.
If you are audited, you will need to provide documentation for your Family Status Change. See the list below for documentation examples (the list does not include every possible qualifying event).
- Marriage - a copy of the marriage certificate (the marriage date must be within 30 days of the date we receive the form in the Benefits Office).
- Divorce – a copy of the FINAL divorce decree with the file date and judge’s signature. If the divorce is not final, we cannot make changes.
- Same-sex domestic partner
- Birth – a copy of the birth certificate or the mother’s copy received in the hospital.
- Adoption – a copy of FINAL adoption papers signed by a judge or a document stating the child has been placed in anticipation of adoption from the adoption agency.
- Death – a copy of the death certificate.
- Employment change – if audited, or if a paper Family Status Change form is required, a copy of the hire/termination letter must be on company letterhead and state the hire/termination date and the date the employer-sponsored coverage either began or ended.
If you are audited and you cannot show documentation to support your requested Family Status Change, you would lose your elected coverage and further action could be taken, including termination of employment.