Divorce and Legal Separation
Qualifying Life Event
The divorce and legal separation from a spouse is generally considered a qualifying life event. If you divorce or legally separate from your spouse, you’ll have 30 days to request conditional changes to your State Health Plan and NCFlex benefits. That 30-day window starts on the date the divorce or legal separation was decreed.
Effective Dates of Coverage
The effective date for your benefit coverage changes will be the first day of the month following the date of your divorce or legal separation.
Only certain changes to NCFlex benefit plans are permitted due to divorce or legal separation from a spouse. Review the “Divorce/Legal Separation” section on this NCFlex table to see which changes are permitted.
Required Documents
If you want to make changes to your benefits coverage due a divorce or legal separation, you must provide documentation in support of your request. Acceptable documents for a divorce include the legal divorce decree or judgment documents received in court. The required documents for a legal separation can include either the separation agreement or affidavit (sworn, notarized statement) from the employee to validate the legal separation.
Additional Information
Health-Related Benefits
- Divorce: the employees spouse must come off all coverage as the person is no longer eligible for coverage.
- Legal separation: it is the employees option to remove their spouse.
Court-Ordered Dependent Coverage
If a court order requires providing dependent children with health related benefits, a copy of the court order must be provided as supporting documentation.
Taxes
Legal separation and divorce can lead to the need for updating both federal and state tax withholding exemptions. Visit the University Payroll website to make withholding changes and to estimate your tax liability.
How To Request Changes and Upload Documents
You can request changes to your benefits due to a qualifying event and submit documents in support of your request through the employee benefits enrollment portal, via MyPack portal.