Effective Dates
The effective date for FlexElect enrollments, cancellation or changes is determined by the date and type of the permitting event, when the form is submitted to the State Controller's Office (SCO) and the master payroll calendar.
Please check all forms to ensure that they have been completed correctly before submission to SCO. Forms that contain errors and omissions can cause delays in processing and may affect the effective date.
Standard Effective Date
The standard effective date is the first of the following month when the correctly completed enrollment form is received at SCO by the 10th day of the month. If the form contains errors and omissions, it may be returned for correction, delaying the effective date.
Mandatory Effective Date
The mandatory effective date is the first of the month following the event.
Newly Eligible Enrollments Not Currently Enrolled in Any FlexElect Option
The last possible effective date for enrollment in the current plan year is December 1. For enrollment to be effective December 1, SCO must receive the enrollment form by November 10. Forms received after that date will be processed for the following plan year.
- Initial appointment (includes reinstatement following a permanent break in service)
- Change in time base/designation from one that was not eligible to one that is.For example, Permanent Intermittent employee who moves to a permanent position with a time base of half-time or more
- Marriage
- Divorce, legal separation, annulment, or termination of a domestic partnership
- Death of a spouse or domestic partner
- Return from an approved leave of absence if the employee was on an approved leave during the entire open enrollment period or if the leave is concurrent with a valid change in status (e.g., birth of child/family leave)
| May newly enroll
| 01 | Date of event | Standard
| 60 days after date of event |
- Loss or commencement of spouse's or domestic partner's employment
| May newly enroll in reimbursement accounts, no new cash enrollment allowed | 01a | Date of event | Standard
| 60 days after date of event |
- Change in provider dependent care cost only when provider is not a relative
- Change in physical custody of child
- Change in dependent care provider
| May newly enroll in Dependent Care Reimbursement Account | 01b | Date of event | Standard
| 60 days after date of event |
- Newly aquired dependent including birth, adoption, or child placed for adoption
| May newly enroll in reimbursement account(s) | 01c | Date of event | Standard
| 60 days after date of event |
- Commencement of medical/dental coverage provided through spouse, domestic partner, or other source
| May newly enroll in cash option
| 01d | Date of event | Standard
| 60 days after date of event
|
Changes in Status Events
Participants Currently Enrolled in One or More FlexElect Options
For employees cancelling the FlexElect Cash and enrolling into a state health and/or dental plan, the cancellation date for the FlexElect Cash enrollment is the same date as the enrollment into health and/or dental benefits.
| Loss or commencement of spouse's or domestic partner's employment | Cancel/change Flex elections | 05d
| Date of event | Standard | 60 days after date of event |
| Loss of medical/dental coverage provided through spouse, domestic partner, or other source (due to an employment status change) | If currently enrolled in the Cash Option, must cancel/change Cash Option elections. (New enrollments not allowed) | 05e
| Date of event | Mandatory | 60 days after date of event |
Commencement of medical/dental coverage provided through spouse, domestic partner, or other source (due to an employment status change) | Cancel/enroll/change cash option elections
|
05f
| Date of event | Standard | 60 days after date of event |
| Change of physical custody of child | Cancel/enroll/change Dependent Care Reimbursement account | 16a | Date of event | Standard | 60 days after date of event |
Newly married or new domestic partnership
| Cancel/enroll/change Flex elections | 17
| Date of event | Standard | 60 days after date of event |
| Birth, adoption, or child placed for adoption | Enroll/increase reimbursement account(s) | 22 | Date of event | Mandatory | 60 days after date of event |
| Child entering military service | May cancel/decrease reimbursement account(s) (New enrollments not allowed) | 26a | Date of event | Standard | 60 days after date of event
|
Participants Currently Enrolled in One or More FlexElect Options Continued
For employees cancelling the FlexElect Cash and enrolling into a state health and/or dental plan, the cancellation date for the FlexElect Cash enrollment is the same date as the enrollment into health and/or dental benefits.
| Marriage of child | Cancel/decrease reimbursement account(s) (New enrollments not allowed) | 26b | Date of event | Mandatory | 60 days after date of event |
| Death of dependent (other than spouse) | Cancel/decrease reimbursement account(s) (New enrollments not allowed) | 26c | Date of event | Mandatory | 60 days after date of event |
| Child attains age 26 (Mandatory deletion from medical/dental plan unless disabled) | Cancel/change Flex accounts(s) (New enrollments not allowed) | 26d | Date of event | Mandatory | 60 days after date of event |
| Child attains age 13 | Cancel/decrease Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (New enrollments not allowed) | 26h | Date of event | Mandatory | 60 days after date of event |
Divorce, legal separation, annulment, or termination of a domestic partnership
| Cancel/change Flex elections, reenroll in prior medical/dental plan(s) | 27a
| Date of event | Mandatory | 60 days after date of event |
| Death of spouse or domestic partner | Cancel/enroll/change Flex accounts. | 27b | Date of event | Mandatory | 60 days after date of event
|
Participants Currently Enrolled in One or More FlexElect Options Continued
For employees cancelling the FlexElect Cash and enrolling into a state health and/or dental plan, the cancellation date for the FlexElect Cash enrollment is the same date as the enrollment into health and/or dental benefits.
| Move out of group practice plan service area | May enroll in a new plan if your plan is no longer available. May change/cancel cash option. May not change reimbursement account(s) (New enrollments not allowed) | 34
| Date of move into an area not covered by the current carrier | Standard | 31 days prior to move; no limit after move |
| New health and/or dental plan(s) in area, plan(s) not previously available | If currently enrolled in a medical and/or dental plan, may change coverage. May cancel or change Cash Option. May not change reimbursement account(s) (New enrollments not allowed) | 35
| Date of event | Standard | 60 days after date of event |
| Change in employee's or spouse's work schedule (e.g., FMLA, NDI leave, IDL, time base change or reduction of hours that results in a loss or gain of eligibility and coverage, commencement or return from an unpaid leave of absence, separation, etc.) or worksite | Must cancel/change Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (New enrollments not allowed) | 37
| Date of event | Mandatory | 60 days after date of event
|
Participants Currently Enrolled in One or More FlexElect Options Continued
For employees cancelling
the FlexElect Cash and enrolling into a state health and/or dental plan, the
cancellation date for the FlexElect Cash enrollment is the same date as the
enrollment into health and/or dental benefits.
| Change in dependent care provider | May cancel/enroll/change Dependent Care Reimbursement Account | 38 | Date of event | Standard | 60 days after date of event |
| Change in provider dependent care cost | May cancel/enroll/change Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (only if the provider is not a relative) | 39 | Date of event | Standard | 60 days after date of event |
Employee change in bargaining
unit or employee designation (due to transfer, promotion, etc.) that results in
a loss or gain of eligibility for FlexElect
| Change medical/dental plan(s) and/or change/cancel cash option elections
per union requirements (New enrollments not allowed)
| 40
| Date of event | Standard | Time limit does not apply |
| Change in time base and/or appointment that results in a loss of FlexElect eligibility and coverage | Must cancel Flex election(s) | 41 | Date of event | First of the second month following the date of the event
| Time limit does not apply |
| 2021 plan year one-time exception due to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 | May prospectively cancel/enroll/change Medical Reimbursement Account or Dependent Care Reimbursement Account | 43 | Employee signature date | Standard**
| Time limit does not apply |
| Retiree enrolls in health and/or dental plan up to 30 days prior to retirement | Cancel Flex enrollment and reenroll in a health and/or dental plan(s) | 88 | Date HBD 12 (or STD 692) is received by the agency | Mandatory | 30 days prior to retirement
|
**The last possible effective date is December 1, 2021. Correctly completed documents must be received at SCO by November 10, 2021.
