Qualifying Events
Marriage or Divorce
| THINGS TO CONSIDER | WHAT YOU NEED TO DO |
|---|---|
| Health Insurance | Login to MyGICLink and select the Qualifying Events tile from your home page for coverage changes within 60 days of marriage or divorce. Also view the GIC Qualifying Events for specific scenarios related to marriage, legal separation or divorce. |
| Dental and Vision Insurance | Visit Benefits and Wellness >Dental and Vision Care and click on the change form for your applicable union. Changes must be made within 31 days of marriage, legal separation or divorce. |
| Update Beneficiaries | For life insurance, you can update beneficiaries through your online MyGICLink member benefits portal. For Massachusetts State Employees Retirement System (MSERS - pension) members, complete the Massachusetts State Retirement Board (MSRB) beneficiary change form here. For Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) members, visit the ORP website here. |
| Life Insurance | Login to MyGICLink and select the Qualifying Events tile from your home page. You may choose to enroll or increase to a maximum of 4x your annual salary without medical examination. You may also reduce or cancel your coverage. For Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) members, your life insurance is mandatory for participation in the plan and cannot be changed or cancelled. Visit the ORP insurance website here. |
| Disability insurances | For Long term disability (LTD) insurance with GIC, enroll via your online MyGICLink member benefits portal. For Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) members, your long term disability insurance (LTD) is mandatory for participation in the plan and cannot be changed or cancelled. Visit the ORP insurance website here. For accident insurances and short-term disability, visit Benefits and Wellness >Aflac. |
| Name Changes | For name changes, visit the Payroll Services webpage. |
| Contact Changes | Login to the HR/CMS employee self-service portal to change your address, phone, and email. |
| Tax Status Change | Login to the HR/CMS employee self-service portal to update your W4 tax withholding status. |
| Tuition Remission | Eligible dependents are eligible for tuition remission. For information, visit Benefits and Wellness >Tuition Waivers for Employees. |
Birth or Adoption
| THINGS TO CONSIDER | WHAT YOU NEED TO DO |
|---|---|
| Health Insurance | Login to MyGICLink and select the Qualifying Events tile from your home page for coverage changes within 60 days of birth or adoption. Also view the GIC Qualifying Events for specific scenarios related to birth or adoption. |
| Dental and Vision | Visit Benefits and Wellness >Dental and Vision Care and click on the change form for your applicable union. Changes must be made within 31 days of the birth or adoption. |
| Request Leave of Absence | Initiate the leave process for parental/baby bonding leave by visiting Benefits and Wellness >Family and Medical Leaves>Request for Leave of Absence Form. Contact HR Benefits at benefits@westfield.ma.edu or 413-572-5274/8476 to help plan your leave. |
| Update beneficiaries | For life insurance, you can update beneficiaries through your online MyGICLink member benefits portal. For Massachusetts State Employees Retirement System (MSERS - pension) members, complete the Massachusetts State Retirement Board (MSRB) beneficiary change form here. For Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) members, visit the ORP website here. |
| Life Insurance | Login to MyGICLink and select the Qualifying Events tile from your home page. You may choose to enroll or increase to a maximum of 4x your annual salary without medical examination. You may also reduce or cancel your coverage. For Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) members, your life insurance is mandatory for participation in the plan and cannot be changed or cancelled. Visit the ORP insurance website here. |
| Tax Status Change | Login to the HR/CMS employee self-service portal to update your W4 tax withholding status. |
Retirement
| THINGS TO CONSIDER | WHAT YOU NEED TO DO |
|---|---|
| Thinking about retiring or planning to retire? It is important to be informed and know what to expect when retiring from Westfield State University as a state employee. Advance planning is key to ensure a smooth process related to your retirement income, GIC retiree benefits, Medicare (if over 65), and deferred compensation options. | Retirement Planning Guide |
| Schedule an appointment with Melissa Cody to start planning or ask questions. | Email benefits@westfield.ma.edu or call 413-572-8476. |
Leaving Employment
| THINGS TO CONSIDER | WHAT YOU NEED TO DO |
|---|---|
| Provide notice | Email resignation notice to department supervisor, hr@westfield.ma.edu and benefits@westfield.ma.edu. |
| Health insurance | Coverage ends on the last day of the month following your last day of employment. HR Benefits will email you COBRA information. |
| Dental and Vision Coverage | Coverage ends 1st of the month following last date of employment. HR Benefits will email you COBRA information |
| Life Insurance | For GIC Optional Life insurance, coverage ends on the last day of the month following your last day of employment. Benefits will email you coverage continuation information. For Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) members, life insurance coverage with the Standard ends on the last day of the month in which your employment ends. Benefits will email you continuation information. |
| Disability Insurance | For GIC long term disability (LTD) insurance, coverage ends on the last day of the month following your last day of employment, unless you have an active claim open. For Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) members, long term disability coverage with the Standard ends on the last day of the month in which your employment ends, unless you have an active claim open. Benefits will email you continuation information. |
| Transferring to another state agency | Email benefits@westfield.ma.edu as soon as possible to coordinate your transfer. |
Annual Enrollment
Annual enrollment takes place during the month of April annually for coverage effective July 1.
If you need to update your plan elections for health, life, or long term disability insurances with the Group Insurance Commission (GIC), during annual enrollment, you will make changes in your MyGICLink member benefits portal.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) are updated through Ameriflex and your amount must be elected with a new application each year during annual enrollment. If you have no changes, no action is needed on your part.
For dental and vision, higher education agency employees are not eligible for the GIC dental and vision plans until retirement. Visit Benefits and Wellness >Dental and Vision Care for information about enrollment change options throughout the year.
Looking for more information?