Policy Details

• Newly Eligible: 60 Days
• Qualifying Life Events: 30 days
• Open Enrollment
• Reviewing Pay Check Stubs

Newly Eligible: 60 Days

The first opportunity to enroll in benefits is during the first 60 days of eligibility. During this 60-day time period, staff should decide on health, dental, vision insurance and basic life beneficiary designation and whether to enroll in health or dependent care reimbursement accounts. After 60 days, the next opportunity to enroll or make enrollment changes in these benefits will be during the annual open enrollment period or if a staff member experiences a qualifying life event.

Also, within 60 days of the eligibility date, staff should make decisions on long-term care insurance, supplemental life insurance, voluntary short-term disability insurance, and voluntary long-term disability insurance. After the 60-day time period, staff must provide evidence of insurability to enroll in these plans.

Qualifying Life Events: 30 days

If staff experience a qualifying life event, they may enroll or make changes to some of their Duke benefits within 30 days of the event. Any change must be consistent with the qualifying event. For example, adding a dependent to health insurance coverage following the birth of a child. Qualifying events include such things as:

• Marriage, divorce, or legal separation
• Birth or adoption (or placement of adoption) of a child
• Death of a covered dependent
• Loss or gain of eligibility for insurance coverage for staff or a covered dependent (coverage must not be as a student or an individual policy)
• Change in spouse's employment status
• Change in health insurance eligibility due to a relocation of residence or workplace

If staff experience a qualifying event, they must notify Benefits at 684-5600 or by visiting the Human Resources office at 705 Broad Street and provide documentation within 30 days of the event to update benefit enrollments. Staff will need to present a copy of supporting documentation, such as a birth, marriage, or death certificate, or divorce decree.

Open Enrollment

All Duke staff who are eligible for benefits will have the opportunity to enroll or make changes in their health, dental, vision and reimbursement account benefits during the annual open enrollment period. Duke staff will be notified directly of an upcoming open enrollment period before it begins. Staff may enroll in many of Duke’s other benefits any time throughout the year. These benefits include: 403(b) retirement plan, supplemental life insurance, universal life insurance, long term care insurance, disability, personal accident insurance, and personal casualty insurance (renter’s, automobile, and homeowner’s insurance).

For a complete listing of benefits offered by Duke, please see Duke Benefits.

NOTE: Some benefits that are paid for 100% by Duke do not appear on this chart, since participation is automatic and no changes are necessary.

Reviewing Pay Check Stubs

Staff should regularly review their pay check stubs to ensure that the benefit deductions are correct. Some benefit-related deductions cannot be retroactively changed. Therefore, if something is missing or incorrect, the staff member must notify Benefits within a week of the issuance of the paycheck.