If the circumstances of your life change, Harvard has many resources and services that can help you – as well as perks that you may want to take advantage of. You may also be able to adjust your benefits to meet your new needs.
Certain events as defined by the IRS permit you to make benefit changes during the year that normally can only be made during the annual open enrollment, held each fall. If you experience such a "qualified" event, you have 30 days to make any eligible changes. The change(s) must be consistent with the qualifying event.
Events that permit you to make benefit changes include:
- Getting married or registering a domestic partner (also en español)
- Getting divorced
- Ending your domestic partnership
- Having or adopting a child (also en español)
- Dependent losing eligibility
- Dependent gaining eligibility
- Resigning, being laid off or retiring (also en español) from Harvard
- Applying for long-term disability
- Going on an unpaid leave of absence or returning from an unpaid leave of absence
- Turning age 65
How To Make Changes When You Have a Qualified Life Event
Marriage, registration of domestic partnership, and adoption/birth of a child: Go to PeopleSoft Self Service where you can add the event, upload the supporting documentation, and make changes to your benefits. Note that you cannot add the event prior to the event date.
All other qualified life events: Call Benefits as soon as possible at 617-496-4001, or by email at benefits@harvard.edu, in order to make changes within the 30-day enrollment period. Once you have contacted Benefits, an enrollment packet with instructions on how to make changes via PeopleSoft will be mailed to your home. The packet will also include information on submitting any required documentation.
Also related:
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of employee benefits information presented here. If there is any discrepancy between the information presented here and Harvard’s formal benefits plan documents, the latter will prevail.