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Working at Cornell

Benefits Qualifying Events

Important: Some variations exist between endowed and contract college qualifying events regarding timelines and other details.

Contract College NYSHIP Health Plan

It is important that you contact Benefit Services within 30 days of a qualifying event that affects health plan coverage. If a request to enroll in the New York State Health Insurance Plan is not made within 28 days of hire date, benefits eligibility date or within 30 days of a qualifying event date, you will be subject to a 10-week waiting period. Additionally, the health premium will be deducted from your pay on an after-tax basis for the remainder of the year.

Initial Hire

Different timelines and rules may apply when you are initially hired: Endowed (pdf) / Contract College (pdf).

Other Life Events

You may be eligible to make changes to your benefits enrollments if:

Life changes such as the following may impact your benefits, but don’t qualify as an opportunity to enroll in or make changes to your enrollment elections.

  • Moving: Be sure to change your address in Workday, as well as with your benefit vendors. If you are moving to another county, you may want to select a new primary care physician.

Annual Enrollment Periods

Endowed Annual Open Enrollment

Endowed benefits open enrollment takes place once a year, typically during November. During this time, you can enroll in or make changes to your benefits. For example, you can enroll in a health plan, change from one plan to another, or enroll in a flexible spending account. Benefits elections become active January 1 following your enrollment.

Important: New enrollment or modifications to your enrollment can only be made during the open enrollment period, or in the case of a qualifying life event (see below).

Contract College Annual Option Transfer

If you have contract college benefits, your change period (called Option Transfer) takes place alongside New York State employees, typically in November/December. HR Services & Transitions Center will send you information about health insurance plan changes and rates for the upcoming year. During this time you can: change from one plan to another; change from family to individual coverage, voluntarily cancel your health insurance coverage; or enroll in a flexible spending account (you must enroll each year). The Option Transfer Period begins when the NYS Department of Civil Service announces the health rates and ends 30 days later.

Important: Changing health plans, changing from family to individual coverage, or canceling health insurance coverage can only be made during the option transfer period, or in the case of a qualifying life event (see below).

Other Benefit Enrollments

The following benefits are available for enrollment year-round.