Skip to main content

Working at Cornell

Open Enrollment - Dependents

1 - dependents; three cute children

​

Your Choices:

Do you need to add or change coverage for your spouse, partner, or dependent children?

You have two choices:

  1. ADD dependents to your coverage for any reason during open enrollment. 
  2. REMOVE dependents from your coverage for any reason during open enrollment. 

During the rest of the year, you can only add or remove dependents following a qualified life status change.

The Details: 

Who can be covered under your medical, dental, and/or vision plans?

You may enroll the following dependents:

Who is considered a dependent child?

To be eligible, a dependent child must be under age 26, and be one of the following:

  • Your legally adopted child
  • Your biological child
  • Your step child
  • Your domestic partner’s child
  • A child for whom you are responsible under a court order*
  • Your grandchild in your court ordered custody*
  • Any other child who lives with you in a parent-child relationship.*
  • Other children who are chiefly dependent on you and for whom you have assumed legal responsibility in place of the parent are also eligible.* 

Note: Children marked with an * above, require completion of a Special Dependent Form .

 How do you add dependents to your plans?

To enroll dependents in health, dental, and/or vision insurance, you must first complete the enrollment process online in Workday.  Please refer to the Workday Enrollment Decision Guide for screen-by-screen instructions on how to first add a dependent to Workday (if they are not yet there) and how to add that dependent to health, dental, and/or vision coverage on the health screen. 

You might also find it helpful to first complete the Dependent Worksheet page in the Guide – including all information about the dependent(s) you are adding – PRIOR to accessing Workday to process the change.

IMPORTANT! You will need to provide documentation to the HR Services & Transi­tions Center (HRSTC). DO NOT UPLOAD documents to Workday: documentation must be received by the HRSTC before 4:00 pm EST, November 15 or postmarked by November 15, 2024. See details under the last drop down tab below, "What documentation is needed, and how to submit it?"

How do you remove dependents from your plans?

 To remove dependents from health, dental, and/or vision insurance, you must first complete the enrollment process online in Workday.  Please refer to the Workday Enrollment Decision Guide for screen-by-screen instructions of how to remove a dependent from existing health and/or dental coverage on the health screen. 

What documentation is needed, and how to submit it?

 In addition to completing the applicable endowed health, dental, and/or vision plan enrollment in Workday (or enrollment form(s) if applicable), you must provide documents to support your dependent’s eligibility for coverage. Specific documentation is outlined here.

Submit documentation by mail to: HR Services & Transitions Center395 Pine Tree Road, Suite 130, East Hill Office Building, Ithaca, New York 14850

Documentation can also be submitted through the Cornell Secure File Transfer Site (DropBox): https://sft.cornell.edu. Note: When uploading, type in the email address tmw54@cornell.edu under “Prepare Upload,” add your files, and select “21 days” for the expiration period.

Call the HRSTC at 607-255-3936 if you need help to upload your files.

How To Add/Remove Dependents

Workday Enrollment Decision Guide

​