What is a Qualified Status Change?

Under the company's flexible benefits plan, you pay for your health care contributions and make your health care and dependent care flexible spending account contributions on a pre-tax basis.  In exchange for the tax benefits, you are limited as to when and why you can make changes to your elections. 

Benefits coverage under the flexible benefits plan are considered separate for purposes of changes that can be made during the year and the rules applying to each coverage may differ.  If you have any questions, contact your local HR representative or the Human Resources Service Center at HRService@firstenergycorp.com.

You have 31 days from the qualified status change to notify your local HR representative or the Human Resources Service Center.  Retroactive coverage – not permitted except in the cases of the birth, adoption, or placement for adoption of a child – also requires notifying HR within 31 days of the event.  Failure to do so means waiting until the next enrollment period for changes in coverage to be effective the first day of the following year.

Examples of Qualified Status Changes

This list is not all inclusive. Please contact the Human Resources Service Center to determine if your situation would allow a benefit change.

  • Marriage, divorce, death of a spouse, legal separation or annulment

  • Dependent status, including birth, adoption, placement for adoption, court-appointed guardianship, qualified medical child support order, death of dependent, addition of stepchildren, age ineligibility (age 26)

  • Employee, spouse or dependent status, retirement, termination or commencement of employment, strike or lockout, leave of absence or return from leave of absence, transfer within the Company that affects eligibility from coverage, change in employment hours that affects eligibility for coverage, change in spouse's mid-year open enrollment elections, qualifying judgment, decree or other order requiring healthcare coverage for your dependent child,

  • For dependent day care FSA only; changes in the cost of care provided by dependent day care provider as long as the provider is not a relative

 

Qualified Status Change Documents