Qualifying Life Event (QLE)

Newly eligible employees can choose to participate in any eligible state health, NCFlex, or UNC System Benefit within 30 days of their eligibility (i.e. hire date).  After election deadlines have passed, enrollments/changes/cancellations can only be made during annual enrollment or due to QLEs.

 QLEs (include but are not limited to) the following:

  • Birth of a child
  • Adoption (or placement of adoption) of a child
  • Marriage
  • Divorce
  • Legal separation
  • Death (yours or that of a covered dependent)
  • Unpaid leave of absence for you or your spouse
  • Gain other coverage (self or dependent)
  • Change in your employment status (i.e. changing from full-time to part-time)
  • Loss of other coverage (self or dependent)
  • Change in your spouse's employment, impacting his/her benefits eligibility
  • Dependent turns age 26

(QLEs) allow members to make certain changes (i.e. add/drop dependents) within 30 days of the event.  A QLE does not allow you to change the health plan(s) in which you are enrolled, and supporting documentation is required for any changes due to a QLE.

Action Needed:

If you experience a QLE, you need to closely review all of your benefits and take action where needed (i.e. add them to the plan, update your beneficiary, etc.) within 30 days of the event.   Reference the information below to assist you in this process.

Where to make changes:

Use the Document Center for qualifying event documentation (letter of lost/gained coverage, dependent verification, i.e.)

Deadline: 

  • 30 days from the QLE to make additions/changes/cancellations to coverage
  • Note:  This includes making elections to add newborns to coverage within 30 days of their birth.