Qualifying Life Event

• Family Changes: births, adoptions, civil unions, divorce, or death of a dependent
• Coverage Changes: drop coverage at will, gain coverage elsewhere
• Changes in Employment Status with Montclair: part time or temporary to full time, full time to part time, PERS to ABP and more. (Note: these processes are for employees remaining with Montclair. Please visit the following pages for information on preparing for retirement, termination of employment and transferring from a different New Jersey State employer)
• For death of an active employee, the employee’s family should notify their department or HR at 973-655-7736

Employees may also choose to drop coverage at any point in the year if they no longer wish to be covered under the NJ State Health Benefits Program. Employees can enroll, make changes and upload documentation directly through the Benefitsolver portal.

For questions regarding the type of changes allowed to be made for each type of qualifying life event please email the HR Support Center at askHR@montclair.edu.

Please note: The Benefits Department does not provide benefit verification letters. Once your enrollment is complete, you may access your ‘Benefit Summary’ through the Benefitsolver portal. This summary sheet includes detailed information about your medical coverage, plan selections, dependents, and other relevant benefit details which may be used for verification purposes. 

• Birth or Adoption
• Marriage or civil union
• Divorce or dissolution
• Death of a Family Member/Dependent

Within 60 days of the qualifying life event:

1. Log into Benefitsolver
2. Select “Change my Benefits”
3. Under “Life Event,” select the appropriate event (ex: Marriage, Birth or Adoption, Divorce, Death of a Dependent)

Note: You will need to submit supporting documentation (i.e., marriage or birth certificate, divorce decree).

Within 30 days of the qualifying life event you may enroll in a flexible spending account, increase or decrease your Annual Salary Deduction amount:

1. Visit the Division of Pension and Benefits website.
2. Expand the Tax$ave & Commuter Tax$ave section
3. Download the Horizon MyWay Change in Status Form (PDF)
4. Complete the form and fax or mail the form directly to Horizon MyWay.

• ABP members must complete the Designation of Beneficiary form (listed under ABP Publications) and return it to the New Jersey Division of Pensions and Benefits via mail.
• Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) and Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS) members must use the online Designation of Beneficiary Application available through the Member Benefits Online System (MBOS).

There are two events during which employees may choose to drop insurance coverage:

• At will: Employees who no longer wish to be covered under the NJ State Health Benefits Program may drop their coverage at any point throughout the year
• Gaining coverage elsewhere: employees must change their coverage selections within 60 days of gaining coverage elsewhere, or wait until the next open enrollment period.

1. Log into Benefitsolver
2. Select “Change my Benefits”
3. Under “Life Event,” select the applicable event (“Drop Coverage on Demand” or “Gains Coverage Elsewhere”)
4. Enter today’s date

Note: Your health benefits will terminate at the end of the month from when you complete the steps above.

If you lose coverage elsewhere, you may choose to enroll in Montclair’s health insurance coverage within 60 days of the date your previous coverage ended:

1. Log into Benefitsolver
2. Select “Change my Benefits”
3. Under “Life Event,” select “Loses Coverage Elsewhere”
4. Enter the last date of your previous coverage

Note: You will need to submit a loss of coverage letter that indicates when your previous benefits ended.

If your job status changes within the university, please review the options below.

• As a full time employee, you are eligible to enroll in medical, prescription and dental benefits through the State Health Benefits Program.
• Part time employees: If you were previously enrolled under the Part Time State Health Benefits Plan your coverage will be terminated and you will have the option to enroll in COBRA coverage until your full time benefits become effective.
• Temporary employees: If you were previously covered under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) your medical and prescription benefits will continue and you will have a 60 day waiting period for your dental benefits.

Pension Benefits

• If you were previously enrolled in DCRP as a part time or temporary employee and accept a PERS eligible position, your DCRP contributions will automatically stop and a PERS application will be submitted on your behalf.
• If you were previously enrolled in ABP as a part time or temporary employee and accept an ABP eligible position, you will remain in ABP.
• Temporary Employees only:
  • If you were hired into a Civil Service full time position, you will be enrolled in PERS.
  • If you were hired as a faculty, manager or professional staff member, you will be enrolled in ABP.

Health Benefits

• Part time employees working less than 30 hours per week are no longer eligible to participate in the State Health Benefits Program.
• Health benefits will continue until the end of the month of your change in status.
• You may continue all plans under the COBRA provisions for up to 18 months. A COBRA packet will be mailed to your home address.

Pension Benefits

• If you are enrolled in ABP pension and your position is less than 50%, you are no longer eligible to participate in the plan.
• If you are enrolled in a PERS pension, you may still be eligible to remain in the plan. If you do not meet the requirements to remain in PERS you may be eligible to be enrolled in DCRP.
  • PERS eligibility working under 35 hours a week:
    • Employee is either a Tier 1,2 or 3 PERS employee and meets the minimum salary requirement for their tier
    • Tier 4 and 5 PERS employees are not eligible for PERS, but may be eligible for DCRP
  • DCRP eligibility:
    • Employees otherwise eligible to be enrolled in PERS but do not work the minimum number of hours per week required for PERS
    • Earn a salary of at least $5,000 annually and not being paid by a grant

12 Month to 10 Month:

• Health and pension benefits remain the same
• Payroll deductions will continue for your benefits in the months of July and August.

10 Month to 12 Month: You will pay extra deductions each paycheck to cover the months of July and August.

If you have a change in employment status from a PERS eligible position to an ABP eligible position you have a one time option to either remain in PERS or transfer to ABP. The information below is used to compare the plans side by side. For additional information, view the Considerations for Choosing Between PERS or ABP Guide.

Employees transferring from a NJ State employer will not have a lapse in medical, prescription, and dental benefits. Coverage with your previous State employer will end on the last day of the month in which you terminate, and coverage will begin under Montclair State University the first of the following month.

If you are considering retirement within the next six months, Preparing for Retirement provides an overview of the benefits available to you upon retirement including the steps to follow to help you make a smooth transition from active employment to retirement.

For employees who have been terminated, please review the Termination of Employment guide.