Single-Gender Married Couples Now Eligible for District Spousal Benefits...

This below email came out of the district's Risk Management Department late yesterday afternoon, Sent in "Red" to every district employee with the highest priority level and exclamation points.....As Bob Dylan once sang, The Times, They are a Changin ---In Escambia County with respect to spousal benefits.

From:    ECSD- Risk Management Employee Benefits       Monday - January 12, 2015 3:58 PM

To:          Domain_1; Domain_2; Domain_3; Domain_4; Domain_5; Domain_Adm

CC:         Union Group

Subject:               NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES: CHANGE IN STATUS PERIOD DUE TO RECENT COURT RULING INVOLVING SAME GENDER MARRIAGES

Attachments:    ContinuousMarriage..pdf (180 KB)           [View] [Open] [Save As]

Required Documentation Memo.pdf (151 KB)    [View] [Open] [Save As]

ALL BENEFIT ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES:

Employees whose marriages will be legally recognized in Florida as of Jan. 6, 2015, have a qualifying status change event. There will be a special enrollment window between Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015 through Friday, February 6, 2015, to enroll in a plan (or change a Flexible Spending Account



contribution) covering the newly eligible "legal spouse" in the State of Florida.  If anyone eligible wishes to enroll or make a change in a Flexible Spending Account contribution, these employees must complete the following steps:

1. Make a timely application by completing a "status change" enrollment form in the Risk Management & Benefits office located at 75 North Pace Blvd. weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. through this "special enrollment period". Normal cutoff dates of the 15th of the month will apply to determine the effective date of when the coverage begins. If the change is made by 1/15/15, then the effective date will be 2/1/15, if the change is made between 1/16/15 and 2/6/15, then the coverage becomes effective 3/1/15.

2. Provide the names, birth dates and Social Security numbers for the legal spouse and any eligible dependent children to be covered.

3. Certify that the spouse and children meet eligibility requirements and provide a copy of the legal documents required for certifying eligibility (marriage license, affidavit of continue marriage, photocopy of the front page of the tax return for the spouse; court decree, birth certificate, etc.. for dependent children) as identified in the documents attached. 

For questions about eligibility, enrollment and payments, or other questions, employees should contact one of our Benefit Specialists at (850)469-6267. 

Sincerely,

Risk Management and Benefits