Enrollment Process
🧭 Understand your windows, follow the steps, and confirm your selections with confidence.
We use Rippling for enrollment and benefit administration. You can enroll:
- As a New Hire (within your initial enrollment window)
- During Open Enrollment (once per year)
- After a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) (within 30 days of the event)
Once enrolled, use carrier portals for ID cards, claims, EOBs, and provider searches. Mid‑year changes are limited to QLEs per IRS rules.
Below you’ll find details on how enrollment works for new hires, annual open enrollment, and qualifying life events.
New Hires
🌟 Start strong, enroll early, and set up your benefits for success.
Welcome! You have 30-days from your start date to make your benefit elections in Rippling. Most coverage begins on your start date; dental begins the 1st of the following month. If you plan to cover family members, add them during this window. If you do not enroll during this period, you will need to wait until annual open enrollment, unless you have a qualifying life event.
Open Enrollment
🔁 Review your plans, refresh your choices, and renew your peace of mind.
Each year in late November/early December, we have an Open Enrollment period to review plans, update elections, and confirm beneficiaries. Elections take effect January 1 of the following year. Even if you’re not changing anything, it’s smart to review your options and confirm your dependents and beneficiaries.
Missing this window means your elections and dependents stay locked until the next Open Enrollment. Please take Open Enrollment seriously. This is your one guaranteed opportunity to make changes, add or drop dependents, or adjust your FSA, HSA, or coverage selections. Once the window closes, your options are limited unless a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) occurs as defined by IRS and plan rules.
Qualifying Life Event
📅 Life changes, benefits adjust, and support stays consistent.
You can change certain benefit elections mid‑year when a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) occurs. Most changes must be requested within 30 days of the event.
Start your request in Rippling → My Benefits → Change My Benefits (Qualifying Life Event) and follow the prompts, including uploading relevant documentation. If you’re unsure which category applies, contact the USI Benefit Resource Center or Tenpoint HR for help before your deadline.
Common QLEs (examples, not exhaustive):
- Marriage, divorce, or legal separation (including registered domestic partnership changes)
- Birth, adoption, or placement for adoption (including gaining legal guardianship)
- Loss or gain of other coverage for you or your dependents (e.g., spouse loses employer coverage, dependent ages out)
- Change in employment status or eligibility for you/your spouse/your dependents (hire, termination, change in hours, unpaid leave)
- Change in residence affecting plan/network eligibility
- Court orders (e.g., QMCSO) requiring coverage for a child
- Medicaid/CHIP eligibility changes (60‑day window)
What changes are allowed? Changes must be consistent with the event. Examples:
- Marriage → add spouse and any stepchildren; update beneficiaries
- Divorce → remove spouse/stepchildren; update beneficiaries
- Birth/adoption → add child; you may also change plans or tier if needed
- Loss of other coverage → enroll yourself/dependents who lost coverage
Effective dates & deadlines
- Birth/adoption/placement: coverage is effective the date of the event (retroactive once approved). Submit within 30 days.
- Most other events: coverage changes are effective the 1st of the month after Tenpoint approves your change request in Rippling (based on timely submission and documentation).
- Missed deadline: elections generally cannot be changed until the next Open Enrollment, unless another QLE occurs.
Documentation examples (upload in Rippling):
- Marriage certificate, domestic partner affidavit/registration, or divorce decree
- Birth certificate/hospital birth record or adoption/placement papers
- Letter of coverage loss/gain showing names and the exact date coverage ends/starts
- Employment or hours‑change letter; proof of address change (for network eligibility)
Important notes
- HFSA/DCFSA: mid‑year changes are limited to QLE rules and must be consistent with the event; use‑it‑or‑lose‑it rules still apply.
- HSA: you may change your contribution amount during the year in Rippling (up to IRS limits), regardless of a QLE.
- Keep your beneficiaries and dependents up to date in Rippling after any life event.