Baltimore County Public Schools’ benefits program allows you to choose the benefits you need while providing valuable tax advantages. Your share of the cost for your benefits is paid with pre-tax payroll deductions. This means that employee payroll deductions for benefits are not subject to state, federal, and O.A.S.D.I. taxes.
In order to maintain this favorable tax treatment, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has established rules that govern our benefits program. Most importantly, the IRS requires that the benefits you elect remain in effect for the entire plan year unless you experience a qualifying life event.
The following are qualifying life events and their required supporting documentation:
- Marriage - Marriage Certificate
- Divorce - Divorce Decree
- Death of a dependent - Death Certificate
- Birth or adoption - Birth Certificate or legal adoption records
- Loss or gain of coverage - A formal letter on letterhead from the insurance carrier or employer indicating the type of coverage gained or lost and the date it became effective or terminated.
- Eligibility for Medicare or Medicaid - Letter from the government entity indicating eligibility and the effective date of coverage.
- Increase or decrease of FTE - No supporting documentation required.
It is the employee’s responsibility to enter their life event within 30 days of the date of the qualifying life event, if they wish to make a change to their benefit plan. Employees must Report a Life Event in Oracle and upload the required documentation in their Document Records. Failure to provide this information could result in a delay of coverage.
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