Qualified Life Events

Life Events

Certain life events allow you to make benefit changes during the year that normally can be made only during Open Enrollment. If you experience one of the qualified life events below, you can make updates to applicable benefits as long as you report it to CBS and provide any required documentation within timeframe noted:

  • Get married/register a domestic partner (31 days)
  • Become a parent through birth or adoption (60 days)
  • Become a new guardian (31 days)
  • Become divorced or separated (31 days)
  • You or your dependent loses or gains other benefits coverage (31 days)

How to Process a Qualified Life Event

Different life events have different impacts on your benefits eligibility. Read on to see examples of common life events and what to do if they happen to you. If you’ve experienced a significant life change and are not certain if it is a qualified life event, contact CBS as soon as possible.

Steps to Take:

Marriage or Domestic Partnership

Add your spouse/domestic partner to company benefits

  • Enroll your new spouse/domestic partner on the new Cummins Health Benefits Service Center using your date of marriage or the date on which your domestic partner affirmation form was signed as the effective date. If your spouse/domestic partner also works at Cummins, you can enroll separately or together, but you, your spouse/domestic partner and any children can only be covered once.
  • Proceed to Benefits Review and Enrollment page and make new elections within 31 days from date of marriage or domestic partner relationship.
  • Submit your marriage certificate/domestic partner affirmation through Answers or email it to CBS at cbs.lifeevents@cummins.com.
    • Name changes due to marriage will be made by CBS only after they receive a Social Security card showing the new name.
    • You must submit a birth certificate for any children you are adding based on the marriage or addition of a domestic partner.
    • The birth certificate should have either your name or your spouse/domestic partner’s name listed as a parent.

Consider other changes

Review your beneficiary designations for life insurance and retirement plans and update as needed.

Birth of a Child

Congratulations! Whether it’s your first child or whether you are an experienced parent, Cummins offers a variety of resources to support you before and after the birth of your child.

Before your child is born: Arrange your time off

  • Talk with your manager and HR at least 30 days in advance about the time you would like to take off. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows for up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave for the birth or adoption of a child. You can substitute available paid leave for some or all of this time through programs such as Paid Parental Leave, sick leave and vacation, and short-term disability.
  • If you are giving birth, you are eligible to have some of your time off covered by short-term disability (STD). STD pays part of your salary while you’re on leave.
  • For a normal pregnancy, your disability benefits cover six weeks after the birth of your child.
  • For a Caesarian section (C-section), the plan will cover up to eight weeks.
  • Your benefits may begin prior to birth if you experience medical complications due to pregnancy. Call Unum at 1-866-229-4885 to initiate a claim a few weeks prior to your due date.

After your child is born: Add your child to company benefits

After your child is born: Consider other benefits changes

Once your child has been added to your benefits, you may also want to consider whether:

  • Your choice of medical plan is still the most appropriate for your growing family
  • You have an appropriate amount of life and accident insurance coverage
  • Your changing expenses mean that you need to change your medical or retirement savings amounts

You may want to make additional changes during the next Open Enrollment period.

Adoption

Before adoption: Arrange your time off

  • Eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks off to care for a newly adopted child.
  • Fill out the Request for Parental Leave form and submit it to your manager at least 30 calendar days prior to your need for leave.

After adoption: Add your child to company benefits

After adoption: Consider other benefits changes

Once your child has been added to your benefits, you may also want to consider whether:

  • Your choice of medical plan is still the most appropriate for your growing family
  • You have an appropriate amount of life and accident insurance coverage
  • Your changing expenses mean that you need to change your medical or retirement savings amounts

You may want to make additional changes during the next Open Enrollment period.

Divorce/Termination of Domestic Partnership

Remove your spouse/domestic partner from company benefits

  • Submit divorce decree through Answers or email it to CBS at cbs.lifeevents@cummins.com . Your spouse/domestic partner will be removed from coverage as of the date of decree, and you will be notified when you can make other desired changes.

Consider other changes

Review your beneficiary designations for life insurance and retirement plans and update as needed.

Gain or Lose of Other Coverage 

Add yourself or a family member to company benefits

  • If you lose other coverage, you must submit proof of loss of coverage within 31 days of the effective date. Proof of coverage is a HIPAA certificate or letter from carrier/employer showing member name(s) and coverage end date. Submit your documentation through Answers or email it to CBS at cbs.lifeevents@cummins.com and include a valid email address or phone number.
  • CBS will open your record to allow changes and will notify you when you can access Employee Self-Service to make the desired changes; please allow three business days for processing of documentation.
  • You must make any coverage changes by using the instructions that will be sent upon receipt of documentation. You will not be able to make these updates until you receive notice of receipt from CBS.

Remove yourself or a family member from company benefits

  • If you gain other coverage, you must submit proof of new coverage within 31 days of the effective date. Proof of new coverage includes medical/dental cards or letter from carrier/employer showing member name(s) and coverage effective date. Submit your documentation through Answers or email it to CBS cbs.lifeevents@cummins.com at and include a valid email address or phone number.
  • CBS will open your record to allow changes and will notify you when you can access Employee Self-Service to make the desired changes; please allow three business days for processing.

You must make any coverage changes by using the instructions that will be sent upon receipt of documentation. You will not be able to make these updates until you receive notice of receipt from CBS.

Dependent Child’s Marriage

Remove or keep your child on company benefits

  • Your dependent child remains eligible for coverage until age 26 regardless of marital status. Spouses of children are not eligible for the Cummins plan. You can also remove your child from coverage.
  • Please submit your child’s marriage certificate through Answers or email it to CBS at cbs.lifeevents@cummins.com. The child will be removed from coverage on the date of marriage. This must be submitted within 31 days of marriage

Child Turns 26

Your child will be removed from company benefits

  • When your child reaches age 26, they are no longer eligible for coverage under the Cummins plan.
  • This termination of coverage will occur automatically on the child’s 26th birthday. You are not required to notify CBS or submit documentation.
  • The child will receive COBRA paperwork at the member’s address following termination of coverage.