Eligibility
City of Brooklyn employees who are defined as “full-time, permanent” active employees may enroll in the benefits described on this site. As a new employee, you are eligible for benefits on the 1st day of the month following date of hire unless you are an elected or appointed official. Benefits are effective on the first day of the term of office for elected officials and the first day of employment for appointed officials. The following family members are eligible to be covered on the plan as your dependents:
- The employee’s lawfully married spouse
- Domestic Partners
- The employee or lawfully married spouse’s Dependent under age 26 who is a:
- Natural child
- Stepchild
- Child placed for adoption or legally adopted child
- Child for whom either the employee or spouse is the legal guardian or custodian
- Any children who, by court order, must be provided health care coverage by the employee or employee’s spouse
If You Don’t Enroll
If you are a new hire and you do not return the required forms, you will only be enrolled for the Group Life Insurance that is provided by the City of Brooklyn. You will not have medical/prescription, dental, or vision benefits. Your next opportunity to enroll for the medical/prescription, dental or vision benefits will be at the next Open Enrollment period or if you have a qualifying life event.
Qualifying Life Events
If you experience a Qualifying Life Event outside of open enrollment you must enroll or make changes within 31 days of the Qualifying Event. Failure to report changes in a timely manner may result in a delay of coverage until the next open enrollment period.
Events that may qualify as a mid-year change in benefits enrollment include:
- Change in lawful marital status (including marriage, divorce or death of a spouse)
- Change in the number of dependents (including birth, adoption, placement for adoption, or death of a dependent)
- Change in the eligibility status of a dependent
- Change in the employment status, work schedule, or benefits status of an employee, spouse or dependent that results in gaining or losing eligibility coverage
- Significant increase in contributions or a significant reduction in coverage under your or your spouse’s health care plan
- Change to comply with a Qualified Medical Child Support Order
NOTE: If you have a qualifying event, you have 31 days from the date of the event to notify the Employee Benefits Division that you need to make a change to your benefits. If you do not notify the Employee Benefits Division, complete a change form and submit supporting documentation within 31 days you will not be eligible to make any changes to your benefits until the next Open Enrollment period.
It is your responsibility to notify Employee Benefits when your spouse and/or other dependents lose or obtain other health insurance coverage. You are personally responsible for any benefits paid should you provide inaccurate information or fail to provide timely notification to Employee Benefits.
