Employee Eligibility Guidelines

See Also: Dependent Eligibility Guidelines
See Also: Required Documentation

Note: The deadline to contact the MI HR Service Center to add or change enrollment due to a qualifying life event occurring on or after January 30, 2020 was extended due to the COVID-19 National Emergency. The extended due date is now 31 days after the qualifying life event, plus (a) one year or (b) 60 days after the declared National Emergency ends, whichever occurs first.

If you are a State employee who is married to another State employee/retiree:
If you are married to another eligible State employee or retiree, you are potentially eligible for benefits one of two ways - as an employee or as a dependent. However, current rules do not allow you to carry two enrollments at the same time in the same category of State-sponsored insurances (i.e., health care, dental care, vision care, or life insurance). You can only enroll once. The reason is simple. The State covers a portion of each enrolled person's total premium. Two premiums are not payable for the same person. Therefore, state-employed couples can carry their insurance coverages separately (each as employees) or as one family enrollment with dependent/spouse coverage.

Benefit Effective Dates:
Newly Hired Employees: Benefits will be effective the first day of the new pay-period starting after you call the MI HR Service Center (877-766-6447) to enroll. Newly hired employees must call MI HR within 31 days of their hire date to enroll in benefits. Benefits are not effective immediately upon hire or immediately after contacting MI HR to enroll. Life Insurance is the only exception, as life coverage begins the first day of an eligible employee's employment.
Benefits Open Enrollment (BOE): Any newly-elected benefits or changes made during BOE will go into effect January 1 of the following year.

Health Care Plans:
As an employee, you are eligible if you are in any category of the classified State service with an appointment of at least 720 hours duration, except if you have a non-career appointment.

Certain unclassified State employees are also eligible. Contact the MI HR Service Center for information.**

Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance Plans: 
You are eligible as an employee if you are in any category of the classified State service with an appointment of at least 720 hours duration (except a "non-career" appointment), and if you are:

• a Full-Time employee,
• a Part-Time or Job-Sharing employee working 32 hours or more every biweekly pay period,
• a Permanent-Intermittent employee expected to work at least 40% of full-time annually (a minimum of 832 hours). Your human resources office can verify your eligibility, a seasonal employee must have an appointment lasting 8 months or more a year.

• Seasonal employees must have at least eight (8) months of employment per year to be eligible for dental and vision benefits.

State Long Term Disability Plan:
You are eligible for enrollment if you are in any category of classified State service with an appointment of at least 720 hours duration (except a "non-career" appointment), and if you are:

• a Full-Time employee,
• a Part-Time, Permanent-Intermittent (PI) or Job Sharing employee who works forty percent (40%) or more of full-time, will be eligible for LTD benefits. Eligibility to enroll for coverage shall be the open enrollment following completion of twelve (12) months of employment or at subsequent open enrollment periods which may be established from time to time.