Enrollment Rights & Required Documentation
Enrollment information
Who May Enroll
Benefit eligible employees must work at least 20 hours (Classified) or 16 hours (Certificated) per week to receive healthcare coverage. Coverage for eligible employees and their eligible dependent(s) begin the first day of the month following an employee's start date.
Eligible dependents include:
Legally married spouse
Registered domestic partner
Child(ren) under the age of 26 regardless of student or marital status
When to Enroll
Newly hired benefit eligible RUSD employees must enroll or waive benefits within 30 calendar days from their employment start date. Coverage is effective first of the month, following your start date.
Current employees who are not newly eligible are permitted to enroll:
Each year during Open Enrollment (October/November) for a coverage effective date of January 1st
Within 30 calendar days of a "Qualifying Life Event" as defined by the IRS
Unless a qualified change in status exists, you cannot make changes to your healthcare coverage until the next open enrollment period.
How to Enroll
RUSD partners with American Fidelity in utilizing their online benefit enrollment platform. Newly hired employees are required to:
Attend a Benefits Orientation to review benefit plan options and cost. Please contact the Benefits Department to schedule your appointment
Meet one-on-one with a representative from American Fidelity to enroll in medical, dental and voluntary options regardless if electing American Fidelity products.
If you are a current employee and experience a qualifying life event, please contact your assigned Employee Benefits Assistant or the Benefits Department within 30 calendar days of the event to see what documents are needed.
If a qualifying life event does not exist, you cannot make changes until the next open enrollment period.
Paying for your Coverage
RUSD provides eligible employees with a comprehensive employee benefit package that is partially paid for by the district. Your medical and dental premiums, and voluntary products are payroll deducted on a 10thly basis. This means, there are 10 payroll deductions, with no deductions in June or July and no lapse in healthcare coverage. Please see Benefits Rate Sheets for cost information.
Making changes
Employees are responsible for notifying the Benefits Department of their benefit status. Any benefits change due to a qualifying life event must be made within 30 calendar days of the event in order to enroll outside of open enrollment. Failure to meet this 30 day special enrollment period, will require you to enroll in benefits during the open enrollment period typically held in October and November, for a January 1st effective date. Please see "Qualifying Life Events" for more information.
REQUIRED DEPENDENT VERIFICATION
To enroll eligible dependents, employees are required to provide the following dependent verification:
State Certified copy of Marriage Certificate or registered Declaration of Domestic Partnership
State Certified copy of Birth Certificate and/or Court Adoption Order
Social Security Number
**If only the souvenir copy of the marriage or birth certificate is available we will accept this documentation and provide 60 days for you to submit the originals as required. Please contact your assigned Employee Benefits Assistant or the Benefits Department for questions or concerns.
How do I register a Domestic Partnership with the State of California?
If you and your partner are over 18, or one or both partners are under 18 and have obtained a court order granting permission to establish a domestic partnership, and are of the same sex, or are opposite sex and one partner is at least 62 and meet the requirements of California Family Code section 297, you may register a domestic partnership with the California Secretary of State. You may register by completing a Declaration of Domestic Partnership Form NP/SF DP-1, having both partners' signatures notarized, and submitting the form with the appropriate fee to the California Secretary of State.
