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Benefit Changes After a Position Change

Changes in employment status may impact your eligibility for benefits. A position change is effective the first day of the month following the transition.

Learn more about the ways your change may impact your benefits:

The following employment changes do not allow you to make changes to your benefits:

Transferring to a post-doctoral fellow position

Moving to a post-doctoral fellow position impacts your eligibility for all benefit plans.

Entering a Post-doctoral Fellow position

Leaving a post-doctoral fellow position

Transfer between Qatar and United States campuses

Changing between a Qatar campus position and a United States campus position impacts your eligibility for your benefits. Benefit changes are effective the first day of the month following the transition; arrangements can be made to allow for the benefits transition up to 60 days prior to the move for existing Northwestern University employees.

Moving to Doha, Qatar

Returning from Doha, Qatar

Transfer non-benefits eligible to benefits eligible role

Employees who change between a non-benefits eligible role, such as a temporary employee or part-time role under 50% effort, will have a 31-day window in which they can enroll in benefits. The effective date of coverage at Northwestern University is the first of the month following the month following initial benefits eligibility, unless the transition is on the first of the month. Employees who transition on the first of the month are eligible for benefits as of that date. For those transitioning on any date after the first of the month, their coverage begins the first of the month following that date.

Transitioning from full-time benefits eligible to part-time benefits eligible (or vise versa) is not a qualifying event that will allow a change in benefits.