Internal - Faculty & Staff

Life Events

Did you know that when certain events occur in your life, such as getting married or having a baby, you can make changes to your benefits coverage? These are called “qualified life events,” and they allow you to make changes to your coverage outside of annual enrollment within a 30 day window of the event.

Qualified life events in your family or enrollment status can include:

  • Marriage
  • Birth or adoption of a child
  • Start or loss of your spouse/ domestic partner’s employment.
  • Change in employment status (for you or your spouse/domestic partner, from part-time to full-time or from full-time to part-time) 
  • Divorce or termination of domestic partnership
  • Death of your spouse/domestic partner or other dependent

If you experience a qualified life event, you have 30 days from the date of the event to contact Benefits and Payroll, provide documentation of the event, and make a change to your benefits coverage consistent with the event (if you give birth, for example, you may add the baby to your current Simmons benefits plans). Generally, the change is retroactive to the date of the life event.

Family Medical Leave

Family and Medical leave (“FML”) is job-protected, unpaid leave available to eligible employees. In accordance with the U.S. Family and Medical Leave Act, FML is available to you for the following reasons:

  1. To care for the employee’s newborn child after birth, or placement for adoption or foster care within one year of birth or placement;
  2. To care for the employee’s spouse, child (including same-sex spouse’s child (that is, a stepchild)), or parent (but not in-law) who has a serious health condition; and/or
  3. For the employee’s own serious health condition (including any period of incapacity due to pregnancy, prenatal medical care or childbirth) that makes the employee unable to perform one or more of the essential functions of his or her job.
  4. For any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that a spouse, son, daughter, or parent is a military member on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status.

FML is not available for reasons other than those stated above.

Please contact Human Resources to inquire about Family Medical Leave or benefits@simmons.edu or x2084.

Forms below are available to print and complete by the eligible employees:

Please note:

  • Once leave is requested, Benefits and Payroll will provide you with the Rights and Responsibilities under FMLA and a form for your Health Provider to complete. You will have 15 calendar days to return the Health Provider form to Benefits and Payroll.
  • Upon receipt of your Health Provider form, Benefits and Payroll will provide you with an approval or denial of FML including details if additional information is needed, within 5 business days.
  • Once leave is approved, Benefits and Payroll and/or the employee will reach out to the manager to coordinate this time off under the leave provisions.
  • You will also be provided additional details on how to coordinate your time off in Work Day and with your manager.
    • If requesting intermittent leave, additional coordination with your manager will be needed before intermittent leave can be approved.