Eligibility, Enrollment, & Making Changes
We know benefits can feel like a lot. That’s why we’re breaking things down in plain language, so you can understand what you’re eligible for, when your coverage starts, and how to enroll without second-guessing yourself.
Whether you’re brand-new, switching roles, or just figuring it all out—this page is for you.
Looking for your rates?
Enrollment Essentials
30-Day Window: New hires have 30 days from their start date to elect benefits.
Dependent Docs: Have SSNs, birth certificates, and marriage certificates ready.
Workday Portal: Make elections online or on the Workday mobile app.
Who’s Eligible?
You
You’re eligible for the full benefits lineup: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability, Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), and more. You can also cover your eligible dependents and even add on extra coverage through voluntary benefits.
You’re eligible for Medical coverage and an HSA. Your eligible dependents can be covered too.
You’re eligible for Medical coverage and an HSA.
You’re eligible for legally required benefits only.
Your Dependents
Spouse
Legally married spouse only. A $125 surcharge applies per pay period if your spouse has access to other employer-sponsored medical coverage. Common-law spouses are not eligible.
Domestic Partners (DPs)
Only eligible for Kaiser Permanente (CA, CO, OR, WA), SIMNSA (CA), VSP (CA), and Cigna Dental HMO (CA).
Children
- Under age 26
- Any age if disabled before age 26 and unable to support themselves. Verification of disability is required.
- Includes biological, adopted, stepchildren, and those under legal guardianship
- Children of a covered spouse or domestic partner (if plan allows) are also eligible
- Newborns must be enrolled within 30 days of birth
Benefits Enrollment Checklists
Follow these structured checklists to guide your onboarding and annual elections step-by-step.
New Hire Enrollment Checklist
Welcome! We are pleased to offer health benefits to Full-Time Employees. You must enroll and submit the necessary proof of dependent relationship documentation to enroll. This checklist will help you stay on track.
Benefit Enrollment Support
Get Ready for a Successful Enrollment
Click each task to check it off as you goYou must enroll within 30 days starting from your hire date for:
- Medical Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Supplemental Life & AD&D
- Short Term Disability
- Long Term Disability
- Accident Insurance
- Hospital Indemnity Insurance
- Critical Illness Insurance
- Legal Insurance
- Cyber/ID Protection
• Other employees of an Ensign Services-affiliated company: First of the month after 60 days of employment.
• Newly benefit-eligible due to a status change: First of the month following the status change, unless that change occurs on the first of the month, then benefits begin on the same day.
Please note: If enrolling dependents, you must provide your dependent documents to HR Services Support in order to complete your elections. Starting with your hire date, you have 30 days to email your proof of dependent relationship documentation (such as legal marriage license, 1040 tax form, or birth certificates) to EnsignHR@ensignservices.net. If documents are not received by the deadline, your dependents will not be covered.
401K Benefits
All employees age 18+ are eligible to contribute to the 401k Plan.
When Can You Enroll?
Review which benefits must be selected within your initial 30-day window versus benefits you can join at any time during the year.
Enroll Within 30 Days (in Workday)
Starting with your hire date, or status change date, you have 30 days to enroll.Enroll Anytime (via carrier or Workday)
Available throughout the yearPreparing to Enroll
Review your coverage options and gather necessary dependent verification materials before logging into Workday.
Understand Your Benefits Options
Before making your elections, take time to explore your benefit choices using these five key resources:
Gather Required Documentation
If you plan to enroll eligible family members, you must gather required verification documents before your enrollment deadline.
Enrolling a spouse requires a marriage certificate or joint tax return. Enrolling children requires government-issued birth certificates or legal adoption/guardianship papers.
Important: Starting with your hire date, or status change date, you have 30 days to submit proof, or dependent coverage will be forfeited for the plan year.
How to Enroll
Follow these simple steps in Workday to select your benefits and enroll your dependents.
Starting with your hire date, or status change date, you have 30 days to enroll. For example, if you are hired on September 4, your deadline is October 3.
Download the Workday app on your phone. Use code Ensign, log in with your credentials, and manage your benefits on the go!
When Does Coverage Start?
Review coverage start timelines for new hires as well as newly acquired facilities.
Coverage Start for New Hires
Standard Onboarding Waiting Periods| Your Situation | Your Benefits Start |
|---|---|
| Department heads, nurses, therapists, and Service Center/Cornet employees | First of the month after your hire date |
| Other employees of an Ensign Services-affiliated company | First of the month after 60 days of employment Example: Hired on May 15? Enroll by June 13, coverage starts August 1. |
| Newly benefit-eligible due to a status change | First of the month following the status change, unless that change occurs on the first of the month, then benefits begin on the same day. Example 1: You go from part-time to full-time on February 12, you will be offered benefits to begin March 1. Example 2: You go from part-time to full-time on February 1, you will be offered benefits to begin February 1. |
When Does Coverage Start if My Facility Was Recently Acquired?
Prior Service Recognition & Acquisition RulesIf you were a W-2 employee of the acquired company, your prior service will be recognized for benefits eligibility purposes. If you meet the applicable waiting period below and begin employment with the new Ensign-affiliated company on the acquisition date, you will be eligible for health benefits effective on your first day of employment.
| Your Situation | Eligibility Waiting Period |
|---|---|
| Department heads, nurses, and therapists | Must have completed at least 1 day of employment as a W-2 employee of the acquired company before the acquisition date. |
| Other employees of an Ensign Services-affiliated company | Must have completed at least 60 days of employment as a W-2 employee of the acquired company before the acquisition date. Employees with fewer than 60 days of employment before the acquisition date will become eligible for benefits on the first day of the month following completion of the 60-day waiting period. |
Beneficiaries
Designating and regularly updating your beneficiaries ensures your life insurance and retirement assets go directly to the loved ones you intend.
Did You Know?
Beneficiary designations override wills and allow your loved ones to avoid going through the costly and time-consuming probate process. Keep your beneficiaries updated to ensure your benefits go to the loved ones you intend, especially following life events such as marriage, divorce, or the birth of a child.
Life & AD&D Insurance Beneficiaries
Managed through WorkdayAll benefit-eligible employees should ensure they have up-to-date beneficiary information on Workday for Basic Life and Supplemental Life coverage:
401(k) Retirement Plan Beneficiaries
Managed through Fidelity NetBenefitsDesignating beneficiaries ensures your retirement assets pass directly to chosen individuals without unnecessary probate delays:
Dependent Documentation
What documents do I need to provide to cover a dependent on my benefits? You have 30 days from your hire date or status change date to enroll. For example, if you are hired on September 4, your deadline is October 3.
Required Proof by Dependent Category
| Dependent Type | Required Documentation |
|---|---|
| Spouse | Marriage Certificate or joint IRS-approved tax return |
| Domestic Partner | Notarized Affidavit of Domestic Partnership. Only eligible for Kaiser Permanente (CA, CO, OR, WA), SIMNSA (CA), VSP (CA), and Cigna Dental HMO (CA) |
| Newborn (<6 months) | Proof of Birth Verification; Birth Certificate required by 6 months |
| Children (>6 months) | Birth Certificate, legal adoption/guardianship papers, or IRS-approved tax return |
| Disabled Children (26+) | Birth Certificate + documentation of disability (may require annual verification) |
| Stepchildren | Marriage Certificate + Birth Certificate or IRS-approved tax return |
How to Submit Documentation
Submit documents via email to EnsignHR@ensignservices.net or upload directly to Workday during enrollment.
30-Day Rule: Starting with your hire date, or status change date, you have 30 days to enroll dependents and provide required documentation.
Note: SSN cards are not required but encouraged.
Set Up Your 401(k)
Plan for your future with employer-sponsored retirement savings through Fidelity Investments.
401(k) Eligibility & Automatic Enrollment Packet
90-Day Service RequirementAll full-time and part-time employees, age 18 and above, are eligible to participate on the first of the month following 90 calendar days of service. Fidelity, the plan administrator, will email you an enrollment packet after you’ve met your eligibility date. You will set up your contributions and manage your 401(k) through Fidelity at netbenefits.com.
Contributions & Company Match
You may contribute up to 90% of your eligible pay on a pre-tax basis, subject to annual IRS limits ($24,500 for 2026). Your contributions are conveniently deducted from your paycheck and invested based on your preferences.
Ways to Enroll
Fidelity Plan AdministrationLife Happens: Making Changes after a Life Event
Outside of annual Open Enrollment, mid-year changes require a Qualified Life Event (QLE).
What’s a QLE?
Life doesn't follow a benefits calendar, so you can make changes outside of Open Enrollment, but only if you have a Qualified Life Event (QLE).
- Getting married or divorced
- Giving birth to or adopting a child
- Gaining or losing other health coverage
- A dependent gaining/losing coverage
- Job changes that affect benefits
- Death of a dependent
Here’s what to do:
Strict 30-Day Window (60 Days for Medicare/Medicaid)Don’t wait too long. Your changes can’t go through without documentation!
Ensign Services Qualifying Life Events (QLE) Matrix
Need to know exactly what benefits you can change, what documents are required, and when coverage takes effect or ends? View the official corporate QLE guidelines.
When Coverage Ends
Matrix for when each type of employee benefit coverage terminates.
Matrix for When Coverage Terminates
Official Benefit End Date Guidelines| Benefit Plan | Coverage End Date |
|---|---|
| Medical, Dental, Vision¹’³ | Last day of the month in which you terminate or become ineligible for benefits |
| Flexible Spending Account (FSA)³ | Date of Termination/Loss of Eligibility |
| Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Account (LPFSA)³ | Date of Termination/Loss of Eligibility |
| Health Savings Account (HSA)² | Date of Termination/Loss of Eligibility |
| Basic Life² | Date of Termination/Loss of Eligibility |
| Supplemental Life (Employee, Spouse, Child)² | Date of Termination/Loss of Eligibility |
| Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D)² | Date of Termination/Loss of Eligibility |
| Supplemental AD&D (Employee, Spouse, Child)² | Date of Termination/Loss of Eligibility |
| Short-Term Disability | Date of Termination/Loss of Eligibility |
| Long-Term Disability | Date of Termination/Loss of Eligibility |
| Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Accident¹ | Last day of the month in which you terminate or become ineligible for benefits |
| Commuter Benefits | Date of Termination/Loss of Eligibility |
| Legal Insurance | Last day of the month in which you terminate or become ineligible for benefits |
| Cyber Security / ID Theft | Last day of the month in which you terminate or become ineligible for benefits |
| Employee Assistance Program (EAP) | Up to 31 days from day in which you terminate or become ineligible for benefits¹ |
| Farmers Insurance | Can continue through direct billing |
¹ If a Data Change resulting in benefit ineligibility occurs on the first of the month that results in the end of benefit eligibility, any active benefits will become inactive as of that date, not the end of the month.
² Coverage is portable and may be converted to an individual policy.
³ Eligible for COBRA continuation except for benefit termination reason: Loss of coverage due to non-payment.
When Does Coverage End?
Download the Benefits Summary for Termination of Active Employee Benefits to see when each type of coverage ends. If your employment ends in the first half of the month, your final paycheck will include all premiums due for that month. If you’re eligible for COBRA, you’ll also receive information on how to continue your coverage.
