Qualifying Life Events

Qualifying Life Events (QLE) allow you to make changes within the year as long as you make the change and provide the required supporting documentation within the required timeframe.

If you experience one of the events below, please follow the instructions below within 30 days of the event. If you miss this deadline, you may have to wait until the next Benefits Open Enrollment period to make changes.

Woman working at desk

Qualifying Life Events (QLE) allow you to make changes within the year as long as you make the change and provide the required supporting documentation within the required timeframe.

If you experience one of the events below, please follow the instructions below within 30 days of the event. If you miss this deadline, you may have to wait until the next Benefits Open Enrollment period to make changes.

Bioworkers reporting a QLE should:
1. Navigate to the Employee Benefits & Wellness Application
2. Select ‘Change Benefits’
3. Select the appropriate life event option and enter the date the change occurred. Future effective dates are acceptable.
4. Attach any relevant files (ex: birth certificate for newborn, marriage certificate, etc.)
5. Click Submit
6. A dialog box will pop up, confirming that you’ve initiated a life event. Click ‘Open’
7. Then click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button to start making your elections.

Spouses

Getting married, legally separated, or divorced is a QLE that qualifies you to make changes to your benefits.

Dependents

If you and/or your dependent are enrolled in a non-employer plan and lose that coverage, you’re eligible for a QLE.

Children

Giving birth to or adopting a child or obtaining legal custody of a child qualifies as a QLE.

Add/Adjust/End

Things like Parking, Transit and Daycare benefits.

Be sure to review mandatory compliance notices within the Benefits Website. A Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) has been designed to assist you with better understanding the coverage being offered to you. The SBC is available at Benefits Website. A paper copy is also available, free of charge, by calling 877-422-5362.

Your health plan is committed to helping you achieve your best health. The opportunity to avoid the tobacco surcharge is available to all employees. If you currently use tobacco, you might qualify for an opportunity to avoid the tobacco surcharge by a different means. Contact www.ginkgobioworksbenefits.com. We will work with you (and, if you wish, with your doctor) to develop another way for you to qualify for a waiver of the surcharge.

Your health plan is committed to helping you achieve your best health. Rewards for participating in a wellness program are available to all employees. If you think you might be unable to meet a standard for a reward under this wellness program, you might qualify for an opportunity to earn the same reward by a different means. Contact www.ginkgobioworksbenefits.com. We will work with you (and, if you wish, with your doctor) to develop another way to qualify for the reward.

All benefit plans are governed by master policies, contracts, and plan documents. In the event of any inconsistency between the information contained herein and the applicable plan documents, the provisions of the plan documents shall prevail. Ginkgo Bioworks reserves the right to amend, suspend or terminate any benefit plan, in whole or in part, at any time. The authority to make such changes rests with the Plan Administrator.