• Events
  • Adoption/Legal Guardianship
  • Birth
  • Call to Duty
  • Change in Coverage
  • Death of a Dependent
  • Death of an Employee
  • Dependent Becomes Ineligible
  • Divorce
  • Domestic Partnership
  • Eldercare
  • Leaving University Employment
  • Marriage
  • Name/Address Change
  • New Employee
  • Retirement
  • Serious Illness
  • Termination of Domestic Partnership
  • Work-Related Injury

Eldercare

If you have just assumed eldercare responsibilities, the following will provide you with information to consider as you make decisions related to your family member:

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision Benefits
It is possible for you to add your adult dependent to your health benefits. You will need to complete and submit a Health Election Form and an Affidavit of Sponsored Dependency For Health Care Coverage. Please review the costs here.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
If the state considers your eldercare charge a dependent, then you can change your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) enrollment without having to wait until the annual open enrollment period. If your eldercare responsibilities make you eligible for reimbursement through a Flexible Spending Account, you may be able to save for dependent care on a pre-tax basis.

Taxes
If you are eligible to claim as a dependent the person for whom you provide care, you may want to review your W-4 tax document to ensure that that you are claiming the correct deductions. Contact the Tax Office for more information.

Family and Medical Leave (FML)
If you have been employed by the university for one year, and have worked 1,040 hours in the past 12 months, you are eligible for Family and Medical Leave (FML). FML provides eligible faculty and staff with up to 12 work weeks (480 hours) of leave in order to care for a seriously ill family member. FML should be taken as paid sick leave as appropriate. If the sick leave balances are insufficient, FML may also be taken as leave without pay, vacation time, or compensatory time. Use of vacation leave or comp time is at the discretion of the employee and subject to departmental approval.Your health benefits will be maintained during your leave.

To apply for FML, first make sure you understand your benefits and responsibilities. You can review policies 6.05 (Family and Medical Leave), 6.27 (Paid Leave Programs), and 6.45 (Unpaid Leave) for detailed information and contact the Office of Human Resources, Organization and Human Resource Consulting, for consultation. Give your department verbal notice as soon as possible. Then, complete and submit an Application for Leave Form and a Medical Certification Statement for Leave Form to your department at least 30 days prior to your leave date, if forseeable. See the Continuing Benefits While on Leave booklet for more information.

Social Security
Contact the Social Security Administration for information on social security benefits that may be available to the person for whom you are the caretaker.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Eldercare responsibilities cause many changes in your everyday life. The Ohio State Employee Assistance Program offers free, confidential, professional counseling and referral services to help you and your family with any issues that may arise from your new responsibilities. EAP can also provide you with referrals to agencies and organizations that can assist you with your eldercare needs. Contact EAP to schedule an appointment.

Contact Information
For more information on Human Resources-related issues contact the Office of Human Resources Customer Service Center.

NOTE: This is intended to be a summary of benefits, services and procedures. For full details, contact the Office of Human Resources Customer Service Center, refer to benefit plan booklets, or visit the Policy web site.