If you are a newly-hired, eligible employee, you have 60 days from the date you were hired to enroll in State Group Insurance benefits. Enroll online at People First. If you do not enroll within 60 days of your hire date, you can only enroll during the next Open Enrollment period or if you experience an appropriate Qualifying Status Change (QSC) event. Choose your options carefully. Once you make your elections, you can only change them during the next Open Enrollment or if you have an appropriate QSC event.

Your coverage begins on the first day of the month after the month in which the state deducts (or People First receives) a full month’s premium. Coverage always begins on the first day of a month and continues for the rest of the calendar year, as long as you pay premiums on time and you remain eligible.

For example, assume you are a salaried employee hired on July 20. If People First receives your enrollment information before Aug. 1, your coverage begins Sept. 1, after one full month’s premium is deducted from your paycheck. If a premium underpayment occurs because of the early effective date election, the premium (up to $180 bi-weekly or $360 monthly) will be deducted from your next payroll in addition to the regular premium deduction for the next coverage month. For example, if you are hired July 20, you can elect to have your health insurance start on August 1. The premiums will be deducted from your pay.

All other plans begin the first day of the month for which a full payroll deduction is taken.