Overview
Review the information on the Domestic Partner Benefits web page for an overview of Domestic Partner benefits. If you establish, marry, or end your domestic partnership you may be able to make changes to certain benefits through the Universities of Wisconsin depending on your situation. Changes must be made to your benefits within 30 days of the event.
The information provided below assumes you have completed the proper paperwork depending on your situation to either establish or terminate your domestic partnership.
Note: The 2017 – 2019 Wisconsin Biennial Budget (2017 Wisconsin Act 59) was signed into law on September 21, 2017 eliminated the Chapter 40 domestic partnership program. As a result, domestic partners and partner’s children (who are not also your dependent children) are no longer eligible for most benefits as of January 1, 2018. Review the Domestic Partner Brochure (ET-2166) for details.
How Benefits are Affected
Information specific to each benefit plan can be accessed below.
To review which plans you are currently enrolled in log into Workday (myworkday.wisconsin.edu). Once in Workday, from the Menu in the upper left go to Personal, then select Benefits and Pay. In the Suggested Links, select My Insurance Benefits to access the benefits enrollment system.
Establish Domestic Partnership: Domestic partners are not eligible for this plan.
Domestic Partnership to Marriage: Review the Life Events > Marriage web page for information on changes you can make to your benefits as a result of marriage.
End of Domestic Partnership: Review the Life Events > Loss of Other Coverage for information on changes you can make as a result of losing coverage through your ex-domestic partner.
Establish Domestic Partnership: Domestic partners are not eligible for this plan.
Domestic Partnership to Marriage: Review the Life Events > Marriage web page for information on changes you can make to your benefits as a result of marriage.
End of Domestic Partnership: Review the Life Events > Loss of Other Coverage for information on changes you can make as a result of losing coverage through your ex-domestic partner.
Establish Domestic Partnership: Domestic partners are not eligible for this plan.
Domestic Partnership to Marriage: Review the Life Events > Marriage web page for information on changes you can make to your benefits as a result of marriage.
End of Domestic Partnership: Review the Life Events > Loss of Other Coverage for information on changes you can make as a result of losing coverage through your ex-domestic partner.
Establish Domestic Partnership: Domestic partners are not eligible for this plan.
Domestic Partnership to Marriage: Review the Life Events > Marriage web page for information on changes you can make to your benefits as a result of marriage.
End of Domestic Partnership or Domestic Partnership to Marriage: If you previously established a domestic partnership with the Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF), submit an Affidavit of Termination of Domestic Partnership (ET-2372) to ETF to terminate your domestic partnership.
Review your beneficiary designation and update, if necessary.
Establish Domestic Partnership: If enrolled in Employee coverage, you may take the following actions within 30 days of establishing your domestic partnership. Coverage is effective the first of the month on or following 30 days from the date your domestic partnership is established.
- Add Spouse/Domestic Partner coverage
- Add Child coverage if this is the first time you have an eligible child to cover.
If already enrolled in Child coverage, newly eligible children are automatically covered.
If not currently enrolled, you may apply through proof of good health at any time. Coverage is not guaranteed.
Domestic Partnership to Marriage: Marrying your domestic partner does not offer any enrollment/change opportunities for you or your family members. However, you may apply through proof of good health at any time. Coverage is not guaranteed.
End of Domestic Partnership: Coverage for your ex-domestic partner (and/or their covered children (who are not also your dependent children)) ends on the date your domestic partnership is terminated.
If enrolled in Child coverage and you do not have any other eligible children, you must cancel Child coverage within 30 days of terminating your domestic partnership.
Your ex-domestic partner and their children may convert coverage to an individual policy by submitting a conversion application and premium to Securian within 31 days of the coverage end date. Your ex-domestic partner can contact UW-Shared Services, Service Operations at GetHelpUW@support.wisconsin.edu or (888) 298-0141 (7:45-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday) for a conversion application.
Domestic Partnership to Marriage or End of Domestic Partnership: If you previously established a domestic partnership with the Universities of Wisconsin for employee-benefit purposes, submit an Affidavit of Domestic Partnership (UWS 50) to ETF to terminate your domestic partnership.
Review your beneficiary designation and update, if necessary.
Establish Domestic Partnership: You may enroll in Employee Only or Family coverage at any time. If enrolled in Family coverage, domestic partner and newly eligible children are automatically covered (no action necessary). Changes to your coverage are effective the first of the month on or following the receipt of your change.
Domestic Partnership to Marriage: Review the Life Events > Marriage web page for information on changes you can make to your benefits as a result of marriage.
End of Domestic Partnership: Coverage for your ex-domestic partner and their children (who are not also your dependent children) ends on the date your domestic partnership is terminated.
If you have Family coverage, and you do not have any other eligible children, you must change your coverage to Employee Only Coverage.
Your ex-domestic partner and their children may convert coverage to an individual policy by contacting Zurich American Insurance Company at (888) 634-6780 (reference UW System Policy # GTU-8364005) within 60 days of the coverage end date. Your ex-domestic partner can contact UW-Shared Services, Service Operations at GetHelpUW@support.wisconsin.edu or (888) 298-0141 (7:45-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday) for a conversion application.
Domestic Partnership to Marriage or End of Domestic Partnership: If you previously established a domestic partnership with the Universities of Wisconsin for employee-benefit purposes, submit an Affidavit of Domestic Partnership (UWS 50) to ETF to terminate your domestic partnership.
Review your beneficiary designation and update, if necessary.
Establish Domestic Partnership: Domestic partners are not eligible for this plan.
Domestic Partnership to Marriage: Review the Life Events > Marriage web page for information on changes you can make to your benefits as a result of marriage.
End of Domestic Partnership: Review the Life Events > Loss of Other Coverage for information on changes you can make as a result of losing coverage through your ex-domestic partner.
Review your beneficiary designation and update, if necessary.
This plan offers employee only coverage and is not affected by establishing, marrying, or terminating your domestic partnership.
Establish Domestic Partnership: You may take the following actions within 30 days of establishing your domestic partnership if your domestic partner or their children qualify as your tax dependents under IRS rules.
- Enroll in a Health Care and/or Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- Increase, decrease or cancel your Health Care and/or Dependent Day Care Account (if already enrolled). Action must be consistent with the qualifying life event.
Coverage or changes are effective the first of the month on or following the date your domestic partnership is established.
Domestic Partnership to Marriage: Review the Life Events > Marriage web page for information on changes you can make to your benefits as a result of marriage.
End of Domestic Partnership: If expenses associated with your ex-domestic partner and/or their children (who are not your dependent children) qualified under the Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Dependent Day Care Account, you may take the following actions within 30 days of terminating your domestic partnership. Action must be consistent with the qualifying life event.
- If you lost coverage under your ex-domestic partner's Health Care FSA, you may enroll in a Health Care FSA.
- If you lost coverage under your ex-domestic partner's Dependent Day Care Account, you may enroll in a Dependent Day Care Account.
- Increase, decrease, or cancel your Health Care FSA and/or Dependent Day Care Account
If you enroll, coverage is effective the first of the month on or following the date in which your domestic partnership terminated.
You may make changes to your Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution amount at any time by logging into My Insurance Benefits. For assistance with enrolling or making changes to your HSA contribution amount review Making Changes to a Health Savings Account (ET-1142b).
Review your beneficiary designation and update, if necessary.
Domestic Partnership to Marriage or End of Domestic Partnership: If you previously established a domestic partnership with the Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF), submit an Affidavit of Termination of Domestic Partnership (ET-2372) to ETF to terminate your domestic partnership.
End of Domestic Partnership: A portion of your WRS account may be granted to your ex-domestic partner. This may occur if the court issues a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). The order may direct ETF to divide your account and your creditable service (up to 50%).
Review your beneficiary designation and update, if necessary.
You can enroll in or make changes at any time. Review Change Benefits-Supplemental Retirement-Employee (KB 144708) for information to make changes (start, edit, stop) to your enrollment.
Review your beneficiary designation(s) and update, if necessary.
End of Domestic Partnership: Your 403(b) account can be included in a settlement if the court issues a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) that is acceptable to your 403(b) recordkeeper(s).
You can enroll in or make changes at any time. Contact the WDC administrator (Empower) directly at wdcquestions@empower.com or (877) 457-9327 to make changes (start, edit, stop) to your enrollment.
Review your beneficiary designation and update, if necessary.
End of Domestic Partnership: If you established a domestic partnership with the Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF), a portion of your WDC account may be granted to your ex-domestic partner. This may occur if the court issues a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). The order may direct WDC to divide your account.
How to Make Changes
To make changes log into Workday (myworkday.wisconsin.edu). Once in Workday, from the Menu in the upper left go to Personal, then select Benefits and Pay. In the Suggested Links, select My Insurance Benefits to access the benefits enrollment system.
Personal Updates
If necessary, update your personal information with the Universities of Wisconsin. Instructions for how to update your information can be found in the following resources:
- Name: Review Legal name Change-Employee (KB 144831) for information on how to update your legal name. Documentation may be necessary.
- Marital Status: Review Editing Personal Information in Workday-Employee (KB 144783) for information on how to update your marital status.
- Address: Review Home Contact Change-Employee (KB 144891) for information on how to update your home address.
- Emergency Contacts: Review Adding and Changing Emergency Contacts in Workday-Employee (KB 144939).
Tax Withholding
Review your tax withholding exemptions and update, if necessary. For information review:
- Complete Federal Tax Withholding Elections-Employee (KB 146856)
- Complete State and Local Tax Withholding Elections-Employee (KB 146855)
Resources
Reach out to your benefits contact within 30 days from the date of your qualifying life event with questions.
Beneficiary Designations
Remember to review and update your beneficiary designations when you have a life event to make sure that your benefits are paid according to your wishes. Benefit plans that have beneficiary designations include life insurance plans, retirement plans and the health savings account.
For more information review the Beneficiary Information web page.
Every effort has been made to ensure this information is current and correct. Information on this page does not guarantee enrollment, benefits and/or the ability to make changes to your benefits.
Updated: 08/14/2025