The City offers an outstanding comprehensive benefits program that is competitive with other employers. Regular, full-time employees and designated PT30 employees are eligible to participate in these programs, as described in each plan.
Information on eligible dependents, supporting documentation and how to enroll can be found here.
Please note that contractors and temporary employees ARE NOT eligible.
Employee relationship | Required supporting documentation | Coverages available |
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Legal spouse (Ex-spouses are not eligible without a court order) |
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Eligible for: medical, dental, vision, basic and voluntary life insurance and supplement coverage |
Biological child |
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Eligible for: medical, dental, vision, basic and voluntary life insurance and supplement coverage Coverage available up to age 26 |
Adopted child |
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Eligible for: medical, dental, vision, basic and voluntary life insurance and supplement coverage Coverage available up to age 26 |
Legal custody/guardianship foster child (Children for whom you have legal guardianship or legal foster care) |
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Eligible for: medical, dental, vision, basic and voluntary life insurance and supplement coverage Coverage available up to age 26 |
Court ordered dependent (Dependent for whom a court order has been received requiring you to provide healthcare coverage) |
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Eligible for: medical, dental, vision, basic and voluntary life insurance and supplement coverage Coverage available up to age 26 |
Stepchild |
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Eligible for: medical, dental, vision, basic and voluntary life insurance and supplement coverage Coverage available up to age 26 |
Biological grandchild (Step-grandchildren are not eligible for coverage) |
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Eligible for: medical, dental and vision Coverage available up to age 26 |
Disabled children age 26 and over |
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Eligible for: medical, dental, vision, basic and voluntary life insurance and supplement coverage. Contact the Benefits Division for appropriate paperwork to continue coverage. |
Required documents must be submitted and verified before dependents can be covered under any of the City of Houston benefits plans. Submitted documents must be County Clerk certified or court-filed documents. Each submitted document will be reviewed by the Benefits Division for approval before processing changes to coverage.
If both you and your spouse work(ed) for the city, you may be covered as an employee/retiree or as a dependent - but not both. Dependents may be enrolled under only one parent or guardian.
If you are a hire new within 30 days of your start date, please complete your enrollment through your SAP Employee Self-Service (ESS) Portal AND submit the above requested documentation within 30 days of your start date to the Benefits Division.
If you are beyond your first 30 days of hire and want to make changes to your current benefits enrollment, you will need to submit the Benefits Eligibility Processing Form AND proof of a Qualifying Life Event to the Benefits Division within 31 days of the event.
A dependent child who is 26 or older, primarily supported by you, and incapable of self-sustaining employment by reason of mental incapacity, physical disability or handicap which arose while the child was covered as a dependent under these plans, or while covered as a dependent under prior city plans without a break in coverage Upon applying and receiving third party medical administrator’s approval, proof of the child’s condition and dependence must be submitted within 31 days or the child ceases to qualify for benefits. Dependents (children and grandchildren) for whom a court order has been received requiring the employee to provide healthcare coverage, provided HR Benefits receives the court order within 31 days after issuance
There are several opportunities to elect, drop, add, or modify benefit coverage for yourself and/or your dependents. It’s important to carefully consider the benefit options available to you and your dependent(s), as there are only a few opportunities to select coverage or make changes to your benefits.
You have only thirty (30) days from your hire date to make initial enrollment elections and submit supporting documents for any dependents you would like to cover. After you receive your first paycheck, you can log into Employee Self service (ESS) using your e-number, that is, the letter “e” followed by your employee ID number and your network password. Contact HITS at 832-394-4487 for password assistance.
If supporting documentation is not received within the 30-day window, you will have to wait until Open Enrollment or until after you experience a qualifying life event to enroll for benefits coverage. After enrollment, your benefits will begin the 1st or 16th day of the month following your 30th day of employment. Make sure to complete a Final Paycheck Beneficiary Form.
The annual open enroll is one time a year event. This is an opportunity to review and make changes to your benefits elections. During this time, you can add, drop, or modify medical, dental and vision, as well as enroll or re-enroll for a Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (HFSA). The open enrollment period for plan year 2022 - 2023 is February 28 – March 11, 2022. If you are happy with your current medical, dental, vision and life benefits elections, you do not need to make any changes. If do not make any changes to your medical, dental, vision and/or life benefits elections during open enrollment, your current benefit elections will roll over into plan year 2022 – 2023.
Note: You can request an increase for voluntary life insurance, as well as update your beneficiary designations for basic and voluntary life insurance at anytime.
Important Reminder: If you would like to continue or start a Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (HFSA) you must enroll/re-enroll.
You can add, drop, or change coverage for yourself or your dependents when you experience a Qualifying Life Event such as:
You must contact the Benefits Division within 31 days of the Qualifying Life Event to request the applicable form(s) or if you need assistance. If documentation is not received, your newly elected dependent coverage will not be processed.
In the case of a newborn dependent, your newborn is temporarily covered for medical for 31 days. After 31 days, if you do not enroll your newborn, your newborn’s coverage will terminate, even if you have Employee + Child(ren) or Employee + Family coverage. If you fail to timely enroll your newborn, the coverage will be terminated back to date of birth.
Submit documents through one of the following:
Employee Self Service (ESS) is used during open enrollment to make new elections or update coverage for medical, dental, vision, Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (HFSA), and voluntary life insurance and update life insurance beneficiaries.
Available 24/7, ESS makes electing and updating your benefits simple and personal. The application is secure, and your information will be protected whether you are at home, at work, or using a public computer, like at the library.