Note: To help you understand how life events may impact your benefits, examples have been included in this section. However, eligibility for plan benefits (be it retirement, medical or the other benefits listed here) is based on the terms of the particular plans, and a benefit being listed under the Life events tab does not mean that you are eligible for that particular benefit. For plan eligibility questions, please refer to the Benefits Handbook.

If you need to take a leave from work, you should understand what happens to your benefits while you are away. Read through the information below carefully. If you have additional questions or if you want to apply for a leave, contact your local HR representative. Please note, this section refers to periods where FMLA leave does not apply. See FMLA leave for more information.

Benefit	Available Changes	Deadline	Other Things to Consider
Medical Dental Vision	You can continue coverage for you and your eligible dependents while on leave. The BP Benefits Center will bill you directly. You may discontinue coverage while on leave. Your coverage ends at the end of the month in which you cancel coverage. If you return to work: In the same plan year, your pre-leave medical and dental elections will be reinstated unless you experienced a qualifying status change between the date you went on leave and the date you return. In a new plan year, you must enroll for medical and dental coverage within 45 days of returning to work, or within 45 days of a subsequent qualifying status change.	No action is required. Within 45 days of the life event	The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help you and your new family with any issues that may arise. For information, contact BP Care at 1-800-409-3687. All employees and dependents are eligible for EAP services. During annual enrollment, you may make the same elections as active employees. If you do not return to work at the end of your leave period, and you are not eligible for another leave, you and your eligible dependents (excluding your domestic partner) will be eligible to continue coverage under COBRA provided that coverage has been maintained during the leave. Your domestic partner is not treated as a spouse in this situation; however, COBRA-like coverage may be available. If you cancel vision coverage, you cannot re-enroll in the Vision Plan until the first annual enrollment following a two-year lockout period, even if your have a subsequent qualifying status change.
Health Care Spending Account Dependent Care Spending Account	Contributions may continue until the end of the plan year via direct billing by the BP Benefits Center. Claims incurred prior to the date participation ends are eligible for reimbursement. You may elect to stop participating while on leave. Your participation stops at the end of the month in which you cancel coverage. If you return to work within the same plan year, your contribution elections will be reinstated, unless you experience a qualifying status change between the date you went on leave and the date you return. If you return to work in a new plan year, you must enroll within 45 days of returning to work, or within 45 days of a subsequent qualifying status change.	N/A	During annual enrollment, you may make the same elections as active employees. If you elect to stop participating or reduce your election while on leave and then choose to reinstate your prior election upon return, be aware that the balance of your contributions will be deducted in equal amounts from the remaining pay periods in the plan year. This could mean significant deductions depending upon the amount you elected to contribute.
Short-term Disability (STD)	Available coverage for any new illness or injury ends when your leave begins. Available coverage is reinstated upon your return. You continue to accrue credited service while on leave.	N/A	If you are eligible to receive benefits under the STD Plan, those benefits will coincide with this leave.
Long-term Disability (LTD)	Coverage for any new disabilities ends when your leave begins. Your prior coverage may be reinstated if you return to work within 12 weeks of the beginning of your unpaid leave. Any request to increase your prior coverage will be subject to evidence of insurability (EOI). If you had not satisfied the eligibility waiting period or pre-existing condition limitation before coverage ended, credit will be given for any pre-leave service under the plan. If you return after 12 weeks, you will be treated as a new employee; you will be able to elect coverage within 45 days or be subject to EOI and will be subject to the plan’s pre-existing condition exclusion.	No action is required. Within 45 days of the life event	N/A
Basic Life Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Occupational Accidental Death (OAD)	Basic Life/AD&D coverage continues during the leave. OAD coverage ends when leave begins. Upon your return from leave your coverage will be reinstated.	N/A	If you receive an increase in basic life coverage, this increase will not be effective until your return to work. These are BP-provided benefits; benefit levels are based on your eligible pay so no action is required. You may change your beneficiary designation for all or a portion of your life insurance plan benefits at any time by accessing the BP Benefits Center online.
Group Universal Life (GUL)	Coverage can continue during the leave for you and your eligible dependents as long as you continue to pay premiums directly to MetLife. You may dis-enroll by contacting MetLife.	Any time	If you receive an increase in coverage while on leave, this increase will not be effective until you return to work. If you drop coverage while on leave, you may re-enroll yourself and/or your eligible dependents once you return to work. EOI will be required.
Long-term Care (LTC)	Coverage continues throughout the leave as long as you continue to pay premiums directly to John Hancock. You may dis-enroll by contacting John Hancock.	Any time	If you stop your coverage while on leave, you may reapply upon your return as an eligible active employee. Coverage is subject to approval of your application (requiring statement of health), and premiums will be based on your age when you apply.
Employee Savings Plan	Contributions will stop until you return to active status, at which time they will resume automatically. You earn vesting service up to the first 24 months of your leave.	N/A	N/A
Retirement Accumulation Plan	You continue to earn interest credits and supplemental credits (if any) under the cash balance plan. You also continue to earn pay credits for up to 24 months, based on eligible earnings paid by BP in effect prior to the leave. You will continue to earn vesting service for up to 24 months. Benefit service will continue to accrue under any grandfathered plans for up to 24 months.	N/A	N/A
Vacation	You may choose to be paid your available vacation during the leave. If you do not return to work from an unpaid leave prior to year end, any unused vacation will be paid to you.	N/A	While on leave, you continue to accrue credited service and vacation benefits in accordance with the vacation plan.
Next Steps
*Review*	Your benefit options and allowable changes to determine what changes, if any, you'll make to your BP benefits. Your W-4 income tax withholding to determine if you should make changes. If you need to make additional changes, complete a new form, available at BPpeople (BPpeople can only be accessed by employees logged into the BP network).
*Remember*	You must make allowable changes to your medical, dental, vision and spending account participation within 45 days of the life event, otherwise you'll have to wait until the next annual enrollment. You may make changes to income protection and survivor benefits, such as long-term disability, Group Universal Life and long-term care insurance at any time. However, you may be required to provide additional documentation before coverage is effective. See each plan summary for specific information on when you may be required to provide evidence of insurability (EOI). The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help you and your family7 with any issues that may arise. For information, contact BP Care at 1-800-409-3687. You and your dependents who live with you are eligible for EAP services. You'll need your dependents' personal information including date of birth and Social Security number when enrolling. You may make changes to your Employee Savings Plan at any time. Generally, you may add or change a beneficiary for the Employee Savings Plan or Retirement Accumulation Plan at any time.
*Go to or call*	MetLife at mybenefits.metlife.com to enroll or make changes to your GUL participation. John Hancock at https://bp.jhancock.com (user ID: bp; password: my benefit) to enroll in or make changes to your LTC participation. BP Retirement Services at Fidelity at 1-877-272-3334 to make changes to your savings plan or to add or change a beneficiary for the savings plan or pension plan (as applicable). The BP Benefits Center Online at http://resources.hewitt.com/bpbenefits to enroll in or make changes to your other benefits.

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