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 to request a leave, contact your local HR representative. Please note, this section refers to a period where FMLA leave does not apply. See FMLA leave for more information.

Benefit	Available Changes	Deadline	Other Things to Consider
Medical	You may: Continue medical coverage during leave for you and your eligible dependents. The BP Benefits Center will bill you directly. Discontinue coverage while on leave by calling the BP Benefits Center. Coverage ends at the end of the month in which you cancel coverage. If you return to work: Within the same plan year, most of your pre-leave elections will be reinstated unless you experienced a qualifying status change between the date you went on leave and the date of your return. In a new plan year, you must enroll within 45 days of your return to work or within 45 days of a subsequent qualifying status change.	No action is required. Within 45 days of the life event	When you take a leave of absence, you do not have to notify BP Benefits Center of your leave. If you are on an unpaid leave, you will automatically receive a direct bill for the cost of your benefits coverage. You may: Pay the bill and continue coverage. Not pay the bill. In this case, coverage will end. If you return to work, you will have to wait until the next annual enrollment period to begin participating. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help you 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 changes as active employees.
Dental	Personal or Educational Leave: You may continue dental coverage during your leave for you and your eligible dependents by electing COBRA. Upon your return to work, you may re-enroll. If you return to work within 30 days, your pre-leave elections are reinstated and no enrollment is required.	Within 60 days Within 45 days of returning to work, or during any subsequent annual enrollment period	The BP Benefits Center will mail your COBRA enrollment materials. To continue coverage under COBRA, you must call the BP Benefits Center within 60 days of the loss of coverage or the date the COBRA enrollment materials were sent, whichever is later. Your domestic partner is not treated as a spouse in this situation; however, COBRA-like coverage may be available. During annual enrollment, you may make the same changes as active employees.
Dental	Administrative Leave: You may continue dental coverage for you and your eligible dependents. The BP Benefits Center will bill you directly. You may discontinue coverage while on leave by calling the BP Benefits Center. Coverage ends at the end of the month in which you cancel coverage. If you return to work within the same plan year, your pre-leave election will be reinstated, unless you experience a qualifying status change between the date you went on leave and the date of your return to work. If you return to work in a new plan year, you must enroll within 45 days of your return to work or within 45 days of a subsequent qualifying status change.	No action is required. Within 45 days of the life event	N/A
Vision	You can continue vision coverage during leave for you and your eligible dependents. The BP Benefits Center will bill you directly. You may discontinue coverage while on leave by calling the BP Benefits Center. Coverage ends at the end of the month in which you cancel coverage.	Within 45 days of the life event	During annual enrollment, you may make the same changes as active employees. 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 on an after-tax basis until the end of the plan year via direct billing by contacting the BP Benefits Center. You may discontinue participation 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 pre-leave contributions are reinstated, unless you experienced a qualifying status change between the date you went on leave and the date of your 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.	No action is required. Within 45 days of the life event	Claims incurred prior to the date your participation ends are eligible for reimbursement.
Short-term Disability (STD)	STD coverage ends when your leave begins. It is reinstated upon return.	N/A	N/A
Long-term Disability (LTD)	LTD coverage ends when your leave begins (or earlier if you ceased to be eligible). If: You return to work within 12 weeks of the beginning of your unpaid leave your prior coverage will be reinstated. 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. 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 returning to work	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 for you and your eligible dependents as long as you continue to pay premiums directly to MetLife. Discontinue coverage 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. Evidence of insurability (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. Discontinue coverage 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 current age.
Employee Savings Plan	Contributions will stop until your return to active status at which time they will resume automatically.	Any time	You earn vesting service up to the first 12 months of leave. Loans are available during leave. If you have an outstanding loan you will receive a letter explaining your options to continue repaying the loan. If loan payments are not made when due, your entire outstanding balance will be considered in default. Loans in default will be treated as withdrawals and will be subject to regular income taxes, including, if applicable, a 10% early withdrawal penalty, unless you make your missing payment within a 90-day grace period. If you default on a loan, you must repay the defaulted loan (plus interest) before you take out a new loan.
Retirement Accumulation Plan	No action is required.	N/A	You continue to receive interest credits and supplemental credits (if any), and earn service toward vesting up to the first 12 months of leave.
Vacation	If you do not return to work 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). Call the BP Benefits Center at 1-800-890-4100 to enroll in or make changes to your other benefits.

Print this page