This page will be updated with 2025 information by Jan. 10, 2025.
USC offers benefits-eligible faculty, staff, and their family members a wide array of benefits from which to choose. Take a moment to see which benefits apply to you, reading the information below carefully to learn about the many plan options and coverage levels available.
See the benefits that apply to you and your family
- Faculty and staff
- Part-time faculty and staff
- USC Arcadia Hospital employees
- USC Verdugo Hills employees
- Las Vegas Healthcare Center employees
- Keck Community Medical Group employees
- Union employees
- Postdoctoral scholars
- Retired or soon to retire
Benefits eligibility for your family
Eligible dependents
The information below outlines dependent eligibility for benefits-eligible faculty and staff.
Spouse or Domestic partner
Spouse or registered domestic partner as defined by the State
Note: what the university pays for your domestic partnerʼs benefits is considered imputed income to you, so corresponding taxes come out of every paycheck.
Dependent children
- Coverage for dependent children through the age of 26 terminates at the end of the month
- Coverage for disabled dependent children may be continued beyond the age limit (26), provided the child is physically or mentally disabled.
To receive continued coverage, one or more of the following must be true:
- The child was covered under the plan prior to the age limit;
- became disabled and incapable of self-sustaining employment prior to the limiting age; and/or,
- continues to otherwise qualify as a dependent, financially.
Eligibility ends if any of the conditions above cease to exist (i.e., divorce, child turning 26, etc.).
How to verify your family members
When adding family members (“dependents”) in Workday, you will be asked to submit government-issued documents verifying these relationshipsto the HR Service Center within 5 business days.
If required documentation (see table, below) is still in process, provisional documentation may be valid for up to 90 days from the qualifying event (provisional documents accepted: a copy of marriage license and a copy of hospital birth certificate). Provisional documentation may also be acceptable for enrolling in benefits.
Failure to submit required documentation within three months of your coverage start date will result in cancellation of coverage.
If you have any questions, contact the HR Service Center.
Dependent documentation – what you need to submit
| Dependent relationship | Required verification documents |
| Spouse Your legally married spouse | Required: A copy of a government-issued marriage certificate. Provisional (valid for only 90 days from the event): Completed/ Signed off Marriage License |
| State Registered Domestic Partner (RDP) Your eligible, unrelated domestic partner | A copy of the state-issued domestic partnership certificate. No provisional documents are accepted. |
| Biological Child (Birth to age 26) | A government-issued birth certificate. The birth certificate must include the employee’s name, the employee’s spouse’s name, or the RDP’s name as a parent. If the birth certificate lists the employee’s maiden name, please provide a marriage certificate. |
| Step- Child/ Child of Domestic Partner (Birth to age 26) | A government-issued birth certificate showing the parents’ names, a copy of a marriage certificate, or a state-issued domestic partnership certificate. |
| Adopted Child (Birth to age 26) | Court documents name the employee, spouse, or RDP as legal guardian/ custodian. |
| Disabled Adult Child (over age 26, extension for already covered dependent) Onset of disability must be prior to the child attaining age 26 | A government-issued birth or adoption certificate names the employee, spouse, or RDP partner as the child’s parent. Request for Continuation of Coverage for Disabled Dependent form. The required forms are provided below by medical plan. – Kaiser – Anthem HMO – Las Vegas – USC VHH – USC EPO and PPO Please take the applicable forms to your dependent’s physician for completion and certification. Once completed by the physician, submit the form to the HR Service Center at uschr@usc.edu or 213-821-8100. For USC PPO and USC Trojan Care EPO Plans, please take the applicable forms to your dependent’s physician for completion and certification. Once completed by the physician, submit the form to HealthComp at HC-EligibilityRequest@healthcomp.com or 559-499-2464. Please reach out to the Health Plans office at healthplans@usc.edu or 213-740-0035 for additional assistance, if needed. A tax document that shows the financial dependency of the dependent on the employee. |
| Biological Birth or Adopted Child Subject to a Qualified Medical Child Support Order (QMSCO) | Current court order stating employee to provide medical insurance. |
| Legal Guardianship/ Custody (Birth to age 18） | Court documents that name the employee, spouse, or RDP as the legal guardian/custodian. |
Legal statements
ERISA Summary Plan Description
Benefits programs are subject to change at any time by the university, at its discretion, without prior notice or liability, to the extent permitted under applicable law. In the event of a discrepancy between the benefits and limitations described on this website and a plan document or collective bargaining agreement, the terms of the plan document or collective bargaining agreement will govern. Employees of other entities that have entered into agreements with the University of Southern California to provide payrolling service are subject to the policies and procedures adopted by their employer.