The DC Department of Human Resources (DCHR) manages employee compensation and benefit programs that enable the District to attract, support, and retain a well-qualified and diverse workforce. DCHR is committed to providing you with a high level of customer care in administering your District Government employee benefits. Please see the following sections for important benefits information:
- Employees Hired Before October 1, 1987
- Employees Hired on or After October 1, 1987
- All Benefits-Eligible Employees
- How to Enroll in Your Benefits
- Coverage Effective Dates
- Benefits Eligibility
- Retirement
Contact the DCHR Benefits & Retirement Administration
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 442-7627
Fax: (202) 727-8478
- Health Insurance for Employees Hired Before October 1, 1987
- Information on federal employee dental and vision insurance and flexible spending accounts is available at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management website.
Employees Hired on or After October 1, 1987
- Health Insurance for Employees Hired on or After October 1, 1987
- Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) Premiums
- Dental & Vision Coverage
All Benefits-Eligible Employees
How to Enroll in Your Benefits
For additional enrollment resources, including illustrations, step-by-step guides, checklists, and more, please visit our How to Enroll page.
Health benefits and life insurance coverage begin following the first pay period in which a payroll deduction was made to pay for the benefit, although other benefits programs (such as the Defined Contribution Pension Plan) may have additional requirements.
Benefits-eligible employees include:
- All full-time permanent employees
- Part-time permanent employees who generally work at least 30 hours per week
- Employees with temporary full-time appointments of at least 13 months who are employed by agencies under authority of the Mayor
- Temporary and intermittent employees who work for at least 90 days within a 12-month evaluation period and are paid at least 30 hours per week (or 120 hours per month) are eligible to participate only in an HMO health care plan. Learn more about the Affordable Care Act Expansion.
- Several of the District’s independent agencies also participate in benefits programs provided to agencies under full authority of the Mayor.
Eligible employees may enroll in plans during the designated annual Open Enrollment period or within 30 days of their initial employment. Changes to plans can be made within 30 days of a qualifying life event. Learn more about qualifying life events. Health, vision and dental benefits and life insurance coverage begins the first full pay period after the election; for Flexible Spending Accounts, coverage begins following the first pay period in which a payroll deduction was made to pay for the benefit, other benefits programs may have additional requirements.
Dependent Eligibility
If you add family members to your coverage, you are required to provide documentation to verify coverage eligibility for the dependents that you add during the new hire, qualifying life event or Open Enrollment process. When you enroll online, you must also submit dependent eligibility verification. Failure to comply will result in a cancellation of health care coverage for that dependent.
For additional information on enrolling dependents, including your spouse, state-registered domestic partner or legal union partner, child(ren) and/or foster child(ren), please visit our Dependent Eligibility Verification page.
Medical
Family members eligible for coverage under Self Plus One or Self and Family enrollment are:
- Your spouse (including a valid common law marriage)
- Children under age 26, including legally adopted children, recognized natural (born out of wedlock) children and stepchildren (including children of same-sex domestic partners).
- A child is eligible for coverage under your Self Plus One enrollment (if they are the designated covered family member) or Self and Family enrollment, if a state-issued birth certificate lists you as a parent of that child.
- Under certain circumstances, you may also continue coverage for a disabled child 26 years of age or older who is incapable of self-support.
Dental
Eligible family members include:
- Your spouse
- Unmarried, dependent children under age 26, including legally adopted children and recognized natural children who meet certain dependency requirements. This also includes stepchildren and foster children who live with you in a regular parent-child relationship.
- Under certain circumstances, you may also continue coverage for a disabled child 26 years of age or older who is incapable of self-support.
Vision
Eligible family members include:
- Your spouse
- Unmarried, dependent children under age 26, including legally adopted children and recognized natural children who meet certain dependency requirements. This also includes stepchildren and foster children who live with you in a regular parent-child relationship.
- Under certain circumstances, you may also continue coverage for a disabled child 26 years of age or older who is incapable of self-support.
As part of the District of Columbia response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency, please see the following employee-specific COVID-19 information:
