Eligible employees may enroll in state insurance benefits within 31 days of their date of hire. 

Failure to complete enrollment documents within 31 days of hire will result in a missed opportunity to enroll initially and your next opportunity to enroll will be during open enrollment or due to a qualifying life event, whichever occurs first.

The university uses an online system to ensure that you have completed all of your new employment tasks. You will receive an email notification to get you started.

Important: If you are refusing all insurance benefits, you must complete the Active Notice of Election  form and submit it to your campus Benefits Office.

Generally, transfer employees cannot make changes to state benefits, unless a special eligibility situation occurs simultaneously with the transfer to USC.

• Complete the New Employee Transfer of Benefits Form [pdf].

Open enrollment occurs annually from October 1 – October 31. All changes made during open enrollment are effective for the new plan year, beginning January 1.

Each year, employees may:

• Enroll, cancel or change health and vision plans
• Add or drop dependents
• Cancel or decrease optional life insurance or dependent life spouse coverage

Changes are made online through MyBenefits.

Employees may also:

• Enroll or increase optional life and dependent life spouse, which may require medical evidence of insurability 
• Enroll or re-enroll in MoneyPlus Flexible Spending Accounts (Medical Spending Account, Limited-use Medical Spending Account, Dependent Care Spending Account) using MyBenefits

During odd enrollment years (e.g., 2025, 2027), subscribers may:

• Enroll, cancel or change dental plans

If you have a qualifying life event outside of an open enrollment period, you may be able to make changes to state insurance benefits:

• Within 31 days of your life event, contact the Benefits Office at 803-777-6650. If you are employed at a campus other than Columbia, contact your campus benefits administrator [pdf].
• Provide appropriate documentation [pdf], e.g., a marriage certificate to add a new spouse.

Generally, upon notification, your benefits administrator will initiate an online transaction in MyBenefits for your review and approval for the following events: marriage, divorce, birth and adoption.

To make a change for the following events: gain or loss of other coverage or state coverage, custody, separation, death of dependent, use the Life Event/Special Eligibility eForm in HCM PeopleSoft. A step-by-step job aid and narrated video are available to guide you through the process. 

• At any time during the year, subscribers may update contact information and beneficiary designations with SC PEBA Insurance by accessing the MyBenefits online enrollment system. 
• Subscribers may update name and address information by submitting the Name/Address Change form to the USC Benefits Office.  

• You have 30 days from your hire date to choose a retirement plan.

If you don’t choose, you’ll be automatically enrolled in SCRS or PORS, and this choice is permanent.

• You’ll receive emails from USC and PEBA to guide you through the process.

Transfers from Other State Agencies

• You generally cannot change your retirement plan when transferring to USC.

State ORP members can:

• Change vendors
• Switch to SCRS (if you’ve been in ORP for 1–5 years)
• Changes take effect April 1.

• Update your address anytime through Member Access. 
• Retirees can also update tax withholdings and direct deposit info.
• Name/Address changes can be submitted to the USC Benefits Office.

• You can enroll anytime using the the  SCDCP Enrollment Guide [pdf]. 
• Use USC Payroll Center Number 1417 when enrolling.
• Empower Retirement will notify USC Payroll to start deductions.

• Change your contributions anytime at the SCDCP website. 
• 401(k) changes take up to 2 pay periods.
• 457 changes are processed monthly.

These plans are administered by Colonial Life and Trustmark.

• You can enroll anytime (subject to policy approval).
• Visit the Traveler's website  or call 800-842-5936 for a quote. 

Learn more about the 403(b) Plans >>

• Corebridge Financial
  Visit Website |   888-569-7055
  No access code needed. Enter “University of South Carolina” as your employer.
• Fidelity Investments
  Visit Website |   800-642-7131
  Use employer code: 86892
• TIAA
  Visit Website |   800-842-2252
  No code needed if using the Retirement@Work portal.