New to Caltech?
Start strong with your benefits.
Discover your benefits and learn how to enroll with confidence.
As you begin this new chapter, your benefits are here to help you feel grounded, supported, and ready for what’s ahead. It’s important that you understand what’s available to you so you can choose the coverage and perks that fit your life. Explore your options, shape the support you need, and build a foundation that will help you grow.
Remember, you have 31 days from your date of hire to enroll in benefits.
Medical Plans – how do I decide?
Take this short five-question quiz to see what medical plan might be best for you.
How You’re Supported
- Helps you consider how much medical care you need, cost of premium, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums to determine the best plan for you and your family.
Benefits 101
To help you get the most out of your medical benefits, this video walks you through the terms you should know.
How You’re Supported
- Gives you a solid understanding of key terms and what they mean.
Retirement 101
This video provides an overview of your Caltech retirement plan options.
How You’re Supported
- Offers helpful information to plan for your future with confidence.
HDHP + HSA Video
Understand how a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) and a Health Savings Account (HSA) work together and how an HSA saves you money now and in the future.
How You’re Supported
- Learn about the benefits of an HDHP when paired with an HSA to determine if this option could support you and your family.
HSA + FSA Video
This short video compares the differences between a Health Savings Account (HSA) and a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and how you can use each account to save you money.
How You’re Supported
- Understand the differences between an HSA and an FSA to help you decide what’s best for you.
How to Enroll
This video walks you through how to complete the enrollment process.
How You’re Supported
- Outlines what you should review and evaluate before you enroll.
- Provides step-by-step guidance to complete enrollment.
Adding a Dependent
If you add a dependent to your coverage, you must submit supporting documentation, such as a marriage and/or birth certificate, to show your dependent’s relationship to you.
How You’re Supported
- Walks you through what documentation you may need and how to upload.
- Makes the steps easy and straightforward to help you upload the required documentation.
Button: Explore More
Link to (Caltech): Add or Certify Dependents Video (Caltech version)
Link to (JPL): Add or Certify Dependents Video (JPL version)
- Attend a virtual benefits presentation or use the self-guided option to learn about your benefits.
- Explore the benefits guide, website, and tools to fully understand your benefit options and determine what is best for you.
- Decide if you’re covering any dependents and gather any documentation.
- Enroll in your benefits – make sure you do so before the end of your 31-day window.
- During enrollment, add any dependents and add beneficiaries for life and retirement benefits.
- Submit required documents for your new dependent(s) before your enrollment deadline.
- Bookmark the benefits site so it’s easily available for any future support or information that you may need.
Important reminders:
- You must enroll within 31-days of your start date to have benefits during this calendar year.
- You must submit supporting documentation for any dependents you add to your coverage. If you do not upload the required document(s) during your enrollment period, your dependent(s) will not be covered in Caltech’s plan this calendar year.