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4. When Must I Decide Which Accounts I Want to Use? You are required by Federal law to decide before the Plan Year begins, during the "election period." You must decide two things. First, which benefits you want and, second, how much should go toward each benefit. If you are already covered by any of the insured benefits offered by this Plan, you will automatically become a Participant to the extent of the premiums for such insurance unless you elect, during the "election period," not to participate in the Plan. 5. When Is the "Election Period" for Our Plan? Your election period will start on the date you first meet the "eligibility requirements" and end 30 days after your "entry date." (You should review Section I on Eligibility to better understand the terms "eligibility requirements" and "entry date. ") Then, for each following Plan Year, the election period is established by the Administrator and applied uniformly to all Participants. It will normally be a period of time prior to the beginning of each Plan Year. The Administrator will inform you each year about the election period. (See the Article entitled "General Information About Our Plan" for the definition of Plan Year.) 6. May I Change My Elections During the Plan Year? Generally, you cannot change the elections you have made after the beginning of the Plan Year. However, there are certain limited situations when you can change your elections. You are permitted to change elections if you have a "change in status" and you make an election change that is consistent with the "change in status." Currently, Federal law considers the following events to be "changes in status ": -- Marriage, divorce, death of a spouse, legal separation or annulment; -- Change in the number of dependents, including birth, adoption, placement for adoption, or death of a dependent; -- Any of the following events for you, your spouse or dependent: termination or commencement of employment, a strike or lockout, commencement or return from an unpaid leave of absence, a change in worksite, or any other change in employment status that affects eligibility for benefits; -- One of your dependents satisfies or ceases to satisfy the requirements for coverage due to change in age, student status, or any similar circumstance; and -- A change in the place of residence of you, your spouse or dependent. In addition, if you are participating in the Dependent Care Assistance Program, then there is a "change in status" if your dependent no longer meets the qualifications to be eligible for dependent care. There are detailed rules on when a change in election is deemed to be consistent with a "change in status." In addition, there are laws that give you rights to change accident and health coverage for you, your spouse, or your dependents. If you change coverage due to rights you have under the law, then you can make a corresponding change in your elections under the Plan. If any of these conditions apply to you, you should contact the Administrator. 3