New Baby or Adoption

Apply for Paid Parental Bonding Leave (PPBL). Eligible full-time Coworkers with at least one year of service can take up to six weeks of PPBL to bond with a child following birth, adoption, foster care placement, or legal guardianship. Reach out to Voya to apply.

Need additional time? Request FMLA. Eligible Coworkers can take up to 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to bond with your new child. Contact Voya to apply.

If you're on a Leave of Absence, you will be billed directly for most of your benefits (except for your HSA or commuter benefits). Review the Time Away from Work page on how to pay for your benefits while on leave.

Add your child within 31 days. Whether by birth, adoption, foster placement, or legal guardianship, report the qualifying life event on the Office Depot Benefits Hub within 31 days to add your child to coverage. For adoption, foster placement, or guardianship, coverage generally begins the first of the month following the event — check the Life Events page for how timing works after giving birth to a child.

Submit dependent verification documentation. All eligible dependents enrolled in Office Depot benefit plans must go through a dependent eligibility verification audit to confirm their eligibility. You’ll receive instructions and a list of required documents by email or U.S. mail, based on your communication preferences. If documentation isn’t received on time, your dependent will not be added to your coverage.

Review your medical plan. Your BCBSTX medical plan (HSA Basic, HSA Plus, or PPO) covers your child's care once they're added, including free in-network preventive care, well-child visits, and immunizations.

Get help navigating care. Benefits Value Advisors is a personal concierge through BCBSTX and is available with all Office Depot medical plans. It can help you understand your benefits and any medical bills you receive, find an in-network provider, book appointments, and estimate service costs.

Use virtual care when leaving the house feels impossible. With a new child at home, quick visits through Teladoc Health can save you time and stress — just $10 per visit for minor illnesses or everyday health needs, without getting everyone ready for an in‑person appointment.

Lean on the EAP. The EAP offers five free counseling sessions, work-life resources, and referral services — including childcare referrals for growing families — available to everyone in your household.

Reliable help from LegalEASE Caregiver Services. Growing your family often means finding reliable help. Caregiver Services connects you with certified childcare providers, nannies, sitters, and household support. It’s designed to help you locate safe, vetted care options as you prepare for a new baby or adjust to life after adoption.

Consider increasing your life insurance. Through Voya, Supplemental Life lets you elect 1x–7x your annual base salary, up to $2,250,000 (or $3,000,000 for Vice Presidents and above). If you're enrolling for the first time, your Guaranteed Issue Amount is the lesser of 4x your salary or $500,000 — anything above that requires Evidence of Insurability (EOI). If you wait past your initial eligibility, all future enrollments require EOI, so it's worth reviewing now.

Add Child Life coverage. Elect from $5,000 up to $25,000 for children up to age 26 — no EOI required, so it's one of the easiest elections to make right after your child arrives.

Review Spouse Life, too. If your spouse or domestic partner isn't already covered, you can elect coverage from $10,000 up to $250,000 (capped at 100% of your own Basic and Supplemental Life).

Talk through the bigger picture with the EAP. Legal and financial services, part of your Magellan Healthcare EAP at no extra cost, connects you with an expert to talk through budgeting for a growing family or legal questions like estate planning, wills, and guardianship designations.

Bring in an attorney if you need one. LegalEASE gives you access to a qualified attorney for tasks like updating your will, health care directives, power of attorney, or naming a guardian for your child, or call LegalEASE to be matched with an attorney who fits your situation.

Update your beneficiaries across the board. A new child is a good time to review who's listed everywhere — life insurance, 401(k), HSA, Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity — each has its own beneficiary designations, and none of them update automatically just because your family did.

Keep support close. Balancing new parenthood and work isn't easy — the EAP is available 24/7 with counseling and work-life referral services for growing families, including child care referrals.

Count on LegalEASE Caregiver Services. Access a nationwide network of vetted caregivers to help you plan for child care, backup care, and household support. This is especially helpful when preparing for newborn care, arranging temporary or backup care, or managing changing family needs.

Tap into Maven Parenting and Pediatrics. As your family settles in, Maven connects you to on-demand pediatric care, parenting experts, developmental specialists, and behavioral health support — covering everything from sleep and developmental milestones to nutrition and special education, from early childhood through adolescence. All BCBSTX participants and their household members can access it whenever a question or concern comes up.

Stock up in style. Life gets busy, but Coworker Partner Discounts give you easy access to discounts on diapers, clothes, gear, and everyday essentials, so you can refresh what your family needs in advance and without overspending.