If an employee has a lifestyle change due to a new marriage and elects to add the spouse within the 31-day grace period, is the effective date of coverage the date of marriage or the date that the employee makes the election? Is there specific rules in the regulations on this subject or is it by plan design?

Would start with the plan document. For us, only newborns or adopted children would get retro enrollment, all others are prospective, first of month following enrollment.

Harry Becker has stated that it is the date the election is signed and not the date of the status change.