A dependent after being dropped from the plan for not maintaining full-time status is now returning to school. The dependent is being added due to the family status change but the employee would like to add his wife at the same time. Is this permissible?

In my opinion,no. The change in status was not related to the wife having a qualified event.

According to the final regulaltions issued March 23, 2000, "if, in accordance with the special enrollment rights provided by HIPAA, an employee, spouse, or new dependent is entitled to enroll in a group health plan, a cafeteria plan may permit the employee to elect to enroll pre-existing dependents in the underlying group health plan."