Get benefits strategy and communication tips that will make you even better at your job. Now What? When writing an open enrollment letter, here are 5 things you should include: Timing: Open enrollment periods are often only a few weeks long. By 'setting and forgetting' a benefit plan, you not only run the risk of getting stuck in one that isn't right for you, but also one that costs you extra. ", "Americans tend to miss the mark when they stick with what they were doing before without double-checking their assumptions," said Kelley Long, a member of the AICPA Consumer Financial Education Advocates panel. Employers that are applicable large employers (ALEs) under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) may have additional concerns. The most beneficial ways in which you can help the employee is by offering additional opportunities for education and by asking for feedback regarding the process so that you can work to prevent this from happening again in the future. Never miss out get the latest content delivered straight to your inbox. Learn how ALEX makes benefits engagement a breeze for HR teams and consultants. COBRA - If you lose your job and elect to continue receiving benefits from your employer. If you miss the open enrollment period, you won't be able to enroll in a plan unless you have a qualifying event (such as getting married, having a baby or losing employer-sponsored coverage). Drive more engagement in money-saving programs throughout the year. Bonus tip: Dont just send all these links in a one-time email. If feasible, send your excuse letter before you miss work. You can stay informed, educated, and up-to-date with open enrollment, benefits administration, and other important topics using BerniePortals comprehensive resources: Crafting and following a comprehensive onboarding checklist ensures a consistent, As the cost of living continues to rise around the country, many employeesespecially HR professionals play an indispensable role within an organization. Ingenious Ways to Keep Remote Employees Engaged, What Youre Not Doing (But Should Be) to Improve Employee Satisfaction, A Guide to Workers Compensation When Working From Home, Employee benefits specialist contact info. The IRS and FSA administrators understand that life changes and that you may need to make adjustments to your elections to accommodate for those changes. Missing open enrollment can be a costly mistake for employees, so employers should take adequate steps to help their employees through the enrollment process. Writing a good job rejection letter is not as hard as you think it is! ), Example #2: Dave, Who Has No Emergency Fund. *All Shipping prices displayed are for the lower 48 states only. Depending on who the healthcare plan provider is, there may be contractual agreements that do not allow for enrollment . Heres what this kind of targeted advice might look like in an email you send to your workforce. If your organization doesn't offer auto-enrollment, then workers who miss the window may be left out in the cold without any coverage. In this second sample, look for employees who should have been excluded from participation. Why? Mistakes happen -- and it happens more than it probably should when people are choosing health insurance. Comprehensive coverage for your business, property, and employees. Please log in as a SHRM member. Do I anticipate any new expenses next year that might change my current elections? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I am aBrokerCarrierEmployerCOBRA Participant. Another way to increase engagement is to provide helpful resources and quick tips for employees to reference. To prevent these issues, its important to communicate to your employeesahead of timethe consequences of missing the open enrollment deadline. I realize that you, too, need to meet your monthly obligations in a timely manner, and such delays do not help. Please log in as a SHRM member before saving bookmarks. Therefore, its important employers be proactive in their approach to open enrollment. Its the start of Open Enrollment! To apply for benefits and verify eligibility, individuals should complete the online screener application. Did the employee miss open enrollment because of. Coby joined FBS in 2007 as a Benefit Consultant and then rose to Vice President of Sales in 2013. ACA Compliance, Medical Consulting Specifically, 29 CFR 2590.701-6, and in permitted election changes for Section 125 plans ( 26 CFR 1.125-4 ). He is a graduate of Texas Tech University holds many different licenses in the insurance industry including the Insurance Counselors License through the Texas Department of Insurance. Offer health, dental, vision and more to recruit & retain employees. Provide instructions on how to log in. Since Greg has an emergency fund in place, it makes sense for him to fund his 401K until his employer match is reached. Only about one-third of employees (34 percent) have a . pliance is currently $0. } Send them out as soon as you know that the applicant is not suitable for the role. To qualify, individuals must have experienced a loss in permanent coverage due to a job change, layoff, becoming a college student, or missing open enrollment. By checking out as a Returning Customer or Guest, you agree that you have read, understand and agree to the, Aura Revive Heated Deep Muscle Pain Relief Device, Caring Mill by Aura Full Body Analysis Scale, Caring Mill by Aura: Ease Migraine and Eye Reliever with Compression and Heat, American Red Cross Deluxe Family First Aid Kit, Sharper Image Calming Heat Massaging Weighted Heating Pad, 12 x 24, 4 lbs, Aura Revroll Vibrating + Heat Foam Roller, dpl IIa Professional Acne Treatment Light Therapy, Aura Sleek Callus, Corn and Ingrown Toe Nail Remover, Sharper Image Calming Heat XXL-Wide Massaging Weighted Heating Pad, 12 Setting, 5lbs, FSA Perks Official Rules, Terms & Conditions. Earn FSA Perks Points, unlock member-only rewards, and speed up the checkout process. Learn more, Money Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for a Richer Life. In fact, there's a good chance that the terms of your employer's benefit plan don't allow any exceptions or changes for employees who make mistakes or miss the open enrollment period altogether. The information below covers what open enrollment is and what you may do during this time. * This content is for educational purposes only, is not intended to provide specific legal advice, and should not be used as a substitute for the legal advice of a qualified attorney or other professional. As part of the open enrollment process, employers should help make employees aware of what happens if they missed open enrollment. An announcement is made via email to ensure employees are informed about open enrollment dates and benefits being offered. Standalone Consulting Agreement Hopefully, we'll be able to restore your employment after this critical time. For Dave, it would make more sense to set money aside for that before he puts money into his 401K, even if his company offers a match. Be sure to check your state laws. If you are looking to outsource Paychex can help you manage HR, payroll, benefits, and more from our industry leading all-in-one solution. The UCPath communications sent to employees are attached for your reference. Why? Open enrollment is a predetermined time frame employers establish for making changes to health care plans and benefits. Keep your health in check Sushma Tripathi, vice president of strategic advisory services at ADP, an HR management software and services provider, offered the following starter questions HR can ask to engage employees during open enrollment. The Please confirm that you want to proceed with deleting bookmark. She encourages employees to ask themselves the following questions to be sure they are making the best choices for themselves and their families during the year ahead: "If you answered 'yes' or you're not sure about the answers to these questions now is the perfect time to revisit your benefits. Please enable scripts and reload this page. When the economy is unstable, employers are faced with difficult decisions around staffing, pay and benefits. The UCPath Center mailed an Open Enrollment notice and Open Enrollment Form to employees who were on an unpaid leave of absence as of September 30, 2021. SHRM Employment Law & Compliance Conference, stress their importance and provide education on how to properly use them, digital apps and online portals with built-in decision support, Employers Enhance Emotional and Mental Health Benefits for 2020, Simple Open-Enrollment Tips That Can Make a Big Difference, 10 Questions for Employees Choosing a Health Plan, 3 Open Enrollment Reminders for Employeesand HR, New OSHA Guidance Clarifies Return-to-Work Expectations, Trump Suspends New H-1B Visas Through 2020, Faking COVID-19 Illness Can Have Serious Consequences, U.S. Companys Mandatory Video Surveillance Violated Dutch Rights, Leading Difficult Conversations About Layoffs. Benefit terms would run from January 1st to December 31st. Consider implementing the following strategies: Offering adequate benefits education to your employees prior to and during the open enrollment period can help alleviate much of the confusion that they may face. Think about it your employees are a unique set of people with their own needs, life circumstances and goals. Start reviewing your benefit information now so youre ready when the time is right. You can buy your own insurance if you want. Regardless of the reason, this common situation can result in added financial burden on the employee, additional missed days at work due to lack of proper health coverage, and frustration for both employee and employer. Demonstrating to your employees that their needs are important to you will instill high employee morale, and ensuring that you have done all that you were required to do in regards to ACA regulations will protect your business in the event that an employee misses the open enrollment deadline. He writes about HR, compliance, and benefits solutions. While just keeping whatever health coverage they had this year is tempting for employees, doing so may come with a substantial financial downside. Picking an annual theme will keep your communications fresh and help unify all of your messages under one umbrella. Are there any changes in my life that might make another health insurance choice more valuable this year? If you are concerned about complying with ACA in any regard, please contact us to discuss one of our many options to help. The benefits open enrollment period is typically the only point during the year in which your employees can make changes to their benefit electionsincluding adding or dropping coverage or dependents, switching plans, or even enrolling in benefits for the first time. 2175 N. Glenville Drive $("span.current-site").html("SHRM MENA "); Sample 3: Letter of permission for missing work due to an important matter. Please let us know if you have questions! This is nothing new. The call-to-action lets them know the open enrollment date, where they can find information, and when enrollment packets will become available. G&A Partners offers small- and mid-sized companies access to top-quality benefits options by leveraging the buying power of thousands of client companies when negotiating with providers. The email is simply an introduction. There are simple steps employers can take to ensure a successful open enrollment period. The IRS and FSA administrators understand that life changes and that you may need to make adjustments to your elections to accommodate for those changes. Richardson, TX. Paychex tiene el compromiso de brindar recursos para la comunidad hispanohablante. But since he has high-interest credit card debt, Greg probably shouldnt contribute any more money to his 401Kbeyondthe match until his debt is repaid. At Ignite HCM, we assist human resources administrators in streamlining processes. If your organization doesn't offer auto-enrollment, then workers who miss the window may be left out in the cold without any coverage. Coby now serves as the Senior Vice President of FBS managing a team of sales, marketing, and client implementation personnel. Dave lives paycheck to paycheck and doesnt yet have an emergency fund. Put together educational materials when employees get a raise, and remind them that nows a good time to up their contribution if they can. HR reps, the AICPA advised, could share this message with employees: "By just staying the course without reviewing all the options available, you could be missing crucial opportunities to saveor worse, choose a plan that doesn't properly cover your family's health care needs. In order to ensure that none of our employees in this status were missed by the cutoff date, HR Leave Administration . var currentLocation = getCookie("SHRM_Core_CurrentUser_LocationID"); They influence President Biden signed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act into law on December 29, 2022 BerniePortal is the all-in-one HR software solution at a fair price, so HR can focus on providing a good place to work. If employees do miss open enrollment, provide opportunities for them to meet with HR or attend informational meetings that discuss their options to obtain coverage for the next year. Section 125 plans are used by most employers that offer health coverage, as they are the mechanism that allows . You can purchase coverage through the marketplace, but you wouldn't be eligible for any subsidy or anything (sounds like you make too much to qualify anyway). Home (800) 583-6908 The date coverage starts depends on when you lose coverage and the date a plan is selected. Neither members nor non-members may reproduce such samples in any other way (e.g., to republish in a book or use for a commercial purpose) without SHRMs permission. In order to ensure that your employees are able to make the most out of the open enrollment period and the benefits your company provides, you should take an active role during open enrollment. Thank them in advance for doing their part to make this a successful open enrollment. -Serve or call a benefits coordinator in the MCC Employee Benefits Department. Therefore, your open enrollment for the new year will take place in October. If you are looking for help with your current system, or think it may be time to enhance your benefits package, contact us to talk to a consultant. As Billing Manager, she assists in the day to day accounting processing for her team and is available to handle any escalated billing matters. Here we have provided you with a template for your open enrollment email to employees. Attached is a flier with more details but please reply here and let us know if you have questions! By incorporating the mission of the university and the code of conduct, we believe strong communication will enhance understanding and foster positive work environments. Request a consultation, so we discuss your payroll management and HR optimization needs. Insurance and benefits plans can be cost prohibitive for companies that run smaller operations and/or do not have a large workforce. It is typically the only time during the year in which employees can make changes to their benefits choices, such as adding or dropping coverage, adding or dropping dependents, or enrolling in benefits for the first time. The point of offering healthcare employee benefits for employees is to ensure that they are properly cared for. Surveying your employees will help you clarify their benefits options and the open enrollment process, and it can demonstrate that you are willing to set aside time to help answer employee questionspotentially reducing the number of employees that miss open enrollment. All rights reserved. Contractually, employers may not be able to accommodate employees who miss open enrollment, unless they qualify for a special enrollment period. Hi team, Putting money away for your retirement is important, but how important depends on the financial . Employees are befuddled by their health care coverage. Medicaid provides health insurance to low-income individuals, while CHIP provides health insurance to children of low-income families. A special enrollment period is a designated time outside of the standard open enrollment period for employees to change or update their insurance plan elections that are granted when the employee experiences a qualifying life event. Russ joined FBS in 2019 after working as a valued partner for 15 years and manages our ISDs group health program. [Insert link to benefits portal and instructions]. Here are a few tips to make OE emails engaging and drive participation. As HR representatives address open enrollment meetings, speak with employees one-on-one and send out enrollment reminders, they can use these pointers to help employees make smart decisions. Please submit the email address associated with your account to reset your password. Here are a few tips to make OE emails engaging and drive participation. Youcouldadd the examples above into your general 401K messaging and call it a day. Be sure to communicate the time period with employees. Pick A Theme Lose the stiff, corporate lingo and put a little fun back into open enrollment. I know how much you loved working there.". Learn how SHRM Certification can accelerate your career growth by earning a SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. allsynx Platform Agreement During open enrollment, HR representatives often block off hours in their calendars to respond to employee questions about coverage, requirements, and deadlines. a global pandemic that's been hard to predict, improve or enhance open enrollment communication. Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity to review your benefit plan options and make . Subject Line: Tomorrow Is The Day For Open Enrollment! ), Subject line: Lets get smarter about 401K savings. Well, in an ideal world, youd be able to pair up every one of your employees with a savvy and charming financial guru who could look at their unique financial situation, and give tailored recommendations on how they should be spending their free dollarsi.e. !.,-_*|+~#). This can cause important ones like open enrollment to fall through the cracks or simply be skimmed so they can move on to the next thing. If you don't have time to send a formal letter, consider sending an excuse email instead. An acknowledgement of benefits formfor those who opt in to coverage, A waiver of coverage formfor those who opt out or miss the deadline to enroll in employer-based benefits packages, One-on-one appointments with HR representatives, Seminars, webinars, and/or self-paced e-learning modules. if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-china.aspx") > -1) { Please note that all such forms and policies should be reviewed by your legal counsel for compliance with applicable law, and should be modified to suit your organizations culture, industry, and practices. Please submit questions related to Open Enrollment for your employees on leave to Service Now > Leave Administration > Other Leave Questions. Everything You Need Is Inside! But employees are also balancing their workload, home life, childcare, and the holidaysall while trying to stay safe and healthy during a global pandemic that's been hard to predict. It often brings many questions and can be stressful on both sides of the communication flow. Reach out to our team any time to chat! Other qualifying life events that would make an employee eligible for SEP can include: If an employee experiences a decrease in income, they may be eligible to apply for health coverage through the government's Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Your session has expired. Use a format that addresses the employee by name. Flex-Ed: Mistakes During Open Enrollment Can You Change Elections? Session Information: Many companies host open enrollment sessions to help fully explain the offerings. Unless youre a financial expert or HR professional, figuring out retirement plans is no walk in the park. We are looking forward to a successful enrollment season. $(document).ready(function () { Letter Template #1. Web here is the sample letter of the annual bonus letter to the employees. Your teams need ample time for payroll processing. The official dates are [DATE] to [DATE]. Weve got some exciting options this year so be prepared to make changes! Subject Line: Heads Up: Open Enrollment Details Coming Your Way. We are available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. It starts valuable dialog on whats being offered and how to take advantage of it. HR is still the caretaker of company culture, even when administering benefits. The better employees understand open enrollment and the benefits they receive from participating, the higher engagement employers will see from their team. When employees miss open enrollment and lose health coverage, this can add financial and emotional burdens that may affect their health, well-being, and productivity at work. This will give you the ability to answer any lingering questions from employees and build in extra time for those who are apt to miss deadlines, without placing any extra burdens on your HR team.. TO: Department Benefit Representatives (DBR's), FR:Tami Schmittgen, HR Leave Administration, Supervisor, RE: 2022 Open Enrollment communications to employees on leave of absence. HR managers should be prepared to address the common employee question "What is a special enrollment period?" If an employee misses open enrollment, he or she may understandably be panicked and unhappy. Its their opportunity to enroll or make changes to their employee benefits. Consider creating an email template. When open enrollment ends, we know you'll receive an influx of employee questions about their options to sign up for healthcare. He would lose more money than hed gain if still carrying that debt. The open enrollment announcement email should go out two weeks before your benefits packages are made available to employees. We encourage all employees and supervisors to treat others with equality and respect. Employees who experience qualifying life-changing events (such as getting married, divorced or legally separated, having or adopting a child, or moving to a new residence or work location that affects benefits eligibility) are eligible to enroll in or make changes to their benefits elections outside of the open enrollment period. Bretton Chatham Karen Frost, health strategy and solutions leader at Alight Solutions, a benefit administration company, offered these pointers to HR benefit managers for open enrollment and throughout the year: Employers Enhance Emotional and Mental Health Benefits for 2020, Were one day away from open enrollment! Your friend isn't necessarily looking to get placated when they give you the bad news, and they may not have prepared for the adversity. Were two weeks from open enrollment. Here's what this kind of targeted advice might look like in an email you send to your workforce. If the employee does not make an election in the required time frame the Plan Document calls for a default position to take effect in lieu of the election. Make a corrective contribution to the plan for the employees that compensates for their missed deferral opportunity. If you improperly included an employee, you may have a . else if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-mena.aspx") > -1) { For Workers and Families For Employers and Advisers If you've lost your job, had your hours reduced, or experienced other qualifying events there are options available to workers and their families to maintain health coverage, including the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, or COBRA. Virtual & Washington, DC | February 26-28, 2023. Employees disseminate information differently, so you may need to consider other methods of engagement. But how do you make sure your benefits communication strategy is up to par? Pretty good! These include: Since there is little wiggle room with open enrollment deadlines, employers should focus on preventing employees from missing the annual deadline. For you, when employees miss this deadline, it can result in additional administrative burdens and unhappy or unproductive employees. Partnering with a respected third-party administrator is a great way to help educate your employees on their benefits and help make sure they get the most out of the open enrollment experience. Joan has a few thousand dollars saved for emergencies and no high-interest credit card debt. Welcome to Open Enrollment! Missing open enrollment can be a costly mistake for employees, so employers should take adequate steps to help their employees through the enrollment process. If Dave finds himself suddenly having to pay for something unexpected (like a broken transmission or a flooded basement) and doesnt have cash saved up, his options for paying off this bill are to a) raid his existing 401K funds and pay a penalty, (b) take out a loan against his account, reducing his after-tax pay by paying back principle and interest, or (c) use a high-interest credit card. FBS Blog Example #3: Greg, Whos Got a Safety Net, But Whos Saddled With Lots of High-Interest Debt. Sample 2: Excuse email for work absence due to sickness. Ready to spend? Subject Line: Lets Talk Benefits! Open with an engaging subject line and immediately set a positive tone. Some states, however, do have penalties for individuals without minimum essential coverage. What makes the email essential is that you can send it to every employee through the companys email system. When employees miss open enrollment and lose health coverage, this can add financial and emotional burdens that may affect their health, well-being, and productivity at work. Subject Line: Were Two Weeks From Open Enrollment! Remember, this is a guide to get you thinking about your message to employees. Why? Make Sure You're Getting the Best Deal, Jaleigh White, a member of the AICPA Financial Literacy Commission, noted that "even though the volume of an open-enrollment benefits package can seem overwhelming, employees would benefit from taking 30 minutes, at least, to read through all materials and explore the impact of any changes the company is making to their benefits, and carefully consider any changes to their personal situation that could impact their elections for the coming year.". Employee satisfaction is one of the most important avenues toward greater productivity and business growth. var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); It's possible the employee had actually selected benefits but failed to confirm their election for some reason. Communicating potential consequences to employees will encourage them to take the open enrollment deadline more seriously. After all the time and attention that HR pros give open enrollment, it can be hard to imagine how an employee could miss the window for electing their benefits. What is Evidence of Insurability (EOI)? He is a graduate of Texas Tech University with a Degree in Education. Subject line: Let's get smarter about 401K savings. But most advisors suggest putting away 15-20% of your paycheck if you can. Join 22,000+ HR pros who receive monthly employee benefits insights, straight to their inbox. These employers must offer affordable, minimum-essential coverage to their full-time employees or potentially face the employer shared responsibility penalty. Bookmark () Riia O'Donnell on Nov 27, 2018 Has my employer made changes to its current benefits plan? How the human resources department handles the lead-up to your companys open enrollment will define its success. Benefit Cooperatives The attachments can include: Getting essential information to employees is vital but shouldnt overwhelm the employee. Its equally important to understand why they missed the deadline and help them avoid the same mistake in the future. All of these options would result in him losing money beyond the cost of the surprise expense. He currently serves as the benefit consultant for several of the FBS Benefit Co-Operatives and many standalone school districts. Privacy Policy "There are many factors, both in a benefits plan and in one's personal life, that can change every year. And if you have any questions or are uncertain about anything in the process, contact your HR department - they'll help you navigate the open enrollment steps and clarify anything you don't understand. Missing open enrollment means limited options, but here a few situations to consider: If an employee misses open enrollment, its important that HR first respond with empathy and understanding. 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy program by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) is urging employees to carefully review their family's financial situation and insurance options to pick the best coverage plan for their household.
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