Were one day away from open enrollment! pliance is currently $0. 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. And there is a tool that can make that happen. For employer-sponsored health coverage, special enrollment period rules are in the Code of Federal Regulations. As HR representatives address open. But if youre looking to get started now, you can still significantly improve the usefulness of your 401K communications by highlighting a few different employee personas, and giving financial advice for each one. Emails are essential for company-wide communication because every employee gets assigned a company email when hired. Asking for employee feedback: Employees can be a great resource for offering suggestions about the best ways to structure benefits enrollment to ensure maximum participation. Posted on December 9, 2021 (800) 583-6908 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. Here are a few different scenarios you might find yourself in, and some advice for how to approach your 401K. If you have questions, dont hesitate to contact your benefits specialist[insert specialist contact information or provide a link]. University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 | 530-752-1011. But at the height of a pandemic, it's all the more troubling. In order to ensure that none of our employees in this status were missed by the cutoff date,HR Leave Administration will email an Open Enrollment reminder this week to all. Offer health, dental, vision and more to recruit & retain employees. *All Shipping prices displayed are for the lower 48 states only. The date coverage starts depends on when you lose coverage and the date a plan is selected. Every employee has his or her own preferences when it comes to receiving important information. document.head.append(temp_style); You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Please let us know if you have questions! Please let us know if you have questions by replying to this email! When writing an open enrollment letter, here are 5 things you should include: Timing: Open enrollment periods are often only a few weeks long. The email is simply an introduction. (Or in the event of very rare circumstances, such as a legitimate error in which your administrator may or may not be able to allow you to fix). The open enrollment survey questions you ask largely will depend on the goals you are trying to measure. Did I pay out-of-pocket expenses this year that could be covered by an insurance option next year? [Instructions or refer to additional resources]. If your benefits packages havent changed from the previous year, consider offering a passive enrollment, which automatically enrolls employees who dont wish to make any changes to their selections. How Can HR Help an Employee Who Misses Open Enrollment? look at employees who received a W-2 and participated in the 403(b) plan. The open enrollment announcement email should go out two weeks before your benefits packages are made available to employees. Coby joined FBS in 2007 as a Benefit Consultant and then rose to Vice President of Sales in 2013. As a result, your employees can latch on to the situation closest to their own, and feel more confident in their choices. }); if($('.container-footer').length > 1){ 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. 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. The information below covers what open enrollment is and what you may do during this time. To request permission for specific items, click on the reuse permissions button on the page where you find the item. Starting the conversation about open enrollment early and providing multiple information channels throughout the open enrollment period can help ensure that employees haven't missed open enrollment at work. We do not sell internationally. It is in your best interest to create simple and comprehensive policies and procedures so that you are prepared in the event of a SEP. } 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. 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. Benefits Technology Health Insurance Renewal Sample Letter to Employees By Mary Gormandy White, M.A., SHRM-SCP, SPHR YinYang / iStock via Getty Images If it's time for your company's group health plan to renew, it's advisable to notify your employees about the new plan options in writing. In order to prevent these issues, it is important to understand what it means when an employee misses open enrollment and how it can affect your businessbefore it actually happens. I realize that you, too, need to meet your monthly obligations in a timely manner, and such delays do not help. If an employee misses open enrollment, he or she may understandably be panicked and unhappy. Personalized enrollment support, available virtually 24/7, Save time while supporting employees with Chat, Smart Tips, and Reminders. Weve got some exciting options this year so be prepared to make changes! Contractually, employers may not be able to accommodate employees who miss open enrollment, unless they qualify for a special enrollment period. SHRM's HR Knowledge Advisors offer guidance and resources to assist members with their HR inquiries. Sending out the open enrollment email to employees is just the first step. This e-mail is the first step of a three-part process. 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. Are there any changes in my life that might make another health insurance choice more valuable this year? Heres what you need to do to get started now! My enrollment period at my job is in July and I missed it last year without being aware. Following this time frame, your open enrollment email to employees would go out in mid-September. Paychex was founded over four decades ago to relieve the complexity of running a business and make our clients' lives easier, so they can focus on what matters most. Open enrollment is complex enough as it is. I know how much you loved working there.". Here's what to tell them. Utilizing as many forms of communication as possible will enable you to reach more employees. She and her team will provide the district with monthly billing services. 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. In order to ensure that none of our employees in this status were missed by the cutoff date,HR Leave Administration will email an Open Enrollment reminder this week to allemployees currently on a leave of absence regardless of pay status. Standalone Consulting Agreement You can buy your own insurance if you want. 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. Use this opportunity to set your finances up for your best 2020. Regularly educating employees: Providing multiple information channels during open enrollment can ensure that employees are well-informed and have the resources to make decisions about their benefits. Think of it as an invitation. Although many of these suggestions are not legal requirements, it is in your best interest to take these steps in order to protect your business and its productivity. Even with weeks of communication in advance, employees may report that they missed open enrollment at work. 4 out of 5 can find a marketplace plan for $10 or less a month with cost assistance! Here's what this kind of targeted advice might look like in an email you send to your workforce. So, if you find yourself surprised by a premium increase come January, you won't be able to change coverage. Section 125 plans are used by most employers that offer health coverage, as they are the mechanism that allows . Don't leave your elections for the last minute as that can make you rush the process and leave you more susceptible to mistakes. He would lose more money than hed gain if still carrying that debt. Now What? Please confirm that you want to proceed with deleting bookmark. Be sure to communicate the time period with employees. Mistakes happen -- and it happens more than it probably should when people are choosing health insurance. Only about one-third of employees (34 percent) have a . ), Example #2: Dave, Who Has No Emergency Fund. 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. 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.". Provide instructions on how to log in. Please submit questions related to Open Enrollment for your employees on leave to Service Now > Leave Administration > Other Leave Questions. (Feel free to copy-pastewe won't tell.) Why? Gain the intel you need now to successfully anticipate and navigate employment laws, stay compliant and mitigate legal risks. These are just a few quick tips. However, most have an actively at work or similar provision, and wording regarding the inability to make an election because of extentuating circumstances. Here's what to expect: Members can get help with HR questions via phone, chat or email. Web spread the word about your company's open enrollment with these 30 short reminders. Individuals who are below the income thresholds set by the government's programs can apply for coverage any time of year. Pretty good! The attachments can include: Getting essential information to employees is vital but shouldnt overwhelm the employee. a global pandemic that's been hard to predict, improve or enhance open enrollment communication. 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. Please log in as a SHRM member before saving bookmarks. If your organization doesn't offer auto-enrollment, then workers who miss the window may be left out in the cold without any coverage. Stop the sniffles 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. At many organizations, the open enrollment season for 2020 employer-sponsored benefits is under way or about to begin. You can get your own copy here. Its equally important to understand why they missed the deadline and help them avoid the same mistake in the future. Example #3: Greg, Whos Got a Safety Net, But Whos Saddled With Lots of High-Interest Debt. Plans like, short-term coverage and critical illness allow year-round enrollment but are not regulated by the. Use a format that addresses the employee by name. As Billing Manager, she assists in the day to day accounting processing for her team and is available to handle any escalated billing matters. It starts valuable dialog on whats being offered and how to take advantage of it. * 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. Employees digest information in different ways. Short-term coverage is typically cheaper than traditional health plans, but only relatively healthy individuals will qualify. New Jersey Secure Choice Savings Program on the Horizon for Private Employers, How to Use HR Metrics to Improve Your Bottom Line. Benefits Administration Jellyvision acquires Picwell to simplify the employee benefits puzzle! We endeavor to answer all inquiries within 24 hours on business days. In order to offset any decrease in morale, it is important that you provide opportunities for the employee to meet with HR or to attend informational meetings that discuss his or her options to obtain coverage for the next year. UCSB HR Leave Administration Open Enrollment Reminder, UCPath Leave without Pay Open Enrollment Letter, Open Enrollment Form for employees on unpaid leave of absence, ******************************************************************************************************, 3101 Student Affairs and Administrative Services Building (SAASB), 2022 Open Enrollment communications to employees on leave of absence, 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. Your teams should start strategizing well before the announcement for open enrollment. However, this may not be practical, especially for employees with growing families. 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. Plus, you must consider the different ways people receive information. If youre encouragingallyour employees to putas much as they caninto their 401(k), I hate to break it to you, but you may be causing more harm than good. Earn FSA Perks Points, unlock member-only rewards, and speed up the checkout process. Richardson, TX. Bookmark () Riia O'Donnell on Nov 27, 2018 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. Get a demo of the ALEX platform and learn more about how our software can help you boost benefits engagement, drive better financial decisions, and save your team time, money, and headaches. If you are concerned about complying with ACA in any regard, please contact us to discuss one of our many options to help. Specifically, 29 CFR 2590.701-6, and in permitted election changes for Section 125 plans ( 26 CFR 1.125-4 ). The official dates are [DATE] to [DATE]. Despite your own best efforts to communicate important information and deadlines, you may have employees who dont successfully enroll on time. But how do you make sure your benefits communication strategy is up to par? 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. Its their opportunity to enroll or make changes to their employee benefits. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM MENA "); Drafting an open enrollment email is not a daunting task. If you have questions please send to [email] or attend the upcoming Q&A [Date, time location]. ** ALL OPTION CHANGES WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2020** The period from DECEMBER 11, 2019 through JANUARY 10, 2020 has been designated as the Annual Open Enrollment period during which employees who desire to change their health and/or dental insurance 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. Web here is the sample letter of the annual bonus letter to the employees. You heard it here first! Attached is a flier with more details but please reply here and let us know if you have questions! Theres no better time to talk about what to do with your free dollars than when an employee has just landed more free dollars, courtesy of payroll. 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). Individuals who are in transition may qualify to register for a short-term insurance plan if offered in their state. When it comes to your open enrollment elections, the best thing you can do is take your time and be thorough to minimize the chance of making mistakes. Pointers to pass along as open enrollment gets underway. Ensure they know exactly what theyre supposed to do next. So, open enrollment can easily pass some by. To learn more, schedule a consultation with one of our knowledgeable business advisors. He just cant beat a 100% return on his money. HR managers should be prepared to address the common employee question "What is a special enrollment period?" Get the cold and allergy relief you deserve. Center for Advocacy, Resources & Education (CARE), 2022 Salary Program for Non-Represented Staff, Resources for Trans and Non-Binary Employees. 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). Category. Each year host a debriefing session to understand what worked and how to improve open enrollment the following year. 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. Its recommended the announcement email should go out two weeks before benefits packages are made available to all employees. , G&A Partners. Our benefits fair will take place [insert dates, time, locations]. Turning 26 and being dropped from a parent's coverage, Change in number of eligible family members due to birth, death, adoption, or other family status change, Change in work hours or job position that could affect insurance eligibility. If you are asking for a longer leave of absence, send this letter as early as possible. 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. Brian has spearheaded branding and media communications at FBS and leads the Marketing Department as the Marketing Manager. In your hook, you want to get employees ready for open enrollment. Announce your benefits portal and upcoming benefits fairs. So offering smart 401K advice for employees is an especially important part of helping your employees recover from a challenging year. Accessibility and clarity of complex information give employees and employers a better experience and promote higher levels of participation. Sample 1: Excuse letter for work absence due to family matters. What Is the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). Sample 2: Excuse email for work absence due to sickness. 2175 N. Glenville Drive 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. If the open enrollment dates are Nov. 15 through Dec. 15, consider giving your employees a deadline of Dec. 5, suggests Starr Harry, client success manager at G&A. RE: 2022 Open Enrollment communications to employees on leave of absence. Your teams need ample time for payroll processing. is a benefits enrollment strategy that employers use to simplify the process and maintain benefits participation. Include with your email any attachments related to open enrollment. Benefit terms would run from January 1st to December 31st. Reach out to our team any time to chat! Consider creating an email template. Do I anticipate any new expenses next year that might change my current elections? In this article, we will focus on the importance of sending an open enrollment email to employees. The point of offering healthcare employee benefits for employees is to ensure that they are properly cared for. TO: Department Benefit Representatives (DBR's), FR:Tami Schmittgen, HR Leave Administration, Supervisor, RE: 2022 Open Enrollment communications to employees on leave of absence. If you missed open enrollment through your employer, you've probably already asked for their help but there may be nothing they can do. Your Employee Missed Open Enrollment for Health Insurance. Keep your health in check 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. Information sessions and benefits fairs are among other steps to ensure every employee can decide their health benefits. Let's use a fall open enrollment as an example. To avoid these penalties, document that coverage has been offered by requiring employees to sign either: To help your employees make the most out of the open enrollment period and the benefits your company provides, consider implementing the following strategies: Offering benefits education to your employees prior to and during the open enrollment period can help minimize confusion and cut down on time spent addressing commonly asked questions. Please review the information . 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. All rights reserved. To provide managers and supervisors with the guidance they may need in times of crucial communication, Employee & Labor Relations has prepared sample letters for supervisors to deliver to employees: Please consult with your Employee Relations Consultantat UC Davis and UC Davis Health regarding any of these letters. Enrollment ends Jan 15th in most states. Writing a good job rejection letter is not as hard as you think it is! coverage qualify for a special enrollment period to enroll in a Marketplace plan outside of the annual open enrollment period and may select a plan within 60 days of losing job-based coverage (either 60 days before or 60 days after). 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. A sample of the email notification from HR Leave Administration is also attached. 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, Still, missing open enrollment can make a bad situation worse. We can help you tackle business challenges like these. Dear Employee, The School District's Health Insurance open enrollment period for the INSERT year will begin on INSERT DATE. The opening of the email starts with a bold header letting employees know its time for open enrollment. We've got great ideas for top health purchases before the Grace Period deadline. 1 NOTICE TO ALL EMPLOYEES - 2020 ANNUAL OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD FOR OPTION CHANGES IN HEALTH AND DENTAL INSURANCE PLAN COVERAGE. Provide contact information to let employees know how they can access Q & As, learn more about their benefits, and how to contact the human resources benefits specialist. Changes in dependent status - children can age out of dependent status or become eligible for dependent status during the year. "Thank you" Employees disseminate information differently, so you may need to consider other methods of engagement. As part of the open enrollment process, employers should help make employees aware of what happens if they missed open enrollment. Depending on your circumstances, your opportunities to enroll after the end of the annual open enrollment period may be limited. Most companies operate on a calendar fiscal year. ", 2. Mr. James holds many different licenses in the insurance industry including the Insurance Counselors License through the Texas Department of Insurance. Making changes to how open enrollment is presented and discussed with a strategic plan can alleviate much of the frustration. Changes in marital status - Getting married, divorced, separated, or if your spouse passes away. Copyright 2023 Financial Benefit Services: Employee Benefit Solutions. Many employers even offer benefits education during open enrollment to help employees understand their options and make informed decisions. At this point, there is not much more that you can do for him or her unless he or she qualifies for an SEP. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Remind employees they will receive a confirmation of their changes. What Happens If an Employee Misses Open Enrollment? Russ holds a Life, Accident & Health insurance license and a Risk Managers license through the Texas Department of Insurance, and brings to FBS over thirty years of risk management and pool administration expertise. While just keeping whatever health coverage they had this year is tempting for employees, doing so may come with a substantial financial downside. document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Give us a ring, send an email, or fill out the form below. (Feel free to copy-pastewe wont tell. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I am aBrokerCarrierEmployerCOBRA Participant. We are looking forward to a successful enrollment season. In fact, the terms of your benefits plans may prohibit you from making exceptions for employees who do not make benefits elections within a certain time periodsuch as before the new plan year begins. You want to provide employees with essential information about the upcoming benefits period that is engaging. The information may not reflect the most current legal developments, may be changed without notice and is not guaranteed to be complete, correct, or up-to-date. HR teams in larger companies may even conduct special meetings or hold benefits fairs, all designed to help employees understand their benefits options so they can make informed decisions. Benefit terms would run from January 1st to December 31st. They must offer affordable, minimum-essential coverage to their full-time employees or potentially face the employer shared responsibility penalty. Your employer is not legally obligated to allow you to make changes to your elections after the open enrollment period has ended. This years enrollment period runs from [enrollment period dates]. Open enrollment is an annual window when you can enroll in health coverage, switch to a different plan, or drop your coverage (that last point is only applicable if you have an employer-sponsored plan; self-purchased individual/family plans can be dropped at any time). Remote employment has become popular in the past few years, with more employers opting for this new way of doing things. Learn how Jellyvision can help you solve your clients toughest challenges. Now What? Whenever someone loses their job, they want to hear that their loss is validated. 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. 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. If youre truly invested in helping your employees not only plan for retirement, but also create savings and dig out of debt, offer education in the moments that matter: Reiterate your 401K messaging whenever employees get a raise, bonus, or promotion. How the human resources department handles the lead-up to your companys open enrollment will define its success. In order to ensure that their businesses will not face any penalties, many ALEs should document that coverage has been offered.