Posted on December 9, 2021 I apologize for the delay in sending last month's paychecks. 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. For that time frame, announcements would go out in the middle of September. 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). 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. Need help with a specific HR issue like coronavirus or FLSA? You have successfully saved this page as a bookmark. Changes in employment - this can mean starting a new job, quitting, or a transition from part-time to full-time work status. At-home diagnostic tools help you stay one step ahead. 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. ACA open enrollment is through Dec. 15th. Many companies find communications difficult to manage during this time and participation is frequently low. Managing Organizational Communication]. 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. Cathy has been in the insurance industry for 28 years. As an Account Executive, she was a key team member on the TRS-ActiveCare account from its inception through the duration of the contract. We endeavor to answer all inquiries within 24 hours on business days. Missing open enrollment can be a costly mistake for employees, so employers should take adequate steps to help their employees through the enrollment process. For exactly that reason, its important to make sure you go beyond encouraging higher and higher 401(k) contributions (which only some employees can manage) and, instead meet your entire workforce where it iswith more empathetic, targeted, holistic financial guidance. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM MENA "); Here are a few theme ideas to get you started: Rock Enroll - Music Theme Benny & The Benefits - Music Theme Missing open enrollment can be a costly mistake for employees, so employers should take adequate steps to help their employees through the enrollment process. The only exception to these terms is if an employee qualifies for a special enrollment period (SEP). COBRA - If you lose your job and elect to continue receiving benefits from your employer. 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. Most companies operate on a calendar fiscal year. The deadline to make any changes will be [DATE]. Remind employees they will receive a confirmation of their changes. To request permission for specific items, click on the reuse permissions button on the page where you find the item. All rights reserved. 1.) Short-term coverage is typically cheaper than traditional health plans, but only relatively healthy individuals will qualify. Sample 1: Excuse letter for work absence due to family matters. Even with weeks of communication in advance, employees may report that they missed open enrollment at work. In this article, we will focus on the importance of sending an open enrollment email to employees. 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. Therefore, your open enrollment for the new year will take place in October. look at employees who received a W-2 and participated in the 403(b) plan. If you're married, discuss your elections with your spouse to ensure that the whole family is on the same page for the upcoming benefit year. 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.. 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. Attached is a flier with more details but please reply here and let us know if you have questions! ), Example #2: Dave, Who Has No Emergency Fund. Heres what you need to do to get started now! SHRM Online, October 2019, Simple Open-Enrollment Tips That Can Make a Big Difference, 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. As the Director of Client Services at FBS, Cathy oversees the Billing, Clent Service, and Account Executive teams and is available to assist in escalated matters, if necessary. But at the height of a pandemic, it's all the more troubling. Stop the sniffles Here's what to tell them. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM China "); The open enrollment announcement email should go out two weeks before your benefits packages are made available to employees. 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. (Let employees know if plans are changing or if new plans were added). It often brings many questions and can be stressful on both sides of the communication flow. How the human resources department handles the lead-up to your companys open enrollment will define its success. $(document).ready(function () { Business Associate Agreement After all the time and attention that HR pros give, missing open enrollment can make a bad situation worse, An employee may be in luck if they have a, a change to an individuals circumstances, which allows them to, Short-term, or limited-duration, coverage is a health insurance plan that is meant to only last a short time, like a few months to a year. If your HR team is already overloaded during open enrollment season, trusted HR consulting services can help lighten the load and generate ideas for the best ways to support your employees through open enrollment. 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. Why? Provide information in a wide variety of ways including: Ask your employees if they like the way information is being provided, if they would prefer information be distributed in different ways, or if they have questions that have yet to be answered. For an employee, missing this vital deadline can mean losing coverage, or being unable to change benefits elections, which can have a significant financial impact on the employee. 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. These employers must offer affordable, minimum-essential coverage to their full-time employees or potentially face the employer shared responsibility penalty. Employers can also gather status updates during the open enrollment period to view which employees have not completed enrollment. Kyle was hired by FBS as one of our first benefit consultants in 2001 and became the President of the company in 2005. 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). This can happen for a variety of reasons, including a change in family status, work or information overload, or challenges in navigating the benefits enrollment process. For employer-sponsored health coverage, special enrollment period rules are in the Code of Federal Regulations. Not great for Dave! } Did the employee miss open enrollment because of. Your teams need ample time for payroll processing. 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. Employee satisfaction is one of the most important avenues toward greater productivity and business growth. The good news is that were here for you every step of the way! 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. To learn more, schedule a consultation with one of our knowledgeable business advisors. In some circumstances, employees may be granted a special exception that allows them to retroactively register for benefits outside the standard enrollment window when they missed health insurance enrollment. The open enrollment process is often confusing and time-consuming. (A version of this article appeared in Plan Sponsor magazine in February 2018.). 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. 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. [Instructions or refer to additional resources]. I know how much you loved working there.". These waivers also protect an employee's ability to immediately enroll for benefits if they lose coverage from an outside health plan, such as a spouse's employer. 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. We also keep your employer insurance premium costs in check so that your company has protection without placing undue stress on your budget. Please log into our benefits portal to make elections, update your contact information, and make any status changes. 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.". 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. The point of offering healthcare employee benefits for employees is to ensure that they are properly cared for. As a result, your employees can latch on to the situation closest to their own, and feel more confident in their choices. Jellyvision acquires Picwell to simplify the employee benefits puzzle! Like Every Letter, You Need To Start By Addressing Your Staff. Drafting an open enrollment email is not a daunting task. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); Unless youre a financial expert or HR professional, figuring out retirement plans is no walk in the park. [Insert link to benefits portal and instructions]. To help employees meet open enrollment deadlines, consider implementing internal company deadlines that build in a safety net. For you, when employees miss this deadline, it can result in additional administrative burdens and unhappy or unproductive employees. You will not be subject to this penalty if you have offered appropriate coverage to employees, regardless of whether they enrolled in coverage. 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. Russ continues to support districts across the state with their risk management programs. The more visibility you give them, the more likely your employees will dig in. Please let us know if you have questions by replying to this email! 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 attachments can include: Getting essential information to employees is vital but shouldnt overwhelm the employee. Here's what can happen and how HR can help. 2. Sample 401K Communication to Employees. Make it easy on you and your team by taking advantage of our action plan and timeline. money left over after basic living expenses are covered. 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. Some are closer to retirement than others, some have a larger savings safety net than others, and some have more pressing upcoming expenses than others. FBS Blog else if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-mena.aspx") > -1) { Session Information: Many companies host open enrollment sessions to help fully explain the offerings. 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. Individuals who are below the income thresholds set by the government's programs can apply for coverage any time of year. Welcome to Open Enrollment! Communicating potential consequences to employees will encourage them to take the open enrollment deadline more seriously. 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. The date coverage starts depends on when you lose coverage and the date a plan is selected. Please enable scripts and reload this page. HR teams can send additional reminders to those employees and follow up with them individually so they dont miss the deadline. (Feel free to copy-pastewe won't tell.) Medicaid provides health insurance to low-income individuals, while CHIP provides health insurance to children of low-income families. 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. Were one day away from open enrollment! If an employee missed open enrollment at work, they are generally no longer eligible to sign up for benefits unless one of a few special exceptions applies. The call-to-action lets them know the open enrollment date, where they can find information, and when enrollment packets will become available. To provide managers and supervisors with the guidance they may need in times of crucial . (For context, the average 401K contribution in 2020 was 13.5%. Para garantizar que brindemos la informacin ms actualizada y de mayor precisin, algunos contenidos de este sitio web se mostrarn en ingls y los proporcionaremos en espaol una vez que estn disponibles. Financial Services Agreement Bonus tip: Dont just send all these links in a one-time email. SAMPLE EVERGREEN OPEN ENROLLMENT NOTICE . (Feel free to copy-pastewe wont tell. If an employee misses open enrollment, he or she may understandably be panicked and unhappy. For [current year], we are maintaining [describe plan types] and have made the following changes: [describe plan changes]. 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. In reviewing the following information, you are taking the first step toward securing your. But most advisors suggest putting away 15-20% of your paycheck if you can. Capture employees attention with benefits messages that stick. Log-in Now! While just keeping whatever health coverage they had this year is tempting for employees, doing so may come with a substantial financial downside. Still, missing open enrollment can make a bad situation worse. Have an upbeat message to let employees know this is a positive engagement. My enrollment period at my job is in July and I missed it last year without being aware. Joan has a few thousand dollars saved for emergencies and no high-interest credit card debt. We encourage all employees and supervisors to treat others with equality and respect. is a benefits enrollment strategy that employers use to simplify the process and maintain benefits participation. 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. But it will show that you have their best interests in mindwhich, when it comes to creating change, is half the battle. There are simple steps employers can take to ensure a successful open enrollment period. Open enrollment is an important time of the year for employers, employees, and benefits vendors. What Happens If an Employee Misses Open Enrollment? "Thank you" What's New 2023 Open Enrollment Announcement Health, Dental and Vision Plan Costs PPO Saver - High Deductible Health Plan Information Open . Its the start of Open Enrollment! (800) 583-6908 G&A Partners is a leading professional employer organization (PEO) that offers world-class HR services and a team of experts who can help you navigate employment issues, safety initiatives, and moreduring (and after) the pandemic. Some states, however, do have penalties for individuals without minimum essential coverage. Making changes to how open enrollment is presented and discussed with a strategic plan can alleviate much of the frustration. var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); 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. When writing an open enrollment letter, here are 5 things you should include: Timing: Open enrollment periods are often only a few weeks long. As HR representatives address open. Employees digest information in different ways. To learn more, schedule a consultation with one of our knowledgeable business advisors. You could have misread a question, been forced to rush through the process, or even miscalculated how much money would be coming out of your paycheck every week. If you are concerned about complying with ACA in any regard, please contact us to discuss one of our many options to help. Earn FSA Perks Points, unlock member-only rewards, and speed up the checkout process. Include with your email any attachments related to open enrollment. Sample 4: Formal absent excuse letter due to an emergency. We are available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. In order to ensure that none of our employees in this status were missed by the cutoff date, HR Leave Administration . $('.container-footer').first().hide(); When open enrollment ends, we know you'll receive an influx of employee questions about their options to sign up for healthcare. Writing a good job rejection letter is not as hard as you think it is! Example #3: Greg, Whos Got a Safety Net, But Whos Saddled With Lots of High-Interest Debt. 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. Careers, Terms of Use Changes in dependent status - children can age out of dependent status or become eligible for dependent status during the year. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but no, once you make your open enrollment elections, you don't have the option to change them later in the year unless you experience a qualifying life event. 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. We can help you tackle business challenges like these. 75082. 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. Help employees save for retirement and reduce taxable income. To prevent these issues, its important to communicate to your employeesahead of timethe consequences of missing the open enrollment deadline. So, for Joan, it makes sense to fund her 401K up to the company match and beyond, as much as she can afford. Plans like, short-term coverage and critical illness allow year-round enrollment but are not regulated by the. Now What? Coby joined FBS in 2007 as a Benefit Consultant and then rose to Vice President of Sales in 2013. 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. Here are a few ideas: Also consider other help emails that explain the process in greater detail. Changes in marital status - Getting married, divorced, separated, or if your spouse passes away. Consider also whether or not your company should offer auto-enrollment to help employees avoid missing open enrollment. These are just a few quick tips. Another way to increase engagement is to provide helpful resources and quick tips for employees to reference. *All Shipping prices displayed are for the lower 48 states only. Get ready to discuss all things benefits! ", 2. Every employee has his or her own preferences when it comes to receiving important information. During open enrollment, HR representatives often block off hours in their calendars to respond to employee questions about coverage, requirements, and deadlines. This is the time for you to [Instructions], Were excited to bring you [Detail plan options and info]. . Sample 3: Letter of permission for missing work due to an important matter. Format for absence excuse letter. Did I pay out-of-pocket expenses this year that could be covered by an insurance option next year? Her short-term financial situation is secure, so shes in a position to focus on her long-term goals. Use this opportunity to set your finances up for your best 2020. If an employee misses . Drafting A Sample Email Most employees receive a flood of work-related emails every single day. Ensure they know exactly what theyre supposed to do next. To avoid such frustrations in the future, we are changing to a computer system that will prepare checks a week in advance for distribution on payday. Stacia has been with Financial Benefit Services since 2014 bringing with her 5 years in insurance billing and accounting and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from UT Dallas. Privacy Policy In your hook, you want to get employees ready for open enrollment. Sample 2: Excuse email for work absence due to sickness. ", [SHRM members-only toolkit: You can get your own copy here. COBRA Service Agreement, Benefits Consulting 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. Richardson, TX. 2023 FSA Store Inc. All Rights Reserved. Qualifying life events can be circumstances that change an employee's status for benefits, such as changing the number of individuals in the household who are covered under a benefits plan. Depending on your circumstances, your opportunities to enroll after the end of the annual open enrollment period may be limited. Thank them in advance for doing their part to make this a successful open enrollment. SHRM Online, September 2019, 10 Questions for Employees Choosing a Health Plan, 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. "There are many factors, both in a benefits plan and in one's personal life, that can change every year. 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). Open Enrollment begins on Tuesday, October 15, 2019 and runs through 5 pm, Thursday, October 31, 2019You may enroll online through Employee Self. All of these options would result in him losing money beyond the cost of the surprise expense. Weve got some exciting options this year so be prepared to make changes! Hire, onboard, manage, and develop productive employees. Open enrollment consumes a large amount of HR's time and energy, making it nearly impossible to forget about. 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).

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