Plans like, short-term coverage and critical illness allow year-round enrollment but are not regulated by the. Following this time frame, your open enrollment email to employees would go out in mid-September. Weve got some exciting options this year so be prepared to make changes! 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 is the time for you to [Instructions], Were excited to bring you [Detail plan options and info]. Use this opportunity to set your finances up for your best 2020. Client Testimonials The attachments can include: Getting essential information to employees is vital but shouldnt overwhelm the employee. Please review the information . All Rights Reserved. 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). All rights reserved. Enrollment ends Jan 15th in most states. These are just a few quick tips. Specifically, 29 CFR 2590.701-6, and in permitted election changes for Section 125 plans ( 26 CFR 1.125-4 ). Copyright The Regents of the University of California, Davis campus. The official dates are [DATE] to [DATE]. Bonus tip: Dont just send all these links in a one-time email. You want to provide employees with essential information about the upcoming benefits period that is engaging. Subject Line: Heads Up: Open Enrollment Details Coming Your Way. Open with an engaging subject line and immediately set a positive tone. If you are concerned about complying with ACA in any regard, please contact us to discuss one of our many options to help. If you don't have time to send a formal letter, consider sending an excuse email instead. Open enrollment begins [DATE] and closes [DATE]. Open enrollment consumes a large amount of HR's time and energy, making it nearly impossible to forget about. Letter Template #1. While employers have little ability to "bend the rules" for employees when they have missed open enrollment at work, there are some options that can help both employer and employee. The date coverage starts depends on when you lose coverage and the date a plan is selected. Subject Line: Lets Talk Benefits! If you have not defined any specific goals, then start by focusing on the enrollment experience as a whole, for example what did your employees like and what do they want to be different for next year. Please log in as a SHRM member. 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. He currently serves as the benefit consultant for several of the FBS Benefit Co-Operatives and many standalone school districts. And to make matters worse, employees are skittish about their retirement savings right now thanks to COVID. But it will show that you have their best interests in mindwhich, when it comes to creating change, is half the battle. Please purchase a SHRM membership before saving bookmarks. Learn more, Money Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for a Richer Life. 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. 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). Highlight apps that put savings on autopilot. Therefore, your open enrollment for the new year will take place in October. (Feel free to copy-pastewe wont tell. I realize that you, too, need to meet your monthly obligations in a timely manner, and such delays do not help. Category. Send them out as soon as you know that the applicant is not suitable for the role. Did the employee miss open enrollment because of. Think of it as an invitation. Depending on your circumstances, your opportunities to enroll after the end of the annual open enrollment period may be limited. 2. (A version of this article appeared in Plan Sponsor magazine in February 2018.). For you, when employees miss this deadline, it can result in additional administrative burdens and unhappy or unproductive employees. Youcouldadd the examples above into your general 401K messaging and call it a day. To get the ball rolling, a robust open enrollment email to employees is vital. (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). After open enrollment ends, you can only make changes to your elections if you've experienced a qualifying life event. temp_style.textContent = '.ms-rtestate-field > p:first-child.is-empty.d-none, .ms-rtestate-field > .fltter .is-empty.d-none, .ZWSC-cleaned.is-empty.d-none {display:block !important;}'; 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. How to Draft a Open Enrollment Email to Employees (With Template). 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. By incorporating the mission of the university and the code of conduct, we believe strong communication will enhance understanding and foster positive work environments. Russ joined FBS in 2019 after working as a valued partner for 15 years and manages our ISDs group health program. What is Evidence of Insurability (EOI)? Provide instructions on how to log in. Additional education can come in the form of personal worksite consultations, one-on-one appointments with HR representatives, seminars, webinars and self-paced e-learning modules. 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. Business Associate Agreement "There are many factors, both in a benefits plan and in one's personal life, that can change every 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.. Copyright 2023 Financial Benefit Services: Employee Benefit Solutions. COBRA - If you lose your job and elect to continue receiving benefits from your employer. 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. In either case, the qualifying life event would trigger a special enrollment period that would make you eligible to select a new individual insurance policy through the state marketplace. SHRM Online, October 2019, Simple Open-Enrollment Tips That Can Make a Big Difference, Need help with a specific HR issue like coronavirus or FLSA? Your session has expired. Whatever the case, if you made a mistake during open enrollment, you're probably wondering if there's a way to make changes to your elections later on in the year. 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. Were two weeks from open enrollment. 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. Get the cold and allergy relief you deserve. 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. I missed open enrollment for my insurance and now I need to - Workest The Covered Connecticut program allows eligible applicants to enroll anytime. 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. -Serve or call a benefits coordinator in the MCC Employee Benefits Department. Open enrollment begins one month from now, beginning [DATE] until [DATE]. If appropriate coverage is offered to employees (regardless of whether they enroll) these employers will not be subject to the penalty. } Posted on December 9, 2021 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. 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. When looking into the issue, work with the employee and the health insurance broker to make sure there wasnt an administrative error. 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. var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); Brian has spearheaded branding and media communications at FBS and leads the Marketing Department as the Marketing Manager. What Is the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Give us a ring, send an email, or fill out the form below. if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-china.aspx") > -1) { The portal can also include a count-down counter to encourage employees to enroll. Only about one-third of employees (34 percent) have a . 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. About Us Insurance and benefits plans can be cost prohibitive for companies that run smaller operations and/or do not have a large workforce. How to Write An Excuse Letter for Missing Work (with Examples) Helping Employees Navigate Health Benefits During Open Enrollment - SHRM Making changes to how open enrollment is presented and discussed with a strategic plan can alleviate much of the frustration. 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. Utilizing as many forms of communication as possible will enable you to reach more employees. 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. SAMPLE EVERGREEN OPEN ENROLLMENT NOTICE . When the economy is unstable, employers are faced with difficult decisions around staffing, pay and benefits. Sample 3: Letter of permission for missing work due to an important matter. In your hook, you want to get employees ready for open enrollment. Here are a few theme ideas to get you started: Rock Enroll - Music Theme Benny & The Benefits - Music Theme Drafting A Sample Email Most employees receive a flood of work-related emails every single day. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM MENA "); 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. Stop the sniffles var currentLocation = getCookie("SHRM_Core_CurrentUser_LocationID"); DOCX Vermont Education Health Initiative VEHI Health Insurance Renewal Sample Letter to Employees Get benefits strategy and communication tips that will make you even better at your job. 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. Putting money away for your retirement is important, but how important depends on the financial boat youre in. Pointers to pass along as open enrollment gets underway. Despite your own best efforts to communicate important information and deadlines, you may have employees who dont successfully enroll on time. Many employers even offer benefits education during open enrollment to help employees understand their options and make informed decisions. Why? What Is an IRS Qualifying Event for Health Insurance? 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. You can also take an email communication and post it to the employee portal on your website. Has my employer made changes to its current benefits plan? It starts valuable dialog on whats being offered and how to take advantage of it. [Insert link to benefits portal and instructions]. 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. What Happens If an Employee Misses Open Enrollment? 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. It can be beneficial to ask your employees if they like the way information is being provided to them, if they would prefer information to be distributed in different ways, or if they have any questions that have yet to be answered. We are available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. PDF COVID-19 FAQs for Participants and Beneficiaries - DOL Everything You Need Is Inside! Here's what to tell them. Unless youre a financial expert or HR professional, figuring out retirement plans is no walk in the park. 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 good news is that were here for you every step of the way! At-home diagnostic tools help you stay one step ahead. Be sure to communicate the time period with employees. Make it easy on you and your team by taking advantage of our action plan and timeline. See attached flyer. Here are a few tips to make OE emails engaging and drive participation. Plus, you must consider the different ways people receive information. Changes made at open enrollment are effective January 1, 2023. Specifically, his 401(k)-related gains7%-9% annually, on averagewould most likely be less than the losses he would take on his credit card, lets say, 13%-17%. 401k Announcement Letter To Employees - EMPLOYMENT JKX 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. Depending on who the healthcare plan provider is, there may be contractual agreements that do not allow for enrollment . Privacy Policy Legally, no. 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.". A sample of the email notification from HR Leave Administration is also attached. 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. - Workest Your Employee Missed Open Enrollment for Health Insurance. After open enrollment ends, you can only make changes to your elections if you've experienced a qualifying life event. How to Write an Employee Open Enrollment Email and Templates Announce your benefits portal and upcoming benefits fairs. The open enrollment process is often confusing and time-consuming. Human Resources - Sample Letters to Employees 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. 2023 Open Enrollment - Human Resources These include: Since there is little wiggle room with open enrollment deadlines, employers should focus on preventing employees from missing the annual deadline. 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. Here's what this kind of targeted advice might look like in an email you send to your workforce. Picking an annual theme will keep your communications fresh and help unify all of your messages under one umbrella. 401Ks, IRAs, compounding interest, employer matching its enough to make the average employees head spin. If you missed open enrollment through your employer, you've probably already asked for their help but there may be nothing they can do. a global pandemic that's been hard to predict, improve or enhance open enrollment communication. The most common option for employees who missed the 30-day enrollment period is simply to wait until the next enrollment period to register for benefits. But at the height of a pandemic, it's all the more troubling. The call-to-action lets them know the open enrollment date, where they can find information, and when enrollment packets will become available. 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. There are benefit fairs, promotional material, and banners on the company website. We can help you tackle business challenges like these. 4 in 10 employees who are able to save for retirement are now saving less as they continue to face financial hardships. We endeavor to answer all inquiries within 24 hours on business days. Be sure to check your state laws. 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. Its equally important to understand why they missed the deadline and help them avoid the same mistake in the future. Thank you for visiting theFSAstore.com Learning Center. 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. Most companies operate on a calendar fiscal year. Cathy has been in the insurance industry for 28 years. Not great for Dave! 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.