The dates give your human resources department time to process and review employee elections and send them to the benefits providers. 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. 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. Please purchase a SHRM membership before saving bookmarks. var currentLocation = getCookie("SHRM_Core_CurrentUser_LocationID"); 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). HR is still the caretaker of company culture, even when administering benefits. There are benefit fairs, promotional material, and banners on the company website. The opening of the email starts with a bold header letting employees know its time for open enrollment. Letter Template #1. Stacia will assign and work with an FBS Billing Coordinator to work with the district on consolidated billing, discrepancies, and other billing matters. Since Greg has an emergency fund in place, it makes sense for him to fund his 401K until his employer match is reached. 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. if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-china.aspx") > -1) { Help employees save for retirement and reduce taxable income. To learn more, schedule a consultation with one of our knowledgeable business advisors. Effective communication to employees can sometimes be a moving target. Even with weeks of communication in advance, employees may report that they missed open enrollment at work. To get the ball rolling, a robust open enrollment email to employees is vital. This years enrollment period runs from [enrollment period dates]. Cathy has been in the insurance industry for 28 years. document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Give us a ring, send an email, or fill out the form below. Consider creating an email template. Putting money away for your retirement is important, but how important depends on the financial boat youre in. Include a benefits portal on your company website so employees can enroll online at their convenience. Please confirm that you want to proceed with deleting bookmark. Were hiringsee all of our open positions. (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). Open enrollment is complex enough as it is. 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. 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. The portal can also include a count-down counter to encourage employees to enroll. Kyle was hired by FBS as one of our first benefit consultants in 2001 and became the President of the company in 2005. Include with your email any attachments related to open enrollment. 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;}'; 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. 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. Most companies operate on a calendar fiscal year. All you have to do to make changes to your benefits is to log into the online portal and make any changes. Here are a few different scenarios you might find yourself in, and some advice for how to approach your 401K. If you experience one of these life events, you'll want to get in touch with your FSA administrator within 30 days of the event to find out if you are eligible to make changes to your plan. Legally, no. Managing Organizational Communication]. Missing open enrollment can be a costly mistake for employees, so employers should take adequate steps to help their employees through the enrollment process. At many organizations, the open enrollment season for 2020 employer-sponsored benefits is under way or about to begin. Weve got some exciting options this year so be prepared to make changes! Utilizing as many forms of communication as possible will enable you to reach more employees. Copyright 2023 Financial Benefit Services: Employee Benefit Solutions. 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. Her short-term financial situation is secure, so shes in a position to focus on her long-term goals. Richardson, TX. For that time frame, announcements would go out in the middle of September. The point of offering healthcare employee benefits for employees is to ensure that they are properly cared for. The open enrollment announcement email should go out two weeks before your benefits packages are made available to employees. var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); 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. Jellyvision acquires Picwell to simplify the employee benefits puzzle! Specifically, 29 CFR 2590.701-6, and in permitted election changes for Section 125 plans ( 26 CFR 1.125-4 ). Your Employee Missed Open Enrollment for Health Insurance. t is the employees responsibility to sign up for benefits during open enrollment as long as the employer provides plenty of notice. In. He is a graduate of Texas Tech University with a Degree in Education. In this second sample, look for employees who should have been excluded from participation. Highlight apps that put savings on autopilot. (Feel free to copy-pastewe wont tell. Were two weeks from open enrollment. Not all plans allow for mid-year changes, but you'll find that most do. Now is the time to review your current benefits and prepare to make changes, if needed. Category. Subject Line: Heads Up: Open Enrollment Details Coming Your Way. We are available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. Remind employees they will receive a confirmation of their changes. , they can enroll at any time, all year long. Were sharing some sample 401K communication to employees that you can use to get your message across. After open enrollment ends, you can only make changes to your elections if you've experienced a qualifying life event. Client Testimonials 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. Emails are essential for company-wide communication because every employee gets assigned a company email when hired. 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. But if not enough people participate in the program, the company may also not see the benefits. ", [SHRM members-only toolkit: 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). And to make matters worse, employees are skittish about their retirement savings right now thanks to COVID. (A version of this article appeared in Plan Sponsor magazine in February 2018.). See attached flyer. Be sure to check your state laws. He writes about HR, compliance, and benefits solutions. Your session has expired. All of these options would result in him losing money beyond the cost of the surprise expense. During open enrollment, HR representatives often block off hours in their calendars to respond to employee questions about coverage, requirements, and deadlines. Short-term insurance is a plan that provides health insurance for 30-364 days (depending on your state) to act as a stopgap when there is a lapse in longer health coverage. Request a consultation, so we discuss your payroll management and HR optimization needs. You will not be subject to this penalty if you have offered appropriate coverage to employees, regardless of whether they enrolled in coverage. The information must get to vendors to ensure employees elections are accessible on day one of your companys benefits plan year. However, this may not be practical, especially for employees with growing families. 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. Joan has a few thousand dollars saved for emergencies and no high-interest credit card debt. [Insert link to benefits portal and instructions]. Subject Line: Lets Talk Benefits! We encourage all employees and supervisors to treat others with equality and respect. Thank them in advance for doing their part to make this a successful open enrollment. Therefore, its important employers be proactive in their approach to open enrollment. Think of it as an invitation. 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. My enrollment period at my job is in July and I missed it last year without being aware. There are simple steps employers can take to ensure a successful open enrollment period. Announce your benefits portal and upcoming benefits fairs. 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. While just keeping whatever health coverage they had this year is tempting for employees, doing so may come with a substantial financial downside. To learn more, schedule a consultation with one of our knowledgeable business advisors. You heard it here first! The UCPath communications sent to employees are attached for your reference. As part of the open enrollment process, employers should help make employees aware of what happens if they missed open enrollment. The 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 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. While employers have certain responsibilities to notify employees about benefits-related deadlines, the responsibility of registering for benefits and completing any required paperwork falls on the employee. As an employer, you may be faced with administrative burdens and unhappy or unproductive employees. Sample 401K Communication to Employees. The better employees understand open enrollment and the benefits they receive from participating, the higher engagement employers will see from their team. The information below covers what open enrollment is and what you may do during this time. 2023 FSA Store Inc. All Rights Reserved. The more visibility you give them, the more likely your employees will dig in. Sample 1: Excuse letter for work absence due to family matters. Please let us know if you have questions! 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. 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. Heres what you need to do to get and early start: [Instructions]. Comprehensive coverage for your business, property, and employees. a global pandemic that's been hard to predict, improve or enhance open enrollment communication. } But it will show that you have their best interests in mindwhich, when it comes to creating change, is half the battle. The email is simply an introduction. Open enrollment is an important time of the year for employers, employees, and benefits vendors. He currently serves as the benefit consultant for 15 of the 20 Educational Service Centers in the State of Texas. 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. 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. We also keep your employer insurance premium costs in check so that your company has protection without placing undue stress on your budget. Employee satisfaction is one of the most important avenues toward greater productivity and business growth. 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. By incorporating the mission of the university and the code of conduct, we believe strong communication will enhance understanding and foster positive work environments. 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. If you don't have time to send a formal letter, consider sending an excuse email instead. Copyright 2023 The Regents of the University of California. Privacy Policy 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 can be a costly mistake for employees, so employers should take adequate steps to help their employees through the enrollment process. Send them out as soon as you know that the applicant is not suitable for the role. 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.". Short-term coverage is typically cheaper than traditional health plans, but only relatively healthy individuals will qualify. "There are many factors, both in a benefits plan and in one's personal life, that can change every year. 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. SAMPLE EVERGREEN OPEN ENROLLMENT NOTICE . Its equally important to understand why they missed the deadline and help them avoid the same mistake in the future. 2. Access exclusive research and insights on the future of employee benefits. As a result, your employees can latch on to the situation closest to their own, and feel more confident in their choices. . look at employees who received a W-2 and participated in the 403(b) plan. 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. HR processes need to be in place as a standard business practice. Here are a few tips to make OE emails engaging and drive participation.