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. RE: 2022 Open Enrollment communications to employees on leave of absence. 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. 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. At many organizations, the open enrollment season for 2020 employer-sponsored benefits is under way or about to begin. Let's use a fall open enrollment as an example. Helping Employees Navigate Health Benefits During Open Enrollment - SHRM Learn how SHRM Certification can accelerate your career growth by earning a SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. 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). Common qualifying life events include: Changes in marital status . You will not be subject to this penalty if you have offered appropriate coverage to employees, regardless of whether they enrolled in coverage. Make a corrective contribution to the plan for the employees that compensates for their missed deferral opportunity. Tips for writing a professional excuse email. 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. All rights reserved. Copyright The Regents of the University of California, Davis campus. Open Enrollment Period: October 10, 2022 - October 31, 2022 This is the annual opportunity for you to make changes to your benefits and to add or drop eligible dependents from coverage. We are available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. Open enrollment is complex enough as it is. *All Shipping prices displayed are for the lower 48 states only. 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. 12 Encouraging Messages to Share After a Job Loss | Cake Blog Sample 4: Formal absent excuse letter due to an emergency. Learn how ALEX makes benefits engagement a breeze for HR teams and consultants. 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. Heres what you need to do to get and early start: [Instructions]. 2023 FSA Store Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Heres what you need to do to get started now! Open enrollment is an important time of the year for employers, employees, and benefits vendors. Attached is a flier with more details but please reply here and let us know if you have questions! Center for Advocacy, Resources & Education (CARE), 2022 Salary Program for Non-Represented Staff, Resources for Trans and Non-Binary Employees. For employer-sponsored health coverage, special enrollment period rules are in the Code of Federal Regulations. Pay employees your way and automate tax payments. The dates give your human resources department time to process and review employee elections and send them to the benefits providers. Joan has a few thousand dollars saved for emergencies and no high-interest credit card debt. 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. 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. Keep in mind, though, that employees must make changes to their flexible spending accounts or health savings accounts each year. To apply for benefits and verify eligibility, individuals should complete the online screener application. 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. 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. 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. 401Ks, IRAs, compounding interest, employer matching its enough to make the average employees head spin. PDF From: Mary Beth Morgan When writing an open enrollment letter, here are 5 things you should include: Timing: Open enrollment periods are often only a few weeks long. To provide managers and supervisors with the guidance they may need in times of crucial . t is the employees responsibility to sign up for benefits during open enrollment as long as the employer provides plenty of notice. My enrollment period at my job is in July and I missed it last year without being aware. Please submit the email address associated with your account to reset your password. And there is a tool that can make that happen. 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. 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. Provide instructions on how to log in. - Workest Your Employee Missed Open Enrollment for Health Insurance. Therefore, your open enrollment for the new year will take place in October. Writing a good job rejection letter is not as hard as you think it is! If Dave finds himself suddenly having to pay for something unexpected (like a broken transmission or a flooded basement) and doesnt have cash saved up, his options for paying off this bill are to a) raid his existing 401K funds and pay a penalty, (b) take out a loan against his account, reducing his after-tax pay by paying back principle and interest, or (c) use a high-interest credit card. He writes about HR, compliance, and benefits solutions. All you have to do to make changes to your benefits is to log into the online portal and make any changes. Never miss out get the latest content delivered straight to your inbox. 5 post-open enrollment survey questions to ask your employees Get ready to discuss all things benefits! 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). Please confirm that you want to proceed with deleting bookmark. Her short-term financial situation is secure, so shes in a position to focus on her long-term goals. Request a consultation, so we discuss your payroll management and HR optimization needs. As you know, open enrollment is open now and closes [DATE]. I know how much you loved working there.". 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. Depending on your circumstances, your opportunities to enroll after the end of the annual open enrollment period may be limited. Sample Termination Letter to Employee Template | Workable All rights reserved. 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. Stacia will assign and work with an FBS Billing Coordinator to work with the district on consolidated billing, discrepancies, and other billing matters. Following this time frame, your open enrollment email to employees would go out in mid-September. Despite your own best efforts to communicate important information and deadlines, you may have employees who dont successfully enroll on time. Join 22,000+ HR pros who receive monthly employee benefits insights, straight to their inbox. SHRM Online, October 2019, Simple Open-Enrollment Tips That Can Make a Big Difference, How Can HR Help an Employee Who Misses Open Enrollment? How the human resources department handles the lead-up to your companys open enrollment will define its success. HR teams can send additional reminders to those employees and follow up with them individually so they dont miss the deadline. Cathy has been in the insurance industry for 28 years. 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. A sample of the email notification from HR Leave Administration is also attached. Find the latest news and members-only resources that can help employers navigate in an uncertain economy. What Is a Dependent Care FSA and How Does It Work? Missing open enrollment can be a costly mistake for employees, so employers should take adequate steps to help their employees through the enrollment process. Close the email out by reminding employees of the importance of benefits enrollment. 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. 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. 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. } Subject Line: Were Two Weeks From Open Enrollment! Missed Open Enrollment? Here's How HR Can Help | BerniePortal For you, when employees miss this deadline, it can result in additional administrative burdens and unhappy or unproductive employees. Your session has expired. 4 out of 5 can find a marketplace plan for $10 or less a month with cost assistance! There are simple steps employers can take to ensure a successful open enrollment period. SHRM's HR Knowledge Advisors offer guidance and resources to assist members with their HR inquiries. } Share links to reputable personal finance blogs and podcasts. However, this may not be practical, especially for employees with growing families. HR processes need to be in place as a standard business practice. The IRS states that a qualifying event must have an impact on your insurance needs or change what health insurance plans that you qualify for. Surveying your employees will help you clarify benefits options and the open enrollment process, demonstrate your willingness to set aside time to help answer their questions, and potentially reduce the number of employees that miss open enrollment. As an employer, you may be faced with administrative burdens and unhappy or unproductive employees. If you don't have time to send a formal letter, consider sending an excuse email instead. [Insert link to benefits portal and instructions]. The attachments can include: Getting essential information to employees is vital but shouldnt overwhelm the employee. Welcome to Open Enrollment! Even with weeks of communication in advance, employees may report that they missed open enrollment at work. Bonus tip: Dont just send all these links in a one-time email. 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. (Feel free to copy-pastewe won't tell.) By incorporating the mission of the university and the code of conduct, we believe strong communication will enhance understanding and foster positive work environments. 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. We endeavor to answer all inquiries within 24 hours on business days. Were hiringsee all of our open positions. SAMPLE EVERGREEN OPEN ENROLLMENT NOTICE . Thank them in advance for doing their part to make this a successful open enrollment. Its a good idea to create simple and comprehensive policies and procedures so youre prepared in the event of an SEP. Applicable large employers (ALEs) under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) may have additional concerns. Virtual & Washington, DC | February 26-28, 2023. SHRM Online, September 2019, 10 Questions for Employees Choosing a Health Plan, 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. ** 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 ", [SHRM members-only toolkit: To help employees meet open enrollment deadlines, consider implementing internal company deadlines that build in a safety net. The only exception to these terms is if an employee qualifies for a special enrollment period (SEP). For [current year], we are maintaining [describe plan types] and have made the following changes: [describe plan changes]. You want to give your employer time to reassign any of your tasks. ), Subject line: Lets get smarter about 401K savings. 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. 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. Changes in dependent status - children can age out of dependent status or become eligible for dependent status during the year. It often brings many questions and can be stressful on both sides of the communication flow. Changes in number of dependents - if you have a child, adopt a child, or if a child passes away. [Instructions or refer to additional resources]. 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. Benefit Cooperatives Here are a few theme ideas to get you started: Rock Enroll - Music Theme Benny & The Benefits - Music Theme Your teams should start strategizing well before the announcement for open enrollment. Human Resources - Sample Letters to Employees An announcement is made via email to ensure employees are informed about open enrollment dates and benefits being offered. Making your employees aware of these tools doesnt guarantee theyll use them, of course. Individuals who are below the income thresholds set by the government's programs can apply for coverage any time of year. $('.container-footer').first().hide(); 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. 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. else if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-mena.aspx") > -1) { The We encourage all employees and supervisors to treat others with equality and respect. Legally, no. Whenever someone loses their job, they want to hear that their loss is validated. Lets use a fall open enrollment as an example. Session Information: Many companies host open enrollment sessions to help fully explain the offerings. The only exception to these terms is if an employee qualifies for a special enrollment period (SEP). Now is the time to review your current benefits and prepare to make changes, if needed. 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. 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. Build specialized knowledge and expand your influence by earning a SHRM Specialty Credential. What's New 2023 Open Enrollment Announcement Health, Dental and Vision Plan Costs PPO Saver - High Deductible Health Plan Information Open . But if not enough people participate in the program, the company may also not see the benefits. Not all plans allow for mid-year changes, but you'll find that most do. TO: Department Benefit Representatives (DBR's), FR:Tami Schmittgen, HR Leave Administration, Supervisor, RE: 2022 Open Enrollment communications to employees on leave of absence. You want to provide employees with essential information about the upcoming benefits period that is engaging. Her past insurance experience includes roles as Marketing Supervisor, Account Management, and Account Executive at one of the largest insurance carriers of some of the largest employers in the state of Texas. Consider creating an email template. 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. Managing Organizational Communication]. Copyright 2023 Financial Benefit Services: Employee Benefit Solutions. Here's our employee furlough letter sample: Dear [ employee_name ], I'm sorry to inform you that your position will be put temporarily on furlough due to urgent business conditions, from [ date] to [ date ]. Careers, Terms of Use a global pandemic that's been hard to predict, improve or enhance open enrollment communication. var temp_style = document.createElement('style'); Sample 1: Excuse letter for work absence due to family matters. Its recommended the announcement email should go out two weeks before benefits packages are made available to all employees. Ready to spend? Have an upbeat message to let employees know this is a positive engagement. University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 | 530-752-1011. 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. is a benefits enrollment strategy that employers use to simplify the process and maintain benefits participation. Employees digest information in different ways. Don't leave your elections for the last minute as that can make you rush the process and leave you more susceptible to mistakes. These include: Since there is little wiggle room with open enrollment deadlines, employers should focus on preventing employees from missing the annual deadline. Utilizing as many forms of communication as possible will enable you to reach more employees. 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). To learn more, schedule a consultation with one of our knowledgeable business advisors. Enrollment ends Jan 15th in most states. Be sure to include these details in your letter. Send them out as soon as you know that the applicant is not suitable for the role. Keep your health in check We can help you tackle business challenges like these. The open enrollment survey questions you ask largely will depend on the goals you are trying to measure. By requiring employees to sign either an acknowledgement of benefits form for those who opt in to coverage, or a waiver of coverage form for those who opt out or miss the deadline to enroll in employer-based benefits packages, you will create a uniform policy. 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. Here are a few ideas: Also consider other help emails that explain the process in greater detail. Russ joined FBS in 2019 after working as a valued partner for 15 years and manages our ISDs group health program. Unless youre a financial expert or HR professional, figuring out retirement plans is no walk in the park. * 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. If you are looking to outsource Paychex can help you manage HR, payroll, benefits, and more from our industry leading all-in-one solution. If you have questions please send to [email] or attend the upcoming Q&A [Date, time location]. Learn more, Money Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for a Richer Life. 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. Sample 2: Excuse email for work absence due to sickness. There are benefit fairs, promotional material, and banners on the company website. Get benefits strategy and communication tips that will make you even better at your job. Keep letters professional and to the point. We do not sell internationally. The open enrollment announcement email should go out two weeks before your benefits packages are made available to employees. Members may download one copy of our sample forms and templates for your personal use within your organization. Missing open enrollment can be a costly mistake for employees, so employers should take adequate steps to help their employees through the enrollment process. Also, remember the source of information. These are just a few quick tips. Miss open enrollment? You've got options. - health insurance Its that time of year again! Brian has spearheaded branding and media communications at FBS and leads the Marketing Department as the Marketing Manager. 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. Youcouldadd the examples above into your general 401K messaging and call it a day. 2175 N. Glenville Drive ", 2. Sending out the open enrollment email to employees is just the first step. Open enrollment is a predetermined time frame employers establish for making changes to health care plans and benefits. SHRM Online, September 2016. . 1.) Many companies find communications difficult to manage during this time and participation is frequently low. (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. Reach out to our team any time to chat! Still, missing open enrollment can make a bad situation worse. The information must get to vendors to ensure employees elections are accessible on day one of your companys benefits plan year. Please review the information . Why? Standalone Consulting Agreement 403(b) Plan Fix-It Guide - You didn't give all employees of the } 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. Kyle was hired by FBS as one of our first benefit consultants in 2001 and became the President of the company in 2005. Heres what this kind of targeted advice might look like in an email you send to your workforce. Legally, employers are not required to do anything for employees who have missed the open enrollment deadline. Emails are essential for company-wide communication because every employee gets assigned a company email when hired. Plans like, short-term coverage and critical illness allow year-round enrollment but are not regulated by the. After open enrollment ends, you can only make changes to your elections if you've experienced a qualifying life event. What Happens if an Employee Misses Open Enrollment? 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.. Mistakes During Open Enrollment Can You Change Elections? Here's what can happen and how HR can help. Now What? As HR representatives address open. 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. Learn how Jellyvision can help you solve your clients toughest challenges. The point of offering healthcare employee benefits for employees is to ensure that they are properly cared for. ", "Americans tend to miss the mark when they stick with what they were doing before without double-checking their assumptions," said Kelley Long, a member of the AICPA Consumer Financial Education Advocates panel. Individuals who are in transition may qualify to register for a short-term insurance plan if offered in their state.