Here are a few theme ideas to get you started: Rock Enroll - Music Theme Benny & The Benefits - Music Theme (Let employees know if plans are changing or if new plans were added). Open Enrollment begins on Tuesday, October 15, 2019 and runs through 5 pm, Thursday, October 31, 2019You may enroll online through Employee Self. Bretton is an aPHR-certified member of the Marketing Team at Bernard Health. var currentUrl = window.location.href.toLowerCase();
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. Open enrollment is an important time of the year for employers, employees, and benefits vendors. To prevent these issues, its important to communicate to your employeesahead of timethe consequences of missing the open enrollment deadline. Sushma Tripathi, vice president of strategic advisory services at ADP, an HR management software and services provider, offered the following starter questions HR can ask to engage employees during open enrollment. Subject Line: Lets Talk Benefits! , they can enroll at any time, all year long. If youre truly invested in helping your employees not only plan for retirement, but also create savings and dig out of debt, offer education in the moments that matter: Reiterate your 401K messaging whenever employees get a raise, bonus, or promotion. This e-mail is the first step of a three-part process. They must offer affordable, minimum-essential coverage to their full-time employees or potentially face the employer shared responsibility penalty. Members may download one copy of our sample forms and templates for your personal use within your organization. Also, remember the source of information. The open enrollment announcement email should go out two weeks before your benefits packages are made available to employees. Sample 3: Letter of permission for missing work due to an important matter. Ensure they know exactly what theyre supposed to do next. 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. 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.". Remote employment has become popular in the past few years, with more employers opting for this new way of doing things. 4 in 10 employees who are able to save for retirement are now saving less as they continue to face financial hardships. If your organization doesn't offer auto-enrollment, then workers who miss the window may be left out in the cold without any coverage. Changes in marital status - Getting married, divorced, separated, or if your spouse passes away. Include a benefits portal on your company website so employees can enroll online at their convenience. 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. Posted on December 9, 2021 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. ", 2. Offer health, dental, vision and more to recruit & retain employees. ** 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 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. Copyright 2023 The Regents of the University of California. 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. Mistakes happen -- and it happens more than it probably should when people are choosing health insurance. Sample 401K Communication to Employees: A Template for HR Leaders 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. !.,-_*|+~#). 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. Here we have provided you with a template for your open enrollment email to employees. Why? Each year host a debriefing session to understand what worked and how to improve open enrollment the following year. Managing Organizational Communication]. 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. He currently serves as the benefit consultant for several of the FBS Benefit Co-Operatives and many standalone school districts. var temp_style = document.createElement('style');
Use a format that addresses the employee by name. Bonus tip: Dont just send all these links in a one-time email. ACA Compliance, Medical Consulting He would lose more money than hed gain if still carrying that debt. 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. I missed open enrollment for my insurance and now I need to - Workest Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity to review your benefit plan options and make . Section 125 plans are used by most employers that offer health coverage, as they are the mechanism that allows . 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). Stop the sniffles The answer to your question may depend on whose open enrollment you missed and why. Changes in employment - this can mean starting a new job, quitting, or a transition from part-time to full-time work status. There are simple steps employers can take to ensure a successful open enrollment period. Welcome to Open Enrollment! Missing open enrollment means limited options, but here a few situations to consider: Qualifying Life Event: An employee may be in luck if they have a qualifying event coming up. The better employees understand open enrollment and the benefits they receive from participating, the higher engagement employers will see from their team. Enrollment ends Jan 15th in most states. 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. 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. Medicaid provides health insurance to low-income individuals, while CHIP provides health insurance to children of low-income families. If you missed open enrollment through your employer, you've probably already asked for their help but there may be nothing they can do. 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. As a result, your employees can latch on to the situation closest to their own, and feel more confident in their choices. Please log in as a SHRM member. Stacia will assign and work with an FBS Billing Coordinator to work with the district on consolidated billing, discrepancies, and other billing matters. As you know, open enrollment is open now and closes [DATE]. If an employee misses open enrollment, he or she may understandably be panicked and unhappy. Missing open enrollment can be a costly mistake for employees, so employers should take adequate steps to help their employees through the enrollment process. document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Give us a ring, send an email, or fill out the form below. This is the time for you to [Instructions], Were excited to bring you [Detail plan options and info]. At this point, there is not much more that you can do for him or her unless he or she qualifies for an SEP. 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.. 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. The official dates are [DATE] to [DATE]. The information must get to vendors to ensure employees elections are accessible on day one of your companys benefits plan year. How to Draft a Open Enrollment Email to Employees (With Template). Everything You Need Is Inside! 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. The good news is that were here for you every step of the way! It often brings many questions and can be stressful on both sides of the communication flow. $('.container-footer').first().hide();
What's New 2023 Open Enrollment Announcement Health, Dental and Vision Plan Costs PPO Saver - High Deductible Health Plan Information Open . Category. The email is simply an introduction. In order to ensure that their businesses will not face any penalties, many ALEs should document that coverage has been offered. The point of offering healthcare employee benefits for employees is to ensure that they are properly cared for. So, if you find yourself surprised by a premium increase come January, you won't be able to change coverage. Russ continues to support districts across the state with their risk management programs. Open with an engaging subject line and immediately set a positive tone. [Insert link to benefits portal and instructions]. Only about one-third of employees (34 percent) have a . Most companies operate on a calendar fiscal year. Request a consultation, so we discuss your payroll management and HR optimization needs. Therefore, its important employers be proactive in their approach to open enrollment. Howevereven when it's for their benefit(s)your priorities are not always their priorities, and some workers may put it off, thinking they'll have more time to ask questions and get clarification later. In the same way 401(k)s use automated deposits to make retirement savings easy for employees, mobile apps likeAcorns,Robinhood,Stash,DigitsandTallyuse automation to help people build emergency savings funds, pay down credit card debt, and invest in smart, manageable, and automatic ways. (Feel free to copy-pastewe won't tell.) What Happens if an Employee Misses Open Enrollment? document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); 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. 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. Remind employees they will receive a confirmation of their changes. 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. Requiring waivers of coverage: Waiver of coverage documents verify that employees reviewed and declined benefits options during the open enrollment period. Employers can also gather status updates during the open enrollment period to view which employees have not completed enrollment. You can also take an email communication and post it to the employee portal on your website. "There are many factors, both in a benefits plan and in one's personal life, that can change every year. Its equally important to understand why they missed the deadline and help them avoid the same mistake in the future. 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. 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. Hopefully, we'll be able to restore your employment after this critical time. 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. About Us For [current year], we are maintaining [describe plan types] and have made the following changes: [describe plan changes]. Consider also whether or not your company should offer auto-enrollment to help employees avoid missing open enrollment. Drafting A Sample Email Most employees receive a flood of work-related emails every single day. 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. Build specialized knowledge and expand your influence by earning a SHRM Specialty Credential. And to make matters worse, employees are skittish about their retirement savings right now thanks to COVID. At many organizations, the open enrollment season for 2020 employer-sponsored benefits is under way or about to begin. Apologize to an Employee or Employees WriteExpress Its recommended the announcement email should go out two weeks before benefits packages are made available to all employees. The information below covers what open enrollment is and what you may do during this time. When writing an open enrollment letter, here are 5 things you should include: Timing: Open enrollment periods are often only a few weeks long. Have an upbeat message to let employees know this is a positive engagement. Written by Your employer is not legally obligated to allow you to make changes to your elections after the open enrollment period has ended. As Billing Manager, she assists in the day to day accounting processing for her team and is available to handle any escalated billing matters. Legally, employers are not required to do anything for employees who have missed the open enrollment deadline. Plus, you must consider the different ways people receive information. Earn FSA Perks Points, unlock member-only rewards, and speed up the checkout process. Open enrollment consumes a large amount of HR's time and energy, making it nearly impossible to forget about. We endeavor to answer all inquiries within 24 hours on business days. Her short-term financial situation is secure, so shes in a position to focus on her long-term goals. HR teams can send additional reminders to those employees and follow up with them individually so they dont miss the deadline. Include with your email any attachments related to open enrollment. Please enable scripts and reload this page. 2175 N. Glenville Drive The open enrollment announcement email should go out two weeks before your benefits packages are made available to employees. ), Example #2: Dave, Who Has No Emergency Fund. Learn how Jellyvision can help you solve your clients toughest challenges. 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. Kyle was hired by FBS as one of our first benefit consultants in 2001 and became the President of the company in 2005. Most companies operate on a calendar fiscal year. 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. }
Still, missing open enrollment can make a bad situation worse. 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. But how do you make sure your benefits communication strategy is up to par? As part of the open enrollment process, employers should help make employees aware of what happens if they missed open enrollment.