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. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); 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. 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. Remind employees they will receive a confirmation of their changes. As a result, your employees can latch on to the situation closest to their own, and feel more confident in their choices. Tips for writing a professional excuse email. Its equally important to understand why they missed the deadline and help them avoid the same mistake in the future. Unless youre a financial expert or HR professional, figuring out retirement plans is no walk in the park. How Can HR Help an Employee Who Misses Open Enrollment? Share links to reputable personal finance blogs and podcasts. By incorporating the mission of the university and the code of conduct, we believe strong communication will enhance understanding and foster positive work environments. Your teams should start strategizing well before the announcement for open enrollment. The open enrollment process is often confusing and time-consuming. What Happens if an Employee Misses Open Enrollment? The opening of the email starts with a bold header letting employees know its time for 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. Deadline to enroll for insurance to start Jan 1 is Dec 15. Members can get help with HR questions via phone, chat or email. Flex-Ed: Mistakes During Open Enrollment Can You Change Elections? In your hook, you want to get employees ready for open enrollment. Coby now serves as the Senior Vice President of FBS managing a team of sales, marketing, and client implementation personnel. Not great for Dave! 4 out of 5 can find a marketplace plan for $10 or less a month with cost assistance! Keep it brief. If you improperly included an employee, you may have a . The Covered Connecticut program allows eligible applicants to enroll anytime. 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 the employer gave proper notice to employees communicating open enrollment deadlines, there is very little that can be done legally to help the employee after the fact, so a proactive approach and providing detailed information before and during open enrollment works best. How to Tell Someone They Didn't Get the Job - Template - Workstream Now is the time to review your current benefits and prepare to make changes, if needed. At this point, there is not much more that you can do for him or her unless he or she qualifies for an SEP. 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). SHRM Online, September 2019, 10 Questions for Employees Choosing a Health Plan, Subject Line: Were Two Weeks From Open Enrollment! Build specialized knowledge and expand your influence by earning a SHRM Specialty Credential. Written by Let's use a fall open enrollment as an example. 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. 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. Richardson, TX. He just cant beat a 100% return on his money. 12 Encouraging Messages to Share After a Job Loss | Cake Blog Coby joined FBS in 2007 as a Benefit Consultant and then rose to Vice President of Sales in 2013. Subject Line: Tomorrow Is The Day For Open Enrollment! I know how much you loved working there.". 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. Still, missing open enrollment can make a bad situation worse. 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. Despite your own best efforts to communicate important information and deadlines, you may have employees who dont successfully enroll on time. Every employee has his or her own preferences when it comes to receiving important information. The open enrollment announcement email should go out two weeks before your benefits packages are made available to employees. To request permission for specific items, click on the reuse permissions button on the page where you find the item. Another way to increase engagement is to provide helpful resources and quick tips for employees to reference. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I am aBrokerCarrierEmployerCOBRA Participant. 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. When looking into the issue, work with the employee and the health insurance broker to make sure there wasnt an administrative error. Your Employee Missed Open Enrollment for Health Insurance - Workest 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. The official dates are [DATE] to [DATE]. Missing open enrollment means limited options, but here a few situations to consider: If an employee misses open enrollment, its important that HR first respond with empathy and understanding. Thank them in advance for doing their part to make this a successful open enrollment. Here are a few tips to make OE emails engaging and drive participation. Get benefits strategy and communication tips that will make you even better at your job. But at the height of a pandemic, it's all the more troubling. 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 may not reflect the most current legal developments, may be changed without notice and is not guaranteed to be complete, correct, or up-to-date. 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 ]. Enrollment ends Jan 15th in most states. Here are some points you can (and should) include: Be Concise, and Swift. In order to ensure that their businesses will not face any penalties, many ALEs should document that coverage has been offered. Comprehensive coverage for your business, property, and employees. 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. What Happens If an Employee Misses Open Enrollment? 401Ks, IRAs, compounding interest, employer matching its enough to make the average employees head spin. 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. 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). 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. Emails are essential for company-wide communication because every employee gets assigned a company email when hired. The more visibility you give them, the more likely your employees will dig in. 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. Sample 1: Excuse letter for work absence due to family matters. Be sure to communicate the time period with employees. Sample Absent Excuse Letters for Missing Work 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. 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. All rights reserved. Open enrollment is an important time of the year for employers, employees, and benefits vendors. Why? If an employee misses open enrollment, he or she may understandably be panicked and unhappy. Privacy Policy In order to offset any decrease in morale, it is important that you provide opportunities for the employee to meet with HR or to attend informational meetings that discuss his or her options to obtain coverage for the next year. Access exclusive research and insights on the future of employee benefits. 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. But most advisors suggest putting away 15-20% of your paycheck if you can. Bookmark () Riia O'Donnell on Nov 27, 2018 Why Send an Open Enrollment Email to Employees? Bretton is an aPHR-certified member of the Marketing Team at Bernard Health. Special Enrollment Periods for Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance 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. COBRA - If you lose your job and elect to continue receiving benefits from your employer. We encourage all employees and supervisors to treat others with equality and respect.