OPEN ENROLLMENT Employee Benefits Abstract Through the use of the Employee Self Service and Human Resource modules, you will be able to setup self-enrollment for your employees and let them do all the work when enrolling in Benefits. 10/13/2016 Page 0 of 20
Table of Contents 1.0 Benefit Groups... 2 1.1 Benefit Group Setup... 2 1.2 Single Employee Assignment... 4 1.3 Multi-Employee Assignment... 4 2.0 Open Enrollment... 6 2.1 Managing Open Enrollment... 6 2.1.1 Open Enrollment Setup... 7 2.1.2 Approvals and Denials... 7 2.2 Single Employee Enrollment... 9 2.3 Life Event Change... 10 3.0 Employee Self Enrollment... 11 3.1 My Benefits... 11 3.2 Life Event Change... 12 3.3 Enrollment Process... 13 3.3.1 Employee Information... 14 3.3.2 Dependent Information... 15 3.3.3 Choose Your Benefits... 16 3.3.4 Confirm and Submit... 19 3.4 Enrollment Status... 20 Page 1 of 20
1.0 Benefit Groups A new feature required for implementing the Open Enrollment functionality, Benefit Groups have been added into WorkLinx. This feature alters some of the current rules-based setup for applying benefits to employees, to a more traditional system of using dropdown menu assignments for applying benefits to employees. Think of this as a menu that is delivered to a particular audience. Executives get these benefit items, Union employees gets these items, and so on. 1.1 Benefit Group Setup To create a new Benefit Group, open the Benefits Dashboard within HRMS. Next, click on the button to open the Benefit Groups screen. Figure 1 - Benefit Groups Screen The button can be used to create a new Benefit Group. Simply fill out the Group Name and select the appropriate Start Date in the calendar selector, and then press the button. The new Benefit Group will now display as its own tab below the button, titled with the name entered. The name can be changed Figure 2 - Add Enrollment Groups Window at any time by clicking on the button. Page 2 of 20
Next, associate a valid date range to this group by clicking on the button. The Add New Timeline window will allow you to select a New Start Date for the group from the calendar button to assign the new date to the group. selector. Click the The new effective dates will start with the date selected and end decades in the future, indicating forever. Every time a new effective date is added, the previous date range will end one day prior to the New Start Date. The effective date dropdown will allow you to change between effective dates and view historical Benefit Group configurations. Figure 3 - Add New Timeline Window The next step is to select which benefit categories will be available to this Benefit Group. This can be done by clicking on the button. Select the appropriate Category Name from the dropdown and click the button. This process should be completed until all needed categories have been added to the Benefit Group. Figure 4 - Add Benefit Category Window When all of the categories have been added, they will display as boxes on the bottom of the Benefit Groups screen. Within each of the Categories, click on the screen for that category. button to open the Options To add options to the category, select the Provider from the dropdown, check the option box that should apply, and click the button. This should be repeated for all options that need to be added to the selected category for this Benefit Group. Click the categories present. button to finish. This step should be repeated for all Figure 5 - Category Options Window Figure 6 - Medical Category (Example) Page 3 of 20
1.2 Single Employee Assignment The new dropdown will display on the Benefits tab in the Employee Record. All Benefit Groups that have been setup in the system will display within this Benefit Group dropdown and allow assignment to the selected employee. Figure 8 - Benefits Tab (Employee Record) 1.3 Multi-Employee Assignment Figure 7 - Benefit Group Dropdown To assign Benefit Groups to more than one employee at a time, open the Employee Dashboard and click on the hyperlinked Active Employee Count value to display the Active Employees list. Please remember that this screen only displays information for the Organization Level selected, so be sure to move to the highest applicable level to have access to all employees. Select the new option that has been added to the Action Assign Benefit Group. dropdown called The Assign Benefit Group window that appears works similarly to the other Action dropdown options. To multi-assign a Benefit Group to employees: Figure 9 - Action Dropdown 1. Filter the list of employees by using radio button options at the top in combination with the buttons at the top of each column. 2. Select the desired group from the Select Benefit Group dropdown at the top. 3. Check off each employee that should be assigned this group. The and can be used to expedite this process, if the employees were filtered appropriately in Step 1. 4. Finally, click the button to complete the mass assignment. Page 4 of 20
This process can be repeated for all Benefit Groups that require assignment. Click the button to exit the screen when complete. Figure 10 - Assign Benefit Group Window This screen is also accessible from the Benefits Overview dashboard by clicking on the hyperlinked number indicating each Benefit Group Total. Figure 11 - Benefits Overview Dashboard Page 5 of 20
2.0 Open Enrollment The Open Enrollment functionality works between the HRMS and Employee Self Service (ESS) modules to allow employees to self-enroll themselves into benefits within the Benefit Group they have been assigned. Your organization must have purchased both modules to proceed with this functionality. Please contact your Sales Representative if interested in adding either module. 2.1 Managing Open Enrollment Open Enrollments can be created and modified from right-side of the Benefits Overview dashboard, under the Enrollments section. Figure 12 - Benefits Overview Dashboard Each Open Enrollment will be indicated by its own band below the Open Enrollment heading, indicating its name, period, status, and the number of employees pending review within it. Figure 13 - Open Enrollment (Example) There are three buttons available to manage employee enrollments:,, and. All three buttons will take you to the Enrollments Dashboard, but to the particular tab listed on the button. Page 6 of 20
2.1.1 Open Enrollment Setup The Open Enrollment tab displays previously created open enrollment periods. Figure 14 - Open Enrollment Tab Each Open Enrollment is represented by its name and the enrollment period (date range). Each row also presents a breakdown of employee Submissions and Approvals, in both percentage and graphical format. The Open Enrollment s status is indicated by the box on the far right, Open in the example above. Creation of new Open Enrollments can be performed through the button, which will cause the New Open Enrollment window to appear. To begin, enter the name of the Open Enrollment in the Title field at the top. Next, use the calendar selectors to choose the date range of the enrollment period in the Self Enrollment Period section. These dates indicate the period in which employees will be able to make their selections within ESS. Then, check off each organization level that this enrollment applies to in the Included Organization Levels section. Use the expand icons to access lower level options, if necessary. All org levels below a selected level will be automatically checked. In the Benefit Groups section, check should apply to this enrollment. off which groups Finally, click the create the enrollment with the selected values. Once an enrollment has been created, you can click on it to view its details. to Figure 15 - New Open Enrollment Window 2.1.2 Approvals and Denials The Open Enrollment Details screen displays a list of all benefit applications included within the enrollment, differentiated by the employee s Name, Department and Organization. The button will display New Open Enrollment screen and allow changes to the selected enrollment. If no progress has taken place in the enrollment, the can be used to remove it. The button will close the Details screen and redisplay the Open Enrollments screen. Page 7 of 20
Figure 16 - Open Enrollment Details Screen The Progress column displays the status of each application. Each status is also represented above the grid and clicking on one of them will filter the list to only applications with that status, as indicated by the numeric value below them. Figure 18 - Enrollment Status Filters Any application that has been started can be viewed by clicking on the row for that employee. If it is Pending Review, it can be accepted using the button or denied using the button. The button will hide the application and display the Details screen once more. Figure 17 - Employee Benefit Application Page 8 of 20
Any application that is Pending Review can be selected by checking the button or mass denials through the box. This allows mass approving of applications by clicking the button. When approving or denying applications, a window will appear that allows you to send a message to the employee as to why they are being approved or declined. This message will appear in the ESS module when the selected employee logs in. When approving or declining multiple employees, the same message will be sent to all selected, so please use the individual approval or denial method if a specific message needs to be given to the employee. Once your message has been entered, use the applicable button or Figure 19 - Message to Employee Window button to complete the process. If an employee s application is denied, they will have the opportunity to correct the problem and re-submit within ESS. Once the open enrollment period has ended and all applications have been processed, use the close the enrollment period. button to 2.2 Single Employee Enrollment The second tab, titled Single-Employee Enrollment, allows the user to enroll employees one at a time. This is useful when a newly hired employee first becomes eligible for benefits but an open enrollment period isn t currently available. Figure 20 - Single Employee Enrollment Tab This screen will list the enrollment information for all employees available. The user can click on the employee s row to view their benefit information, approve, or deny their enrollment, the same as the other enrollment screens. To begin enrolling a new employee, press the button, and the New Single-Employee Enrollment window will appear. Page 9 of 20
Click on the Employee field and it will turn into a dropdown, allowing you to type in an employee s name to narrow down the list or simply scroll through it until you find the one you want. Click on the employee s name to select them. Next, use the calendar Enrollment Period. selectors to set the employee s Self- Then, select the Benefit Start Date for the employee from the calendar selector. Finally, choose the appropriate benefit group from the Employee s Benefit Group dropdown, and click the Figure 21 - New Single-Employee Enrollment Window button. 2.3 Life Event Change Figure 22 - Life Event Change Tab The final tab is for Life Event Changes. When an employee submits a benefit change in ESS due to a Life Event, their information will display in this tab. Clicking on the employee s row will allow the user to view, approve, or deny the benefit change. Figure 23 - Employee Benefit Application Window Page 10 of 20
3.0 Employee Self Enrollment Employees will now be able to enroll themselves in benefits in the Employee Self Service (ESS) module. This can be accomplished during Open Enrollment or by submitting a Life Event Change. 3.1 My Benefits A new screen has been added to the ESS, titled My Benefits, click on the tab to display the Your Benefit Information screen. Figure 24 - Your Benefit Information Screen This screen displays all benefit information for the employee, separated into three tabs: Health, Life, and Additional. Each tab displays benefit information for any benefit that fits into that category. For example, the Health tab will display benefit information for Health, Dental, and Vision plans. Page 11 of 20
3.2 Life Event Change On the My Benefits screen, the employee can click on the button to enroll in benefits outside of an Open Enrollment period. Valid documentation (Marriage License, Birth Certificate, etc.) will need to be submitted to the benefits administrator in order to receive approval of the benefit change. Figure 25 - Add Life Event Change Window In the Add Life Event Change window that appears, select the reason for the change: Marital Status; Add or Remove Dependent; or Change of Coverage. Next, use the calendar selector in the top right corner to select the effective date of the change. If the documentation for the event is available in digital format, click on the button. A new window, Life Event Attachments, will appear and you can attach the document as you would an email attachment by clicking on the button. Click the button when all documents have been added. If the documentation will be manually delivered to the benefits administrator, check the box. Figure 26 - Life Event Attachments Window Finally, click the to complete the submission. A new banner will appear on the left-side of the screen, allowing you to begin the enrollment process. Figure 27 - Benefit Enrollment Banner Page 12 of 20
3.3 Enrollment Process An employee will have a banner on the left-side of the ESS module beneath the screen tabs if enrollment is available through one of the following methods: An Open Enrollment Period is active; A user has setup the employee for Single-Employee Enrollment; or The employee has submitted a Life Event Change. As long as the Application Status is not Approved, the employee can use the button to view enrollment options. Benefits are separated by tabs indicated by their individual types (Dental, Life, etc.) on the Your Plan Preview screen. Figure 28 - Enrollment Banner (Not Started) Figure 29 - Your Plan Preview Window Click on the button to self-enroll into their benefits package. Benefit Enrollment is broken into four sections, indicated by tabs on the Benefit Enrollment screen: Employee Information; Dependent Information; Choose Your Benefits; and Confirm and Submit. These should be completed in the order displayed, but if the employee is interrupted or does not have enough time to complete the application in one sitting, they can use the button to pause the process and return to it at a later time. Regardless of when they employee started self-enrollment, they must Confirm and Submit the application before the enrollment period has ended. Page 13 of 20
3.3.1 Employee Information Figure 30 - Employee Information Tab The Employee Information tab displays basic personal information about the employee such as name and address. This gives the employee the ability to correct their address information so it will be accurate within the system and on the benefits export that will eventually be sent to the benefit vendors. If the employee does change their address information, the following pop-up window will display, reminding them to submit the information to HR to ensure all external information changes are processed, such as tax adjustments. Figure 31 - Address Change Warning There is also a radio button that allows the employee to select whether they are or are not a Tobacco User, as many health benefits now use this information in their pricing structures. Use the button to move on to the next tab or manually click on it at the top of the window. Page 14 of 20
3.3.2 Dependent Information Figure 32 - Dependent Information Tab The Dependent Information tab will show all current dependents that the employee has listed in the system. New dependents can be submitted by clicking on the button below the grid. Up to 99 dependents are allowed, but all dependent SSNs will be validated against each other to ensure a person is not added twice. All fields are required except SSN. Since all marriage types now qualify as Spouse, the Relationship dropdown includes an option for Domestic Partner for benefit plans that allow for inclusion of a roommate, if this option was configured in the plan by the benefits administrator. The Home Address field will default to the employee s address and can be changed if the dependent lives elsewhere. To remove a dependent, click on the button in the last column for that person. Move onto the next screen using the button or if changes are needed on a previous screen, click the button. As always, you can use the tabs near the top to switch quickly between screens. Page 15 of 20
3.3.3 Choose Your Benefits Figure 33 - Choose Your Benefits Tab The Choose Your Benefits tab allows the employee to select which options they would like to have for each benefit they are eligible to receive. Begin by checking off each person, employee and/or dependent, that will be receiving the selected benefits. Unchecking the Employee box is equivalent to clicking on the button at the bottom. Use either when declining benefits. Figure 34 - Coverage For Section Page 16 of 20
On the right-side of the screen, all available plans for the selected benefit type will be displayed, including the Provider, Plan Dates, and Cost for each Coverage Level option. Options that do not match the dependents selected in the Coverage For section will be grayed out. For example, if only the employee and spouse are checked off, the EE + Children and Family options will not be available for selection. Click on the radio button next to the coverage level option desired, within one of the plans. Only one Coverage Level can be selected for each type of benefit, regardless of the number of plans offered. Figure 35 - Benefit Plan Section If the employee decides to waive coverage for the selected benefit type, a window will appear to obtain the reason for declination. Figure 36 - Waive Coverage Reason Window Select the appropriate option, typing in the reason if Other (explain) is selected, and then click the button to move on. Next, use the tabs at the top to switch to the next benefit type and select the desired coverage level there. This should be repeated until all benefits have been selected or waived. Figure 37 - Benefit Type Tabs Page 17 of 20
The Life Insurance tab requires the employee to enter beneficiary information when selecting options. Click on the button and enter all beneficiaries for the plan by using the and buttons. Please note that there should be at least one Primary beneficiary and one Contingent beneficiary listed, and that both the Prim. % column and Cont. % column must add up to 100% to continue. For example, if you have three primary beneficiaries, they must equal 100% total, so percentages might look like 33%, 33%, and 34% respectively. Figure 38 - Your Beneficiaries Window Click the button when all beneficiaries have been added. If applicable to your benefit plans, FSA and HSA options will be displayed on the tab, and amounts for contribution can be entered for each or declined with the or button. Figure 39 - Additional Tab Page 18 of 20
3.3.4 Confirm and Submit Figure 40 - Confirm and Submit Tab The final step to the self-enrollment process is to review the benefit selections and submit the application to HR for review. This is completed on the tab. The screen will display the selections that have been made during the prior steps. If everything meets the employee s satisfaction, they should check off the certification box and click the button. Figure 41 - Certification Check Box Upon completion, a confirmation window will appear letting the employee know that their application has been submitted. Figure 42 - Submission Confirmation Page 19 of 20
3.4 Enrollment Status The Banner on the left-side of the ESS module should now display Pending Review under the Application Status section. Once the benefits administrator reviews the application, the Banner will update with the new status. Figure 43 - Enrollment Banner (Pending Review) Figure 44 - Enrollment Banner (Declined) If Declined the employee can click on the button to see the reason for declination. Declined applications can be completed again by clicking on the button and following the self-enrollment process once more, keeping in mind the message of what needs to be changed to avoid being declined again. Figure 45 - Employer Message Window Page 20 of 20