Each year at Lehigh (generally in November), you’re given the opportunity to review your choices in the areas of medical, dental and life insurance, as well as participation in pre-tax health care, dependent care flexible spending accounts, and long term disability insurance.
This year, the online open enrollment period runs from November 1 through 15. You’ll be making decisions that will take effect on January 1, 2014 for the 2014 calendar year.
We make every effort to provide information about your benefits in a variety of formats and levels of complexity so that you can make informed choices about your benefits. Here are a few of your informational options:
- Quick Reference Guide
- Open Enrollment Reference Guide & Manual (we call it “The Big Book” here in HR)
- The Guide to the Online Open Enrollment Process
- The Open Enrollment Centralwebsite.
Here’s a rundown of what to do and what you can expect between now and November 15:
- Read the Open Enrollment Quick Reference Guide and review the information on Open Enrollment Central to learn more about rate and coverage changes.
- Once you’ve decided on the set of benefits you wish to select for the coming year, log on to the Campus Portal and complete your benefit enrollment before November 15, 2013. Follow the directions in the Guide To The Online Enrollment Process.
- Follow the instructions and be certain to also complete any required forms and return them to Human Resources.
- Receive email confirming successful benefit enrollment.
- Print 2014 confirmation statement. You will NOT receive a printed copy in the mail.
- Review Flexible Spending Account welcome letter (if you choose one for 2014).
After November 16, 2013, you can check your elections on the Banner tab of the Campus Portal under the Employee Services component. Do this to ensure your elections are correctly recorded.
If you need to make a change after online enrollment closes, you can request that change in writing to Human Resources before 5:00 PM on November 22, 2013.
After November 22, 2013, changes to your 2014 benefits can only be made in response to a Qualifying Life Event.
Many people ask if they need to go into the Open Enrollment system if they don’t wish to change anything regarding their benefits. The answer is no, UNLESS you wish to continue a health or dependent care flexible spending account.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) need to be actively selected every year, regardless of whether you have had one before. So, if you don’t want an FSA and you don’t have any changes to your insurance benefits this year, you don’t need to do anything. If you do want an FSA, you will need to go into your Open Enrollment account and take action.
If you have any questions regarding your benefits or the online enrollment process, don’t hesitate to contact the benefits team in Human Resources at extension 83900 orinben@lehigh.edu.