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1. When can I enroll in UC’s Benefit plans?
Each year during Annual Enrollment, benefit-eligible employees have the option to enroll in Choice Benefits. Choice Benefits include Medical, Dental, Flexible Spending Accounts (Health and Dependent Care), Long Term Disability, Life Insurance and Personal Accident Insurance. Employees must enroll online via Employee Self Service (ESS).
There may be certain days during the Annual Enrollment period that you will be unable to enroll via ESS. These are known as blackout’ dates. On these dates payroll is running and you will be unable to access your record on these dates. Blackout dates are posted on the ESS site.
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2. How do I enroll online?
You will make your benefit selections online through Employee Self Service (ESS) at http://www.ucflex.uc.edu. You can complete your enrollment from a computer kiosk in the Human Resources Welcome Center (in 340 University Hall), in any computer lab on campus, or from home with an internet connection.
ESS will also support browsers other than Internet Explorer. ESS will support Firefox (2.0 and 3.0.1) and Safari 3.1 on an Apple Macintosh.
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3. What is the first step in the Annual Enrollment process?
The recommended first step in the Annual Enrollment process is to review your CURRENT benefit elections by printing your current CONFIRMATION FORM. You should also carefully review your covered dependents for each plan.
Follow these steps (after logging into ESS).
Click on BENEFITS and PAYMENT.
Click on PARTICIPATION OVERVIEW.
Scroll to the BOTTOM of the screen and click on Print CONFIRMATION FORM ALL PLANS. CAREFULLY review current elections and covered dependents.
Click on EXIT.
Reviewing your current elections will help you evaluate what changes you want to make for the coming year, if any.
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4. Can I print a statement which shows my current benefit elections?
Yes. Follow these steps (after logging into ESS).
Click on BENEFITS and PAYMENT.
Click on PARTICIPATION OVERVIEW.
Scroll to the BOTTOM of the screen and click on Print CONFIRMATION FORM ALL PLANS. CAREFULLY review current elections and covered dependents.
Click on EXIT.
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5. Am I required to take action in order to re-enroll each year for benefits?
ACTION IS REQUIRED IF :
you want to enroll in the Health Care Flexible Spending Account or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account. You must make a NEW election by the Annual Enrollment deadline; or
you want to ADD dependents; or
there is a CHANGE in your Spousal/Domestic Partner Surcharge status.
NO ACTION IS REQUIRED IF:
you are NOT interested in enrolling in the Health Care or Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Account; AND
you are SATISFIED with your current enrollment decisions for Medical, Dental, LTD, Group Term Life and Personal Accident coverage. Your current enrollment elections will continue; AND
you are SATISFIED with the covered dependent and beneficiary information that is reflected on your CONFIRMATION FORM. Your dependents will continue to be covered (as long as they meet the plans’ definition of eligible dependent); AND
there is NO CHANGE in your Spousal/Domestic Surcharge status.
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6. How do I know if my benefits will change following Annual Enrollment?
You should refer to the Choice Benefits workbook for your employee group. Information about changes can be found on the What’s New page. The Choice Benefits workbook can be found online at www.uc.edu/hr/benefits.
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7. How will I know if I’ve successfully completed my enrollment?
After you’ve made your selections online, you’ll want to review your elections. In order to do this, (from ESS) click on the REVIEW ENROLLMENT button. Once you are satisfied with your elections, click the SAVE button. To confirm your elections, print your Confirmation Statement. You can do this by clicking on the PRINT NEW PLAN SELECTIONS on the top portion of the screen.
CAREFULLY review your elections. You cannot make changes during the year unless you experience a qualified status change and notify the Human Resources Service Center (HRSC) within 31 days of the change. After you have printed your Confirmation Statement and you are satisfied with your elections, click the LOG OFF button in the upper right corner of the screen. You must make any desired changes by the Annual Enrollment deadline.
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8. My deadline to enroll in my benefits (or retirement plan) is today/tomorrow. Can you help me understand the choices?
You are welcome to schedule an appointment with a representative at the UC Human Resources Services Center who will be happy to explain each of your benefit choices and the enrollment process. Please call (513) 556-6381 and you will be directed to a Human Resources professional who will meet with you prior to your deadline. In preparation, please read the Choice Benefit workbook or retirement plan materials provided to you. These materials can be found online at www.uc.edu/hr/benefits.
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9. What if I experience technical difficulties while trying to enroll?
The ESS system is designed to handle UC’s enrollment volume. However, systems may operate slowly during peak times’. Expect higher volume on the first and last days of the Annual Enrollment period. Don’t wait until the last day to enroll! Remember, there are also a number of blackout dates during which you will not be able to access ESS (payroll runs on blackout dates).
If you have technical difficulties, you should contact the UCit Help Desk at 513-556-HELP.
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10. I am a new employee (hired during the Annual Enrollment period). What do I do?
You will need to complete your new hire enrollment (for your year of hire) FIRST. After you’ve completed your new hire enrollment, you can complete the Annual Enrollment Note that if you don’t complete the Annual Enrollment process, your benefits will be the SAME as the benefits you selected as part of the new hire process with the exception of Health care of Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account participation. You are required to re-enroll in the Flexible Spending Accounts each year.
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