Oct. 14, 2015
Employee Benefits News
Benefits Open Enrollment: Oct. 20 – Nov. 2
It’s that time of year again – time to make your 2016 benefit elections during
this year’s annual open enrollment. During open enrollment, you may:
 Make changes to your medical, dental and life insurance options
 Add or drop dependents
 Verify dependent eligibility and dependent social security number for
coverage in the health and dental plans (required to meet Affordable Care
Act governmental reporting and employee benefit statement requirements
starting January 2016)
 Elect to participate in the Flexible Spending Accounts for 2016
 Elect to contribute to a Health Savings Account in 2016 if covered by the
PPO/HSA Plan
2016 Changes for Non-Bargained For Employees
To view the presentation describing 2016 changes for non-bargained for
employees, click this link.
Benefits & Wellness Fairs in October
Join us at our annual Employee Benefits and Wellness Fair and discover your
“Passport to Wellness. “
October 21:
October 30:
11:00 am - 2:00 pm College of Business - Room 101 A
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm Student Center Ballroom
Visit with benefit vendors and ask questions about the benefit plans and your
coverage. The HR/Benefits staff will be available to answer open enrollment
questions, distribute and collect open enrollment forms. Other activities will
include complimentary massages, demo of fitness classes hosted by the
Rec/IM, various health screenings, and a raffle to win prizes donated by EMU
vendors. You will also be able to get a free flu shot if you are enrolled in an
EMU health plan – please remember to bring your BCBSM card.
Fifth Floor Fridays to Learn More About EMU
Benefits
Faculty and staff are invited to attend at least one session to learn more about
EMU’s wellness-related benefits offered by BCBSM, Delta Dental, Aetna, the
Employee Assistance Plan (EAP), TIAA-CREF and the REC-IM. Lunch and a
complimentary wellness gift are provided. The remaining dates for the
general sessions are Oct. 16, Nov. 6, and Dec. 4. There are also three special
sessions faculty and staff are encouraged to attend: Estate Planning and
Financial Wellness – Oct. 23, Diabetes Awareness – Nov. 13 and Resources for
Emotional and Mental Wellbeing – Nov. 20. All sessions are held from
11:30am to 1:00pm on the Fifth Floor of the REC-IM. Click here to register
for a Fifth Floor Friday session.
Retirement and Financial Planning Assistance
“Horizons” Workshop for those Nearing Retirement
The “Horizons” retirement planning workshop is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 6,
from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm. The workshop is designed for employees who are
planning to retire within the next few months to the next two years.
Invitations are sent to all employees who are currently eligible or who will be
eligible for EMU retirement within the next two years. Participation in the
workshops is voluntary and does not commit an employee to retire. The
workshops are for informational purposes only. Speakers include
representatives from the Social Security Administration, MPSERS, BCBSM
Retirement Services and TIAA-CREF. Recent retirees also attend to provide
insights and tips about life after retirement. There will be an additional
session scheduled in March 2016.
More Retirement and Financial Planning Workshops in Early 2016
The Benefits office is planning additional financial education workshops in
early 2016 for mid-career employees (Pathways) and for employees early in
their career (Landscapes). More information on the Pathways and
Landscapes workshops will be posted to the website later this year.
Meet with a TIAA-CREF Advisor for Individual Assistance
TIAA-CREF representatives are onsite monthly to provide individual
counseling for retirement and other long-term financial planning. To schedule
a session on campus or to meet with a TIAA-CREF counselor at the service
center in Ann Arbor, please call 800-732-8353.
New HR/Benefits Staff
Our benefits staff has changed. We are pleased to announce that Catherine
Bohlen and Michael Demand recently joined the Division of Human Resources
as HR/Benefits Coordinators. Cathy has more than 10 years experience in
human resources and employee benefits administration. She recently worked
in human resources for a large hospital. Mike is an EMU alumnus, earning a
master's in public administration. He also has a master's in human resources
administration. Chontae Sylvertooth was recently promoted to Total
Rewards Consultant and also provides support to the HR/benefits team.
During the transition of our staff, we do not anticipate any delays to inquiries
and requests sent to the Benefits office. We are confident that going forward,
we will improve upon the level of service you have been receiving with a goal
of exceeding your expectations. Thank you for your patience and
understanding during our transition and we look forward to serving you.
Ways to contact the Benefits office
 ASK Benefits - click on this link.
 Email the Benefits Office at hr_benefits@emich.edu.
 Call the Benefits Office at 734-487-3195.
 Visit the Benefits Office at 140 McKenny Hall between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm
weekdays.