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Your Top Open Enrollment Questions

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The MSU Benefits Open Enrollment period takes place in October each year and is your annual opportunity to enroll in, change, or cancel your benefit selections for the upcoming year. As you review your options for the 2024 plan year, take note of the following answers to the most common questions we’ve received so far from benefits-eligible employees. As a reminder, MSU Human Resources staff will be available at the MSU Benefits Fair this week on October 12 and at HR Site Labs on October 18, 24, and 31 to help with enrollment and questions.

Do I need to do anything during Open Enrollment?

This depends on your family’s benefit needs for the coming plan year. Please review the true/false statements on page 6 in the appropriate open enrollment guide to help you determine if you need to take any action during the Open Enrollment period. If you answer true to any of the statements, you must take action by October 31.

Did I do Open Enrollment correctly?

  • Completing Open Enrollment Online: Most employees will complete Open Enrollment online through the EBS Portal. After completing enrollment, you will receive an email confirmation statement. Review the confirmation statement to validate that your plan elections are correct. If your elections look correct, you have completed open enrollment successfully. If you would like to make any changes, you can go back through the open enrollment application in the EBS Portal until October 31 and review the confirmation statement received after making the desired changes.   
  • Completing Open Enrollment via Email/Mail: If you submitted an enrollment/change form via email or mail, you can log in to the EBS Portal, select My Benefits on the top navigation, click on Current Benefit Participation, and preview your benefit confirmation statement to validate your plan elections. If your elections look correct, you have completed open enrollment successfully. If you would like to make changes, you can submit a new enrollment form by October 31 and review the confirmation statement received after making the desired changes. Please allow 3–5 days for the delivery of the U.S. mail. Once received, your enrollment elections will be completed within 7–10 business days.

Is there anything new for the 2024 benefit plan year?

Yes! Please review page 5 in the appropriate Open Enrollment guide to learn what’s new and notable for the 2024 plan year:

What is the Spouse/Other Eligible Individual (OEI) Affidavit and why do I need to complete this?

If you wish to cover a spouse/OEI on your benefits for the 2024 plan year, you MUST complete the affidavit as part of the Open Enrollment process in October. Find instructions to complete the affidavit as part of Open Enrollment.

The Spouse/OEI Affidavit is a form of documentation that states whether your spouse/OEI has access to health care coverage through their own current or former employer that is at or under an annual premium threshold. The premium threshold for the 2024 plan year is $1,500. This means if your spouse/OEI has access to single-person coverage for $1,500 or less annually from their own employer, they must enroll in their own employer’s health coverage.

You may still cover your spouse/OEI on your MSU health plan as a dependent, but the coverage through MSU will be considered secondary and their employer’s coverage will be primary. This is done through a process called “coordination of benefits,” which allows a person to be covered by two different health care plans. Please note that not all health plans coordinate, and you must reach out to each health care vendor to confirm coordination.

Learn more about what “coordination of benefits” means, why MSU requires a spouse/OEI affidavit, and how to complete the affidavit correctly on the Open Enrollment FAQ webpage.

Did I complete the Spouse/OEI Affidavit correctly?

Completed Affidavit Online: Most employees will complete the Affidavit online as part of the Open Enrollment process in the EBS Portal. After you complete enrollment, you will receive a benefit email confirmation statement. You must complete and save all the Open Enrollment prompts in the EBS Portal to receive a confirmation statement; you cannot simply answer the affidavit and exit the portal. Find instructions to complete Open Enrollment online. To verify you have completed the affidavit successfully, review the affidavit reply date on your benefit email confirmation statement under the Health Plan Affidavit section. If the date listed is within the Open Enrollment period (October 1-31), you have completed the affidavit successfully.

Completed Affidavit via Email/Mail: If you were mailed the open enrollment guide and you submitted the affidavit via email or mail, you can log in to the EBS Portal, select My Benefits on the top navigation, click on Current Benefit Participation, and preview your benefit confirmation statement to validate the affidavit reply date. If the date is not updated, please contact the HR Solution Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434 (toll-free 800-353-4434) to verify receipt. It may take 7-10 business days to show an updated affidavit reply date.

How do I answer the Spouse/OEI Affidavit if my spouse/OEI also works for MSU?

If your Spouse/OEI works for MSU in a benefit-eligible position, you are not required to complete the spouse/OEI affidavit since eligibility is already in our system.

Please note: MSU only allows coverage under one health care plan per eligible employee. You have two options if you and your spouse/OEI both work at MSU:

  • You can both have your own plans OR
  • You can have one plan with one of you listed as a dependent.

You may wish to cover the entire family on one plan to reduce your employee premium contributions.

Should I enroll in the new Delta Dental PPO Premium plan option? Which dental plan is the best option?

Your Open Enrollment guide (support staff or faculty/academic staff) will give you an overview of the 2024 plan year dental options, coverage charts, and monthly premiums to help you determine which plan is right for your family.

We also encourage you to attend one of the Delta Dental presentations during the MSU Benefits Fair to learn more and ask questions about the new plan. Delta Dental will be presenting on October 12 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. and again from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Breslin Student Events Center.

Visit the Dental page on the HR website to find more information and resources, including a Delta Dental Cost Modeler tool to help you determine which Delta Dental plan is more cost-effective.

I don’t see my vision coverage on my MSU email confirmation statement. How do I enroll in, make changes, or cancel voluntary benefits, such as vision, legal, or critical illness insurance?

Voluntary benefits – such as vision, legal, and critical illness insurance, among others – are administered directly through a vendor called MSU Benefits Plus (not MSU) and so do not appear on your MSU benefit email confirmation statement.

You may enroll in voluntary benefits through the MSU Benefits Plus website. You will receive an email confirmation statement from MSU Benefits Plus after completing enrollment. If you are already enrolled in voluntary benefits (such as vision) and wish to continue your coverage, no action is needed. If you wish to add new coverage, make changes, or cancel existing coverage, please visit the MSU Benefits Plus website. You may also log in to the MSU Benefits Plus website to confirm which benefits you are already enrolled in. Please contact MSU Benefits Plus at 888-758-7575 with any questions.

We hope this helped to answer some of your Open Enrollment questions! Please visit the HR website to find all Open Enrollment information and resources, including additional Open Enrollment FAQs. We hope to see you at the MSU Benefits Fair on October 12 from noon to 7:00 p.m. at the Breslin Student Event Center, or at an HR Site Lab on October 18, 24, or 31.

Happy World Mental Health Day!

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October 10 is World Mental Health Day. While mental health is one of the cornerstones of health and well-being, it can often fall off the list of priorities at work. The World Health Organization has established the theme of “our minds, our rights” to promote mental health as a basic human right.  

Good mental health is vital to our overall health and well-being. Yet one in eight people globally are living with mental health conditions, which can impact their physical health, their well-being, how they connect with others, and their livelihoods. Mental health conditions are also affecting an increasing number of adolescents and young people.   

Work should never be a reason to neglect your mental health, however, a busy schedule may make resources seem inaccessible. In honor of World Mental Health Day, here are some resources you can use at MSU and in your personal life.  

MSU Resources: 

Teladoc: MSU faculty/staff and their dependents who are currently enrolled in an MSU health plan have access to Teladoc – an online medical care service that gives you 24/7 access to a healthcare professional via web, phone, or mobile app in minutes. Teladoc’s services extend to behavioral health (anxiety, depression, grief counseling, etc.). 

University Health and Wellbeing: MSU employees have access to an Employee Assistance Program which provides confidential counseling at no cost. To best fit with your work schedule, MSU offers both Zoom and in-person appointments.  

Health4U: Health4U focuses on all aspects of health with resources, support groups and educational courses. They offer a variety of resources dealing with mindfulness, psychological flexibility and more.  

Local Resources: 

24-Hour Crisis Services (Walk-In and Mobile):  The City of East Lansing provides walk-in or mobile crisis counseling and mental-health assistance around the clock. 

Online Mental Health Screening: Ingham County Health Department offers free and anonymous behavioral health screening, linking resources connected to your results. 

Sparrow Behavioral Health Services: Sparrow Hospital offers psychiatric and behavioral health services including holistic care in an external environment and art, music and yoga therapy.  

Your mental health matters and MSU resources and benefits are available to get you—or keep you—on the path to a healthy body and healthy mind. 

Job of the Week: Academic Department Advisor

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This week’s featured job is for an Academic Department Advisor to join the Department of Accounting and Information Systems in the Broad College of Business (job posting 90317). The Broad College of Business develops global business leaders who positively impact organizations and society. The Department of Accounting and Information Systems degree programs consistently rank among the top in the nation. In this position, you will play an integral role in supporting our distinguished academic programs, faculty, staff, and students.  

This job may be a good fit if you are highly collaborative, extremely responsive, detail-oriented, and technologically savvy. You will oversee the operations of the unit, manage fiscal planning and procedures, and act as the unit’s fiscal officer. Other duties include serving as office manager and supervisor to support staff, facilitating human resources activities, and overseeing academic program management.

The department is looking for a candidate with knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a bachelor’s degree in a business-related field. You should have at least three to five years of related experience in office administration and experience in a supervisory role. Experience with MSU policies and procedures, including academic and non-academic hiring policies and procedures and budget processes, is desired but not required to apply.

To learn more about the college and department, visit the Broad College of Business website and the Department of Accounting and Information Systems website.. To apply for the position, please submit a cover letter and resume to the MSU Careers Website by October 17. 

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Reminder: enroll in, change, or cancel vision, legal, and critical illness insurance during October

Published on by Megan MacGregorLeave a comment

The MSU Benefits Open Enrollment period is here! As you’re reviewing your benefit options for the 2024 plan year, please note some voluntary benefits only allow you to enroll in, change, or cancel coverage during Open Enrollment in October. These include VSP vision insurance, ARAG legal insurance, and MetLife critical illness insurance.

If you’re interested in enrolling in these benefits, need to make changes (such as adding a dependent or switching to a different plan), or cancel your coverage for the 2024 plan year, you must do so in October. If you’re currently enrolled and you do not make any changes, your enrollment will continue in 2024 with the exact same coverage.

How to Enroll in, Change, or Cancel Voluntary Benefits

You can enroll in, change, or cancel these benefits via the MSU Benefits Plus website. Find a guide to help you enroll at msubenefitsplus.com/faq.

  • First-Time Users: Enter your MSU email, click Get Started, and fill out the form. Signing up for an account does not obligate you to enroll in any benefits; it just gives you access to learn about and enroll in various programs. You will need your MSU ZPID number, which is located on your MSU Spartan ID Card or in the EBS Portal. Use a capital “Z” when putting in your ZPID number.
  • Existing Users: Enter your email address and click Get Started, then enter your password and click Log In.

How to View Current Participation

To view your current participation or deduction history, log in to the MSU Benefits Plus website and click on Manage My Benefits to view a summary of your enrollment elections. Click on My Deductions to view an itemized list of your voluntary benefit deductions. Please note the My Benefits section only provides participation status on products you have enrolled in within the MSU Benefits Plus website—such as vision, legal, and critical illness insurance.

Learn More about Voluntary Benefits

Please review a brief description of vision, legal, and critical illness insurance below. For additional information on all voluntary benefits, please review the appropriate Open Enrollment guide: Support Staff Open Enrollment Guide or Faculty/Academic Staff Open Enrollment Guide.

VSP Vision Insurance can help with the cost of glasses and contact lenses for you and your family. VSP is the benefit provider, and they offer two plan options: the standard coverage plan or a premium coverage plan with an additional enhanced eyewear option of your choice. Visit the MSU Benefits Plus website to view a plan summary sheet with basic information about the two coverage options and rates.

MetLife Critical Illness Insurance gives you extra cash in the event you or covered family members experience a covered illness. This money can be used to offset unexpected medical expenses or for any other use you wish. Simplified plan options are offered through MetLife with no evidence of insurability requirement. Visit the MSU Benefits Plus website to view a plan summary sheet with basic information about the plan coverage and rates.

ARAG Legal Insurance makes it affordable to get the legal help you need. Network attorney fees are 100% paid in full for most covered matters. Life is full of legal situations. Some you plan for, like creating a will, and others are more unexpected—like fighting a traffic ticket. Choose between two plans for coverage that best fit the needs of you and your family. UltimateAdvisor® covers most common legal issues. UltimateAdvisor Plus™ includes more robust coverage plus additional services. Visit the MSU Benefits Plus website to view a plan summary with basic information about the two coverage options and rates.

Questions? You can learn more about, enroll in, change, or cancel voluntary benefits on the MSU Benefits Plus website. Learn about all your benefits options on the  HR website. If you have questions, consider participating in the MSU Benefits Fair or an HR Site Lab. Additionally, the HR Solutions Center is available for questions at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434. 

Job of the Week: Deputy Secretary of Academic Governance

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This week’s featured job is for a Deputy Secretary for Academic Governance for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs (posting 897202). The Office for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs focuses on advancing institutional culture and supporting faculty goals while promoting MSU’s overall mission.

This position will serve Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs by preparing and distributing agendas for university-level committees, proofreading and formatting office communications and scheduling meetings with the Secretary for Academic Governance and university leaders. The future Deputy Secretary for Academic Governance will also assist the Secretary for Academic Governance in administering the nominations and elections of faculty to various university-level committees and assist faculty in navigating the academic governance process.

Additional responsibilities may include student employment recruitment, training and supervision, presenting to faculty and staff on current policies, and serving as backup to other administrative staff. 

The Deputy Secretary for Academic Governance is self-motivated, highly organized, and capable of managing and prioritizing multiple tasks without supervision. They should have a bachelor’s degree or a technical degree. The ideal candidate would also have three to five years of project management experience along with proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel.

To learn more about Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs, visit their website. To apply for the position, please submit three professional references, a resume and a professional writing sample on the MSU Careers Website by October 10. 

October Events Round-Up

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Are you looking for activities for you and your family in the upcoming month? There are events (in-person and virtual) on campus and in the Greater Lansing community. Many events require registration, so be sure to click the links to learn more.

Campus Events 

October 3- To Kill A Mockingbird: The Wharton Center will be hosting “To Kill a Mockingbird” in the Cobb Great Hall from October 3-8. Ticket prices are available on the Wharton Center website. 

October 12- MSU Broad Art Museum: Game Changers (free): Take a tour through “Resistance Training: Arts, Sports, and Civil Rights” and discuss gender inequality in sports while learning about the “game-changing” legislation that redefined sports. 

October 12- Beal Botanical Garden Tour: Fall and Winter Plant Lore (free):  Join Beal Botanical Garden’s Educational Program Director, Maeve Bassett, for a lunchtime tour to learn how the plants stay protected in the colder months. 

October 29- MSU Men’s Basketball Charity Exhibition Game: The Spartans will be facing off with the Tennesse Volunteers for an exhibition game with all proceeds going to Hawaii Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund to provide financial resources to local relief efforts.

Learning Opportunities

October 1- Midjourney AI Art Workshop 1: Introduction to Generative AI Art with Midjourney (free): This foundational session will serve as an introduction to AI art through guided demonstrations and exercises. 

October 12- Post-Parental Leave Employee Resource Group (free): Join this session to learn about what work-life balance looks like after parental leave. Learn about MSU’s remote and hybrid work policies and how to develop a flexible work arrangement. 

October 13- Open Virtual Reality (free): Whether you’re a first-timer or a VR professional, MSU Libraries VR Open Hours are for you! Connect with others and learn about virtual reality during this in-person course.

Health and Wellness

October 4- Mindfulness in the Workplace: Learn the basics of mindfulness and how you can benefit from a mindful work environment in this virtual course. 

October 4- Raising Good Eaters: The Feeding Relationship: This series will serve as a problem-solving course in learning how to feed your children and identify eating/feeding skills.

October 12- Open Enrollment Benefits Fair: MSU benefit providers and MSU HR staff will be available to answer questions and/or help employees enroll in their benefits on-site at the Breslin Student Events Center. 

October 15- MSU College of Law Justice For All 5K Walk/Run: The second annual Justice For All 5K Walk/Run will be held at 1:00 PM on October 15. The course will lead participants through MSU’s campus with donations going to Legal Services of South Central Michigan.

Family-Friendly Activities

October 1- Meridian Heritage Festival: Celebrate the community’s history with a day of entertainment, demonstrations, games, and exhibits from Native American and early American cultures featuring games and a Civil War Reenactment Presentation. 

October 7- Family Day: TEAM: Make creative connections at the Broad Art Museum with our exhibitions through free hands-on and interactive family fun throughout the museum.

October 7- Grand Ledge Fall Festival: Celebrate fall in Grand Ledge with crafters, vendors, food trucks, entertainment, pumpkins, handmade items, baked goods, pony rides, pottery, candles, jewelry, and much more. 

Job of the Week: Communication Arts and Sciences Research Administrator

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This week’s featured job is a Research Administrator for the College of Communications Arts and Sciences (posting 900683). The College of Communication Arts and Sciences offers world-class training to students through active engagement in translational research that influences health, environment, media, technology, business and public affairs across the nation and around the world.

This position will serve the College of Communication Arts and Sciences by providing backup to the Research Administration Manager, reviewing proposals for completeness and accuracy and evaluating existing policies and procedures to make further improvements. The future Research Administrator will also work with Principal Investigators to establish proposal timelines and review Request for Proposal.

The Research Administrator will also manage departmental research accounts and work closely with the Research Fiscal Officer on expenses, reconciliations and other financial questions/concerns on the accounts that they manage. This position features a hybrid schedule and the selected candidate will be expected to be in the office a minimum of two days per week 

The Research Administrator should have a four-year college degree in a related field. The ideal candidate would also have 5-8 years of related experience in research administration with at least three years in a university setting. 
To learn more about the College of Communication Arts and Sciences, visit their website. To apply for the position, please provide a resume and cover letter on the MSU Careers Website by October 3. 

Leadership Series: Leaning Into Change

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Written by Sharri Margraves, Director for HR Organization and Professional Development

I invite you to take a fresh perspective on leading change by starting with yourself and how you lead change. We are experiencing unprecedented change on many levels, across many organizations and systems, which puts pressure on both you and your teams. Creating collaborative teams, internally and cross-functionally, will help you lead change in a new way. Start down the path by considering the following questions:

Are you treating the symptoms or tackling the root cause of the issues?

Bring your teams together to consider the root cause of problems or improvements. Connecting improvements throughout the organization to individuals can increase engagement and create value for your stakeholders.

Does everyone on your team understand expectations and how to participate in improvement?

Imagine empowering and unleashing the potential of your entire team by inviting them to work on what really matters in a way that is supported by trusting those who know the most about the issues and can make direct contributions that have a positive impact.

Do you expect continuous improvement in your daily work?

Consider ways to systematically improve even “small” thorny issues to enhance efficiency and your team’s experience in day-to-day processes. Don’t underestimate the power of recognizing your employees for excellent work even during the everyday—it’s a great way to boost engagement and maintain momentum!

Do you practice inclusion by having representatives of all of your key stakeholders?

Be holistic in solving problems and making improvements. Include representatives from each key area that may be involved in your project or process to ensure the best outcome for improvement and performance, which also builds rapport and trust—especially those that perform the actual work.

Lean into change regardless of the scope and create a path:

  1. Define – Identify the problem, the desired state, the team to be involved in the process, and their roles. A RACI chart is helpful in determining who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed.
  2. Do and Document – Kaizen means to take apart-“Kai” and put back together- “Zen.” Lead with intention and remember—there are no bad people or information. Focus on the facts of the problem and model problem-solving and enhancement of services. Document the process as you go, identify improvement areas, and communicate with stakeholders regularly.
  3. Measure and Compare—verify improvement. Anything that does not add value (time, money, energy) should be eliminated wherever possible. Measuring improvement is an important step and promotes transparency, even during everyday processes.
  4. Standardize the new process, system, and action. Use visual tools, dashboards, and posters to reinforce the processes. Promapp is a great system of record to do all of that.

Celebrate success! Be sure to monitor continuously as situations change and embark on improvements.

“Change leadership is the ability to influence and inspire action in another, and respond with vision and agility during periods of growth, disruption or uncertainty to bring about the needed change. “ Yvonne Ruke Akpoveta

Sources

Balzer, W., Francis, D., Krehbiel, T., Shea, N. A review and perspective on lean in higher education. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/William-Balzer/publication/308000035_A_review_and_perspective_on_Lean_in_higher_education/links/5ea32ac6299bf112560c188d/A-review-and-perspective-on-Lean-in-higher-education.pdf

Jenkins, Alison. Advancing lean leadership. https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/operations/our-insights/advancing-lean-leadership#

Neumeyer, Adrian. Create a RACI chart so everyone knows their role. https://www.tacticalprojectmanager.com/raci-chart-explanation-with-example

Job of the Week: Senior Director of Communications and Marketing

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This week’s featured job is a Senior Director of Communications and Marketing for University Advancement (posting 896429). University Advancement works to promote MSU’s excellence and enrich its future by building a culture of engagement and philanthropy. 

This position will serve University Advancement by promoting the university’s upcoming multi-billion dollar capital campaign and overseeing successful communications and marketing strategies across a range of platforms. The future Senior Communications and Marketing Director will also direct strategies for University Advancement including alumni/campaign communications, brand management and social media marketing. 

This position also comes with characteristic duties and responsibilities, including implementing comprehensive content and communications strategies for maximizing philanthropy and engagement with MSU and prioritizing the donor experience. They would also set clear direction for personnel while monitoring the budget.

The Senior Communications and Marketing Director should have a four-year degree, though a master’s degree is preferred, but not required. Experience should include five to 8 years working in public relations, publication production, video production, advertising, graphic design, social media, communications analytics, or web design. Ideal applicants would also have experience working in higher education and/or communicating to a diverse audiences in consideration of best DEI practices. 

To learn more about University Advancement, visit their website. To apply for the position, please provide a resume and cover letter on the MSU Careers Website by October 5.