Category: Benefits News

This category is for articles and announcements related to your benefits as an MSU benefits-eligible faculty or staff member.

Yoga Class

Employee Discounts to Support Your 2025 Goals

Published on by Abigail MillerLeave a comment

Another new year means new resolutions, and MSU Benefits Plus wants to make those goals and tasks more achievable than ever. Below, you can learn more about these exclusive health, wellness, and other helpful discounts for MSU employees and start your journey to a happy new year today! 

To access these discounts and more, login to MSU Benefits Plus today. If you haven’t used MSU Benefits Plus previously, register using your employee email address and set up an account.  

Health & Wellness 

  • Mindfulness App – Reduce stress, calm anxiety, and sleep better with the Mindfulness.com app. Use code for 40% off: EASEANXIETY.  
  • Active and Fit Direct – For just $28/month you can find your perfect gym from 12,700+ options nationwide, including 24 Hour Fitness®,  EōS Fitness®, Crunch Fitness®, Anytime Fitness®, and more. Use code: FITNESSFIRST. 
  • Home Chef – 50% off your first four boxes. Use code: CS50. 
  • Nutribullet – Enjoy 21% off sitewide on NutriBullet.com! Use code: CORENB2025. 

Travel 

  • AVIS Care Rental – You can save up to 35% off your next car rental when you provide your Avis Worldwide Discount Number! Use code: X199700. 
  • Going – Going helps over 2 million members travel the world. We monitor thousands of flights so you can save an average of $550 on tickets. Save 50% off your first year of premium membership. Use code: CORE50. 

Education 

  • Rosetta Stone – Get a lifetime subscription with unlimited languages for $149 with no renewal fee (normally $299). 
  • Blinkist – Get 45% off Blinkist Annual Subscription. Use code: CORESTREAM45. 

Tech 

  • Apple – Get preferred pricing on iPhones, iMacs and more. 
  • Dell – Get the best pricing available on all Dell PCs, electronics, and accessories. 

The HR website also offers other deals you can find on-campus through the MSU Tech Store, MSU Bakers, and the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center, among others. You can check out some of those deals through the MSU HR Website. For more information on discounts from MSU Benefits Plus, visit the MSU Benefits Plus website. If you have any questions about the discounts, please contact MSU Benefits Plus via email at msubenefitsplus@corestream.com or by phone at 888-758-7575. 

Health Equity app

Did You Sign Up for an FSA for 2025? Find Tips and Resources to Get Started.

Published on by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

Welcome to 2025 and your flexible spending account (FSA) funds! If you signed up for a 2025 FSA during Open Enrollment last October, you’re on your way to saving money on out-of-pocket medical and/or dependent care expenses. MSU’s FSA plan administrator is HealthEquity/WageWorks. If this is your first time participating in an FSA, make sure you register for your online HealthEquity/WageWorks account.

If you have a Dependent Care FSA, you can use pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible dependent care services, such as child or adult daycare, preschool, and before/after school programs. Find a complete list of eligible dependent care expenses here.

If you have a Health Care FSA, you can purchase various products and services with pre-tax dollars – which means it’s like a 30% off sale on eligible expenses. 1Find a complete list of eligible health care expenses here. Some items2 you may not know about include:

  • Allergy medication
  • Anti-bacterial hand sanitizer
  • Bandages
  • Braces
  • Breastfeeding classes
  • Cough syrup
  • Eyeglasses
  • Feminine Care Products
  • First-aid kits
  • Hearing aids
  • Humidifier/air filter
  • Pain relievers
  • Pregnancy tests
  • Prescriptions
  • Smoking cessation drugs
  • Sunscreen
  • Thermometer

To make shopping for eligible health care FSA expenses easier, visit the online FSA Store for the largest selection of guaranteed FSA-eligible products.

Managing Your FSA Account

Managing your HealthEquity/WageWorks account is quick and easy with the EZ Receipts App. You’ll love the convenience of submitting claims, uploading receipts, and checking account balances directly from your phone.

What if I still have funds left over from my 2024 FSA?

Not to worry – if you still have funds left over from your 2024 FSA, you have until March 15, 2025, to use these funds and until April 30, 2025, to submit receipts to substantiate these claims.

How Do I Sign Up for an FSA?

Benefits-eligible employees are eligible to enroll in an FSA during Open Enrollment in October each year or if they experience a qualifying life event.

Questions? For more detailed information contact HealthEquity customer service directly at 877-924-3967 or visit the HealthEquity/WageWorks website.

1 Assumes a combined tax rate of 30%, including FICA, state, and federal income taxes. Actual amounts may vary.

2 Some items may require a doctor’s prescription or other documentation from your doctor. Please see your account details for more information.

Piggy Bank

Retirement Planning: 2025 IRS Retirement Plan Contribution Limits 

Published on by Megan MacGregor1 Comment

Whether your retirement is on the horizon or a faraway goal, it’s important that you continue to monitor and adjust how much you’re saving if you want to have a comfortable retirement. The IRS places limits on how much employees can contribute to a retirement plan each year and recently announced the retirement plan limits for 2025: 

  • The annual employee contribution amount increased from $23,000 to $23,500 for 403(b) and 457(b) plans. 
  • The age 50 catch-up contribution amount remains the same at $7,500 for 403(b) and 457(b) plans. 

If you want to save as much as possible for your retirement, a tool in the EBS Portal called the Max Savings Contributions Calculator is available to assist you. This tool automatically displays the remaining amount of retirement contributions you have available before reaching one of the limits, and the equivalent percentage of your pay to help you spread that out for the year. 

To access this tool: 

  1. Login to the EBS Portal with your MSU NetID and password. 
  1. Click the My Benefits tab at the top. 
  1. Click the Benefit/Retirement tile. 
  1. Select Enroll/Change my Retirement/Health Savings Account Options in the drop-down menu and then click Next in the bottom right. 
  1. Navigate in the bar graph to the Savings Plans screen by clicking Next in the bottom right. 
  1. The Max Savings Contributions Calculator screen will display. This display will automatically show the remaining amount of retirement contributions you have available (if any) before reaching the IRS limit. 
  1. You can adjust the percentage of your contributions to any retirement plans you participate in by clicking on the pencil icon, and then choosing Select to make the change. 
  1. If you want to enroll in a new plan, begin by clicking on the paper icon next to the plan and vendor of your choosing, and then enter the percentage of your new contribution and choose Select to enroll. 
  1. Make sure to click on Save in the bottom right to complete and save any changes/enrollments. 

If you are an academic year faculty or academic staff employee, or a Voluntary 403(b) Base participant aged 50 and over, contact the HR Solutions Center at 517-353-4434 or SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu for further assistance in calculating your maximum contribution percentage. 

Learn More About MSU’s Retirement Plans 

The following articles contain more detailed information about MSU’s retirement plan options and preparing for retirement: 

The  HR website  also contains a wealth of information about the different types of retirement plans offered, retirement investment vendors, and planning tools available. 

2024 NDEAM poster shows a road leading to round photos of diverse disabled workers in various workplaces. Says “Access to Good Jobs for All, National Disability Employment Awareness Month, #NDEAM and dol.gov/odep."

Celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Published on by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), which raises awareness around disability employment issues and celebrates the many contributions of workers with disabilities. This year’s official theme is “Access to Good Jobs for All.” Every day, people with disabilities can and do add value to America’s workplaces and economy. Each October during NDEAM, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring all Americans—including Americans with disabilities—can put their skills and talents to work.

We all play an important part in fostering a more inclusive workforce where every person is recognized for their abilities – every day of every month. Although many impacts are not physically visible, it doesn’t mean they do not exist.

MSU is a leader in cultivating a diverse and inclusive environment, and we are constantly striving to improve our efforts to meet the needs of persons with disabilities by being more flexible, understanding, inclusive and supportive of those with different abilities. In observance of NDEAM, we put together this helpful list of resources for awareness of employee disability workplace accommodations.

Resources for Employee Disability Workplace Accommodation Awareness

Discounted Hearing Aids

Did you know you have access to discounts on hearing aids? MSU employees and retirees may qualify for discounted hearing aids through partnerships between some MSU benefit providers and TruHearing®. Additional funding can also be provided by our partner organization Michigan Rehabilitation Services. For more information please contact Aaron Pena, Workplace Accommodations Specialist.

Assistive Technology

Technology can be a great resource for employees to address the impacts of their disability. Some resources are free at MSU without having to complete the registration process (e.g., screen reader software that reads text aloud)! See the full range of resources at the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) Assistive Technology page.

Mental Health Resources

Through University Health and Wellbeing, MSU offers many services, programs and resources to help faculty, staff and their families thrive. This includes the Employee Assistance Program, providing no-cost confidential counseling services to MSU faculty, staff, retirees, graduate assistants and their families. Services include short-term counseling, couples counseling, emotional wellness, short-term trauma services and stress reduction services. Learn more from University Health and Wellbeing.

If you are interested in requesting disability workplace accommodations at MSU, begin the process by registering with the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD).

All medical records and diagnoses are kept confidential from supervisors and units. Undergraduate and graduate employees can also qualify for workplace accommodations. If you need more information or help going through the process, please contact Workplace Accommodations Specialist, Aaron Pena at penaaaro@hr.msu.edu.

For more information on National Disability Employment Awareness Month please visit the Office of Disability Employment Policy’s website.

Laptop displaying "Welcome to MSU Benefits Plus"

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

Published on by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

The MSU Benefits Open Enrollment period is here! As you review your benefit options for the 2025 plan year, please note that 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 2025 plan year, you must do so in October. If you’re currently enrolled and do not make any changes, your enrollment will continue in 2025 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.

  • First Time Users: Click the link to create an account. Enter your MSU email and pick a password to get started. You will need your MSU ZPID number (use a capital “Z”) located on your MSU Spartan ID Card or in the EBS Portal.
  • Existing Users: Enter your email and password and then click Log In.

How to View Current Participation

To view your current participation or deduction history, log in to the MSU Benefits Plus website, click on Benefits in the top navigation, and then Enrollments. Click on Deductions to view an itemized list of your voluntary benefit deductions. Please note the MSU Benefits Plus website 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 joining an HR Site Lab. The HR Solutions Center is available for questions at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434.

The MSU Benefits Fair will be on October 3 from Noon to 7 p.m. at the Breslin Student Events Center. The HR Site Labs will be on the following dates, times, and locations: There will be a virtual site lab on October 16, a site lab at the international center on October 22, and a site lab at the HR building on October 31.

Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming Open Enrollment Events

Published on by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

With the MSU Benefits Open Enrollment period rapidly approaching (October 1–31), you may have questions about your benefit options for the 2025 plan year. We are ready to answer your questions and help you enroll in your 2025 benefit options.

Mark your calendars and join us at the following events!

MSU Benefits Fair

Visit the fair to enroll in your benefits on-site or speak with MSU benefit providers and HR staff. The MSU Pharmacy will provide flu shots from Noon to 5:00 p.m. by appointment only.

When:

  • Benefits Fair: Thursday, October 3 from Noon to 7:00 p.m.
  • (Updated September 30) Flu Shots: Appointments at the Fair are no longer available, but can be made for an in-pharmacy flu shot with MSU Health Care Pharmacy.

Where:

The MSU Benefits Fair will be held at the Breslin Student Events Center Concourse. Learn more about the MSU Benefits Fair on the HR website, including how to make an appointment for your flu shot, parking information, and participating providers.

HR Site Labs

MSU HR will be available to answer questions and help you enroll in your benefits at the following site labs.

When and Where:

  • October 16 | 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. | Virtual (see the HR Site Lab webpage for virtual link)
  • October 22 | 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. | International Center, 427 N. Shaw Ln, Spartan Rooms B and C, East Lansing, MI 48824
  • October 31 | 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | HR Building, 1407 S. Harrison Rd, Room 125, East Lansing, MI 48823

Learn more about the HR Site Labs on the HR website, including directions, parking information, and how to join the virtual site lab.

As always, you can find information about all things Open Enrollment on the HR website. In addition to the events above, the HR Solutions Center is available to answer your questions at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434 (toll-free: 800-353-4434).

October 1 through 31: MSU Benefits Open Enrollment

Time to Choose Your Benefits for 2025: Your Open Enrollment Checklist

Published on by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

October is just around the corner, which means the MSU Benefits Open Enrollment period (October 1-31) is about to begin for benefit-eligible employees. Please use the following checklist to help guide you through Open Enrollment and be sure to make your benefit selections for the 2025 plan year between October 1-31.

1. Determine your benefit needs.

During Open Enrollment (October 1-31), you may enroll in, change, or cancel coverage in the following benefits:

  • Health
  • Dental
  • Flexible spending accounts (health or dependent care)
  • Life or accidental death and dismemberment insurance
  • Voluntary vision, legal, or critical illness insurance.

Carefully review your Open Enrollment guide and choose the best benefit plans for your family. You may not change the above benefits outside of the Open Enrollment period unless you have a qualifying life event, so review your options and take action in October.

2. Complete the spouse or other eligible individual (OEI) Affidavit.

If you want to cover a spouse or OEI on your health care plan in 2025, you MUST complete the Affidavit online through the EBS Portal every Open Enrollment period. Find instructions to complete the affidavit as part of Open Enrollment. After completing Open Enrollment in the EBS Portal you will receive a confirmation email statement. To receive the confirmation email, you must complete all the Open Enrollment prompts in the EBS Portal and then review and save your plan selections (even if you made no changes); you cannot simply answer the affidavit question and exit the portal.

3. Review important reminders for the 2025 plan year.

While there are no significant changes to your benefit plan options for the 2025 plan year, we encourage you to review important reminders on page 6 of your Open Enrollment guide.

4. Participate in the MSU Benefits Fair or an HR Site Lab.

  • MSU Benefits Fair: We will have an in-person benefits fair on Thursday, October 3 from Noon to 7:00 p.m. at the Breslin Student Events Center on campus. MSU benefit providers and HR staff will be available to answer questions or help you enroll in your benefits on-site. 

    (Updated September 30) Flu shot appointments at the Fair are no longer available, but appointments for an in-pharmacy flu shot can be made with MSU Health Care Pharmacy.
  • HR Site Labs: MSU HR will offer site labs on October 16 (virtual), October 22 (in-person at the International Center), and October 31 (in-person at the HR building). Consider attending if you have questions about your benefit options or need assistance with enrollment. 

5. Make your changes online before October 31.

You must participate in Open Enrollment between October 1-31 (view enrollment instructions) to change your benefit selections or cover a spouse or OEI on your benefit plans.

We hope this checklist is helpful as you prepare for and participate in Open Enrollment this year. You can find all the details about Open Enrollment on the HR website, including links to the appropriate Open Enrollment guide, enrollment instructions, and detailed benefits information from our providers.

Questions? We’re happy to help! We encourage you to attend the MSU Benefits Fair or an HR Site Lab to ask questions. You may also contact the HR Solutions Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434 (toll-free: 800-353-4434).

a person putting money in a pink piggy bank.

Your Top Questions About MSU’s Optional Retirement Plans

Published on by Megan MacGregorLeave a comment

Whether this is your first job out of school, or you’ve been working for 40+ years, it’s important to make sure you’re taking advantage of every opportunity to prepare for your eventual retirement. Most benefit-eligible employees* are aware of and enrolled in the 403(b) Base Retirement Program (BRP) offered by MSU, which consists of a 5% employee contribution of your eligible compensation and a generous university matching contribution of 10% – an immediate two for one match of your investment – for a total contribution of 15%. While this provides a great foundation for your retirement savings, most employees will eventually want to consider additional savings options for their retirement.

In addition to the BRP, eligible employees also have the option of enrolling in two additional retirement programs: the 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Program and the 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan. Enrollment in one or both optional programs can help employees meet their retirement savings goals so they can more easily transition to retirement.

We’ve compiled a list of the top questions we receive as employees think about enrolling in these optional plans:

  • Q: Is there a minimum amount that must be contributed to one of the optional plans? What about a maximum amount?

    A: Employees may elect any percentage contribution, as all contributions are based on a percentage of eligible pay. For example, 1.50% would be an acceptable contribution election. Employees wishing to contribute a certain amount, such as $100 per paycheck, can use the calculating tool for converting a dollar amount to a percentage.

    Maximum contribution amounts are set by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) each year. Information on current IRS limits, including Age 50 Catch-up contributions, can be reviewed at maximizing your retirement plan contributions.
  • Q: Does contributing a small amount – such as $25 a month – make a difference in the long run?

    A: We encourage employees to work with their financial advisors or retirement vendors for assistance in deciding how much more to contribute. You may be surprised how a small contribution over a long period of time can impact your retirement account balance and may want to take advantage of compounding earnings as you save for retirement.
  • Q: What are the main differences between the 403(b) Supplemental and the 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan?

    A: Generally, the differences are when an individual can access the funds and the loan provisions. Also, the 403(b) Supplemental contributions must be added with the Voluntary 403(b) Base contributions when calculating the IRS maximum contributions, whereas the 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan has a separate IRS maximum limit. A more detailed comparison of the two different optional accounts can be found in the Retirement Plans Comparison chart.
  • Q: Can I enroll in an optional retirement plan account at any time?

    A: Yes, retirement plan elections can be made at any time. This includes beginning or canceling enrollment, increasing or decreasing contribution percentages, and changing vendors. Depending on payroll schedules and deadlines there may be a delay when the contributions start/stop. More detailed information can be found on the HR website at Enroll or Make Changes to Retirement Plans.

For more information about available retirement plans from MSU, please review the retirement resources on the HR website and the MSU Retirement Plans Enrollment Guide. Find instructions to enroll in these optional retirement plans at any time throughout the year. Please contact the HR Solutions Center with any questions at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434.

*Note: Certain types of employees are excluded from participating in the 403(b) Retirement Plan. Please see the 403(b) Base Retirement Program Eligibility Chart for more detail.