It may not rise to the level of getting a driver’s license or being able to drink legally, but turning 26 (or even 31 if you’re in New Jersey) is a big deal, at least when it comes to employee benefits. That’s when adult dependents are forced off of their parents’ healthcare plans.
As a result, a number of your employees in their 20s may be selecting their health benefits for the first time during open enrollment season. At the news website HR Dive, writer Ryan Golden has put together some tips from industry experts for walking first-timers through the process.
“While plenty of workers have gone through the enrollment process before that age, it’s the cutoff at which many are forced off a parent’s plan,” Golden writes. “And HR has a role to play, guiding first-timers through the process.”
Among the tips offered are:
- Be proactive about providing accurate information by using a variety of accessible formatswell in advance of open enrollment.
- Embrace social media interactions when possible, such as a Twitter chat.
- Help workers understand the fine print and overcome the language barrier around benefits.
- Don’t forget about fringe benefits, such as supplemental life insurance.
