| When
to Enroll
Generally, there are three times when you can enroll in or
may be able to change your benefits at the University:
-
as a newly hired or newly eligible faculty or staff member,
- after experiencing a
qualified family status change, and
-
during Open Enrollment.
You have 30 days to enroll, or as specified by your bargaining agreement. It is to your advantage to enroll in benefits as soon as
you are eligible. You can enroll in or change Basic Retirement, Supplemental Retirement and Child Life insurance at any time of the year. You can enroll in Expanded Long Term Disability, Optional Group and Dependent Spouse/Same Sex Domestic Partner Group Term Life Insurance at any time by providing proof of insurability in the form of a health statement. Enrollment information
for individual plans is included in each benefit plan section
of this site.
How
to Enroll
If you are newly hired, you will make your benefits elections online with Self Service > Benefits. Pay particular attention to the rates for each plan. For more information, the New Employees section provides a summary of benefits plans available to you, links to detailed information about each plan, and access to an online presentation for new employees. For step-by-step instructions on enrolling in benefits, see the Benefits
Enrollment Checklist and How to use Self Service > Benefits.
Effective
Date of Benefit Elections for New Hires
or Newly Eligible Faculty and Staff
For the following benefits plans, coverage begins on your
service date if you enroll within 30 days
of that date, or as specified by your bargaining agreement. See Enrollment Deadlines (PDF) for details.
-
Medical/Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision and Legal plans
-
Life Insurance (if a health statement is required coverage
will not begin until the date the health statement is
approved; this may take 4-6 weeks)
-
Long-Term Disability
Basic Retirement Plan
and/or Supplemental Retirement
Account contributions will begin after your completed
applications are received by the Benefits Office.
Your participation in Flexible
Spending Accounts (Health Care and/or Dependent Care
accounts) will begin on the first day of the month after
your enrollment form is received and processed.
You are automatically covered for Travel
Accident Insurance and Secure Travel Plan beginning
on your first day of service with the University.
University
Life Insurance coverage is automatic on the date of eligibility
for faculty and staff.
Failure
to Enroll
If you fail to enroll or waive medical insurance within
the 30-day deadline (or as specified by your bargaining agreement), you will be defaulted to no medical
insurance coverage and no prescription drug coverage, and you will be unable to enroll
until the next Open Enrollment period, usually in October,
with coverage effective January 1st of the following year. See Enrollment Deadlines (PDF) for details. If you are eligible for opt-out credit dollars, you will not be entitled to receive them if you do not waive your medical insurance coverage.
Job
or Qualified Family Status Change
-
If
you have a Job Status Change that impacts your eligibility
for benefits, you will receive a Personal Enrollment Worksheet
plus information and instructions for changing your benefits.
- If
you have a qualified Family Status Change, you must complete a Benefits
Enrollment/Change Form and submit it to the HRRIS
Benefits Transaction Team within 30 days after
the qualifying event for the change to be accepted
by the University. Otherwise you will have to wait for
the next Open Enrollment period to make the change to
your benefits.
During
Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment is an annual event (usually in October)
during which you can enroll in new benefits or change your
current benefits enrollments for the upcoming year, effective
January 1. Complete information on the plans and any changes will be mailed to you before
Open Enrollment begins.
When
Two Members of a Household Work at UM and/or a Family Member
Has UM Benefits as a Retiree
If you and your spouse or other qualified adult (OQA)
are both employed by the University when you enroll in benefits,
keep in mind:
-
You and your spouse or OQA cannot be covered as both
an employee and a dependent for any University benefit
program except employee and dependent life insurance benefits.
(i.e., you cannot cover each other except for dependent
life insurance).
- Each
parent can enroll in different benefits plans or options,
and each of them can enroll a different child under his
or her coverage, but both cannot enroll the same child.
Generally, under your University of Michigan benefits plans,
you cannot cover:
-
Anyone who works for the University and has his or her
own coverage as an employee of the University
- Any
dependent child who works for the University and is eligible
for benefits as an employee of the University
- Any
eligible dependents who are already covered by another
employee of the University, unless you are court-ordered
to provide such coverage
- Yourself
if you are covered by another University of Michigan employee
in the same plan
When you make a benefit election, you confirm that you understand
and agree that to claim such coverage for an ineligible
dependent is misconduct, and you agree to reimburse the
University for any additional costs incurred as a result
of that misconduct.
Transgender Community
The Benefits Office has designated a specific staff member who is knowledgeable about and sensitive to transgender persons and the unique benefit related issues confronting them. Faculty and staff members with general or specific questions regarding benefit issues related to their transgender status are encouraged to contact Kate Van Valkenburgh for assistance. She can be reached directly at 734-647-4021 or by email at katevv@umich.edu.
How
to use Self Service > Benefits
Newly hired faculty and staff members can enroll online using Self Service > Benefits, which is available through Wolverine Access at wolverineaccess.umich.edu (click on Employee Business, or if you are a benefit-eligible graduate student, click on Student Business).
Your Uniqname and Kerberos Password
A University of Michigan uniqname and a UMICH (Kerberos) password are required to login to Wolverine Access and Self Service > Benefits. Contact your supervisor if you do not have a uniqname or Kerberos password.
Accessing Self Service > Benefits
If you can view your job appointment on Wolverine Access, your benefits enrollment information will also be available.
You must have Internet access on your computer to use Self Service > Benefits. Wolverine Access and Self Service > Benefits run on Windows and Macintosh platforms, using Internet Explorer.
Follow these instructions for accessing Self Service > Benefits.
- Log on to Wolverine Access
Wolverine Access is the online gateway to administrative systems at the University of Michigan. Go to wolverineaccess.umich.edu, or select Wolverine Access from Quick Links in the bottom right of the U-M gateway (www.umich.edu).
If a Security Alert dialog box displays, click the OK button. Some browsers are set to display a warning when you go from a non-secure to a secure Web site. Wolverine Access is a secure site. Information over a secure connection cannot be viewed by others using the Web.
- Select Employee Business (or Student Business if you are a graduate student) on the Wolverine Access gateway.
- On the Authentication Required window, enter your uniqname in the login field and your Kerberos password in the password field, and then click Login.
- Select Benefits from the Employee Business (or Student Business) gateway.
- Select Benefits Enrollment.
- Follow the online instructions to make your benefits elections. If you need assistance with the program, click the Help button on the menu bar. If you have questions about your benefits choices, view the Benefits Plans information on the Web, or call the HR/Payroll Service Center at 5-2000 from the Ann Arbor campus, 734 615-2000 locally, or 866 647-7657 toll free for off-campus long-distance calling within the U.S.
- Your enrollment will not be complete until you click Submit to send your benefits choices. A Confirmation Statement summarizing your choices will be displayed. Record the confirmation number that is displayed in the upper right corner of the Confirmation Statement to use as a reference if you should need to call the HR/Payroll Service Center. You may wish to print the Confirmation Statement for verification of your enrollment.
If you are unable to enroll online, please contact the HR/Payroll Service Center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call 5-2000 from the Ann Arbor campus, 615-2000 off campus, or call toll free 866-647-7657 for off campus long-distance.
Enrolling in Retirement Plans, FSAs, or Long-Term Care Insurance
Confirmation Statement
A Confirmation Statement will displayed online and emailed to you if you use Self Service > Benefits, or mailed your home address
on file with the University if you submit a paper form, each time one of
the following occurs:
- Fail to enroll
- Enroll in your benefits plans
- Enroll in or change your elections for the Retirement
Savings Plan
- Enroll in a Health Care or Dependent Care Flexible
Spending Account (FSA)
- Make any kind of change to your plans (other than enrolling
in Long-Term Care Insurance)
- When your enrollment in life insurance is approved
Questions or Special Resources
If you have questions or need special assistance, call the
HR/Payroll Service Center at 734-615-2000 or 1-866-647-7657
(toll free). |
