I. Know Your Options for 2006

This Open Enrollment will be a "positive enrollment," which means that all employees must make a new medical plan election for 2006. Employee Benefits has set up a series of informational sessions beginning August 23 to help employees learn about their options.

Know Your Options for 2006

II. Is your browser up-to-date?

For the upcoming Open Enrollment every employee who wishes to have medical coverage for 2006 must complete an online enrollment form. To make that a successful experience, it's important that everyone's Web browser is up-to-date and can be supported when using the Employee Self-Service Web site. Currently these browsers include:

Netscape 7.x and higher
Internet Explorer 5.x and higher
Mozilla 1.0 and higher
Safari 1.0 and higher

III. Guide to Enrollment reminder

We've had a spate of employees recently who've called Employee Benefits asking for enrollment materials. This is just a reminder that we still need your help to make sure new employees receive a copy of the Guide to Benefits Enrollment 2005 and, if on the Twin Cities campus, an invitation to the New Employee Orientation. Even with online enrollment and the Web site, it's still important for employees to have the Guide as a source for information on their full range of benefits.

If you need additional copies of the Guide to Benefits Enrollment or the New Employee Orientation invitation, please contact Katie Willer at 624-9775 or by e-mail at will0962@umn.edu.

IV. FYI: Update on Layoff Severance Program

The Rule of 75, a provision formerly in the layoff severance program that pertained to the length of health coverage continuation, was eliminated effective July 1, 2005, for AFSCME Unit 6 members. The layoff severance program is now the same for all civil service and represented bargaining unit employees. More information on the layoff severace program is available on the Departure from the University Policy page.

V. Have you been to the Farmers Market?

UPlan Wellness brings the Farmers Market to the Twin Cities campus this summer. You'll be able to pick up fresh produce and flowers on your lunch hour! The market continues to run on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., July 27 and August 3, 10, 17 and 24 on the Church Street Mall.

VI. Upcoming Events

Reminder:

We'd like to keep our database up-to-date. Should you leave a department or the University, or change jobs, please let us know about it. And if you know who will be the replacement DEBCP, we would be delighted to have that information.