State of California M E M O R A N D U M Date: June 4, 1993 TO: PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT LIAISONS Reference Code: 93-36 THIS MEMORANDUM SHOULD BE DISTRIBUTED TO: ALL PERSONNEL OFFICERS, PERSONNEL TRANSACTIONS SUPERVISORS AND PERSONNEL TRANSACTIONS STAFF FROM: Department of Personnel Administration Benefits Division SUBJECT: FLEXELECT OPEN ENROLLMENT AND TRAINING The open enrollment period for the 1994 FlexElect Plan Year is September 1, 1993 through September 30, 1993. Listed below is this year's FlexElect training schedule along with several communication activities the Department of Personnel Administration (DPA), Benefits Division staff is currently preparing for this open enrollment. Personnel Services Specialist Training The Benefits Division staff will conduct FlexElect training in various locations throughout the State during the month of August. Several changes to the program will be discussed, such as new enrollment forms, automatic Cash Option enrollment, etc. For this reason, we would like to encourage all personnel transactions staff and employees responsible for the accurate completion of the FlexElect Enrollment Documents (i.e., attendance clerks) to attend one of the scheduled training sessions. Listed below are the dates, times and locations of the training which will be three hours in length. Attendees need only attend one three-hour session. Because of limited resources, we are conducting the training in cities with the largest concentration of State employees. We are requesting that you send your personnel transactions staff to the closest training site available. Location Dates Times Fresno Fresno State Building 2550 Mariposa Mall Auditorium, Room 1036 August 4 9:00 am -12 Noon 1:00 pm -4:00 pm Redding Department of Forestry 6105 Airport Road Classroom #1 August 6 9:00 am -12 Noon 1:00 pm -4:00 pm PML 93-36 Page 2 June 4, 1993 San Luis Obispo California Men's Colony Highway 1 Colony Clubhouse August 11 9:00 am -12 Noon 1:00 pm -4:00 pm Sacramento State Training Center 1515 S Street North Bldg., Suite 105 Colorado/Kern Room August 16-20 August 18* August 23-26 August 25* 9:00 am -12 Noon 1:00 pm -4:00 pm 9:00 am -12 Noon 1:00 pm -4:00 pm Norwalk Metropolitan State Hospital 11400 S. Norwalk Blvd Classroom #229 August 17 9:00 am -12 Noon 1:00 pm -4:00 pm San Bernardino The State Building 303 West 3rd Street Auditorium, Room 62 August 18 9:00 am -12 Noon 1:00 pm -4:00 pm San Diego San Diego State Building 1350 Front Street Auditorium, B109 August 19 9:00 am -12 Noon 1:00 pm -4:00 pm San Francisco State Comp. Ins. Fund 1275 Market Street Counsel Room, 2nd Floor August 26 August 27 9:00 am-12 Noon 1:00 pm-4:00 pm 9:00 am -12 Noon *On August 18 and August 25 a PM session will be held in addition to the AM session. These will be the only afternoon sessions held in Sacramento. Registration All interested persons must register for the FlexElect training in advance by calling Susan Barnes in the Benefits Division at (916) 324-0432 or CalNet 454-0432. Personnel staff wishing to attend the training will be scheduled for the first available date at each site. If needed, the subsequent dates will be used. For example, as personnel staff call to sign up for the San Francisco training, they will be scheduled for August 26. When both morning and afternoon sessions are full, training will be scheduled for August 27. FlexElect Procedure Manuals and Brochures will be provided only for those persons who have registered in advance for this training. Additional copies of the FlexElect Procedure Manual can be obtained from DPA after training has been completed in your area. PML 93-36 Page 3 June 4, 1993 The training will consist of an overview of the program, walk through of the revised FlexElect Brochure and Procedure Manual, instructions on completion of the FlexElect enrollment documents, P.I. eligibility and enrollment, and coordination of other necessary forms. The new FlexElect video for the 1994 Plan Year will be shown in training locations where video equipment is available. Subsequent to the Personnel Services Specialist training, departments are responsible for conducting their own training sessions to inform their employees of the open enrollment period, distribute FlexElect Brochures, instruct their employees on options within the FlexElect Program, and how to correctly complete the FlexElect enrollment documents. Because of limited staff resources, DPA will not be able to conduct training for employees. Should questions arise during your department's employee training sessions, please feel free to contact the FlexElect Program Staff, who are always available to provide guidance. FlexElect Video As stated in PML 93-30, a new video will be available sometime in August 1993. One video will be provided to each department. Additional videos may be purchased for $15.00 each. If you have not notified the Benefits Division of how may additional videos you may need, please call Susan Barnes at (916) 324-0432 or CalNet 454-0432, as soon as possible. FlexElect Brochures FlexElect Brochures for Plan Year 1994 will be available in early August 1993. Each department/facility was asked to provide us with the number of brochures needed for the 1994 Plan Year (Reference PML 93-30). If you have not notified us of this information, please call Susan Barnes at (916) 324-0432 or CalNet 454-0432, as soon as possible. Post Card Reminder DPA will mail a "post card reminder" to the home of all employees currently enrolled in the 1993 FlexElect Plan Year in mid-August. The post card will remind employees that during the FlexElect open enrollment: 1. To continue participation in 1994, they must re-enroll; 2. They may make changes to their medical and/or dental insurance (with the restriction that the choice each employee made for dental was a three year commitment); 3. Employees who do not re-enroll in the 1994 Plan Year and who do not want to change their medical/dental insurance, need not complete the Health Benefits Form (HBD 12) or Dental Enrollment Form (STD. 692) to continue their coverage under "traditional insurance". If no changes are made, their current insurance plan/level will automatically continue; and PML 93-36 Page 4 June 4, 1993 4. Employees enrolled in the Cash Option in lieu of their State sponsored medical insurance who elect not to re-enroll for the 1994 Plan Year will need to complete an HBD 12 if they wish to obtain State sponsored medical coverage. Permanent Intermittent employees will receive a separate mailing which will include the eligibility criteria that must be met prior to participation in the FlexElect Program. Payroll Stuffer and Global Message A payroll stuffer announcing FlexElect open enrollment is being prepared for distribution with the September 1, 1993 pay warrants. Please ensure that these stuffers are properly distributed to all employees. A global message will appear on the September 1, 1993 pay warrants notifying employees of the open enrollment period and reminding current FlexElect participants that they must re-enroll if they wish to participate in the 1994 Plan Year. Your cooperation in informing employees of the FlexElect Program through the methods described above is critical to the success of the Program and your efforts are greatly appreciated. If you have any questions regarding the information contained in this memorandum, please call Susan Barnes, Benefits Program Analyst at (916) 324-0432 or CalNet 454-0432. Patricia Pavone, Chief Benefits and Training Division