New Employees

New Employee Checklist

When a new employee is hired, with or without previous service, it is important to give the employee all the necessary benefit information. See below for a checklist of steps to take upon hire of an employee.

Determine Employee Eligibility

If you need to verify or identify a new employee’s benefit eligibility prior to the position being entered into HRS, these links are available to assist you.

• Wisconsin Retirement System Eligibility
• Employee Trust Funds (ETF) On-line Network (ONE)
• Benefit Eligibility Decision Table

Employee Benefits Package

• You must provide all benefits eligible employees with It's Your Choice: Decision and Reference Guides. (Click on "Employee Forms" tab, then on "State Group Health")
  
  • If you provide It’s Your Choice books electronically, you should provide the employee with an additional link to the COBRA notice (or a paper copy of the COBRA Notice).
    • COBRA Notice pdf
  • When deciding on distribution options for the It’s Your Choice books, consider whether the employee has access to a computer for their job. If not, provide paper copies.

• All employees (including students), must receive the Federal Marketplace Notice. You may provide this either electronically or in paper form. Follow your institution's distribution method.
  • Affordable Care Act/Health Insurance Marketplace Notice webpage

• Complete Enrollment Deadline Worksheet and provide to employee. It is recommended that you meet with the employee to explain the Deadline Worksheet and obtain their signature on the copy that is placed in their benefits file.

• Distribute other suggested items upon hire:
  • Brochures
  • Comparison Charts
  • Payroll Schedule
  • Service Benefits Enrollment Guide for New Hires
  • Benefits Summary
  • New Employee Orientation
  • Total Compensation Estimator link

These presentations can be used in your benefit orientations.  They can be accessed in PDF or you can download and customize the Power Point version.

• New Employee Orientation for University Staff Employees Covered by the WRS
  
  • Powerpoint - University Staff Employees Covered by the WRS pptx
• New Employee Orientation for Faculty, Academic Staff and Limited appointees covered by the WRS
  
  • Powerpoint - Faculty, Academic Staff and Limited Covered by the WRS pptx
• New Employee Orientation for Employees covered under Graduate Assistant Benefits
  • Powerpoint - Graduate Assistant Benefits pptx

The appropriate Benefit Summary should be given to all new employees. Summaries can be distributed either electronically or in printed format. 

• University Staff employees covered by the WRS
• Faculty, Academic Staff and Limited appointees covered by the WRS
• Employees not covered by the WRS under the Graduate Assistant Benefits program
• Executive Staff
• Non-benefit eligible employees

An Enrollment Deadline Worksheet should be completed for each new employee. Print two copies, one for the employee to keep and one for the employee to sign and return to you. The signed worksheet should be retained and filed in the employee’s benefit file. If ever needed, this can be used as verification that the employee understood their benefit options and deadlines.

Enrollment Deadline Worksheet xlsm

*The instructions are included on the worksheet in a separate tab.

Calculators

• Total Compensation Estimator
• State Group Life Insurance Premium Calculator
• Income Continuation Insurance Premium Calculator
• Individual & Family Life Insurance Premium Calculator

 Additional Tools

• Benefit Application & Form Distribution Chart pdf
• Employer Forms
• WRS Participants (State or Local) and Grad Health Insurance Decision Tree pdf
• Income Continuation Insurance Presentation pdf