Open Enrollment (OE) is your once-a-year opportunity to make changes to specific benefit elections and identify which dependents will be covered under your plans. It opens on May 16th and closes on May 30th at 4pm. Log into Employee Self Service starting May 16th to make your elections.

Our plan year runs July 1-June 30. Elections made during open enrollment go into effect on July 1, 2025. When you log into ESS, you will make an election for each of the following plans:

• Health

• Stand Alone Dental

• Stand Alone Vision

• Flexible Spending- Medical

• Flexible Spending-Dependent Care

The following plans will only permit elections and adjustments during open enrollment however they will not be in ESS:

• Aflac- This coverage is not included in ESS because it requires a contract. Please reach out to Dana Norris at 540-325-1649 or dana_norris@us.aflac.com before May 30th at 4pm.

• Legal Resources- To enroll, waive, or make a change please complete the Legal Resources enrollment form. Forms must be completed and returned to HR by May 30th at 4pm.

• Health Savings Account: You must be enrolled in our High Deductible Health Plan to enroll in this. To enroll, complete the form and return to HR.

For comprehensive instructions on how to complete the OE process in ESS, please refer to the OE guide for 2025-2026. You will also find OE resources, plan materials, pricing, and more in this guide.

Information about Deductions:

Health and Stand Alone Plans: We take deductions one month ahead of time because these providers bill us one month in advance. The new rates for these plans will start with the June payrolls.

Flexible Spending, Aflac, Legal Resources, Health Savings Account: These deductions will start in July because the service providers do not bill a month in advance.

After the open enrollment period ends you may not add, delete, or change the coverage you have selected for yourself or your dependents until the next open enrollment period. Outside of open enrollment, changes to specific benefits (Health, Stand Alone Dental or Vision, Flexible Spending, AFLAC, Legal Resources) can only be made due to a qualifying mid-year event.

IMPORTANT: It’s only open for 2 weeks and late submissions cannot be accepted. You will have access to the Open Enrollment tab in ESS starting May 16th and it closes at 4pm on May 30th.