HRIS Self
Service Benefits Enrollment FAQ’s
Accessing the Online Benefits Enrollment page
How do I access the Benefits Enrollment
page?
What ID do I use to log into the Online Benefits Enrollment
system?
Who do I contact if I have questions/problems with my Net
ID?
Using the Benefits Enrollment page
I am on the Benefits Enrollment page but don’t know what to
do next. What are the steps?
When I use the self service link, the page tells me that
I have no Open benefits enrollment Event? What does that mean and what should I
do next?
As a newly hired employee, how soon should I do my
benefits enrollment?
When will my benefits be effective?
What happens if I miss the 31 day window?
Are there any reminders to submit my benefit elections?
What happens if I have made my benefit selections and
have not clicked the submit button in the 31 day window?
What if I change my mind after I’ve completed all of my
benefit elections and they have processed?
I have questions about a specific benefit plan. How can
I get additional information?
Should I use the Back and Forward arrows in the
Internet Browser to navigate through the panel?
I am
enrolling in an HMO Health plan. How do I locate my PCP or Medical Group number?
Do I have to make all my elections during the same
online session? Can I do some and then
return at another time?
Will I receive a confirmation that I entered my
benefits?
Are my benefit selections final after I click the
yellow Submit button?
Will defaults be applied if I don’t actively enroll in
benefits?
I am clicking a link within the “Links of Interest” section, but nothing is happening. What do I do?
I don’t have a computer available to enroll in my
benefits online. What should I do?
I am an NMFF member. Do I still enroll in NU benefits online? Do
I enroll in NMFF benefits online?
I am enrolling in an HSA (Health Savings Account). Do I enter the employee contribution amount
or the employee AND the employer contribution amount in the Annual Pledge
field?
Using the Benefits Summary page
I
am a new Hire. When I go to the Benefits Summary, I see no benefits listed. Why?
I am a new Hire. I have
made some of my benefits elections, but not all. I have not yet submitted them
online. When I go to the Benefits Summary, I expect to see the benefits I’ve
already enrolled in, but they are not showing up. Why?
How
do I view my benefits using the Benefits Summary page in Self Service?
Can I print the Benefits Summary page?
Using the UPdate NU Life Insurance Beneficiary page
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How do I access the Benefits Enrollment page?
Access the Self-Service system using the
following link: https://nuhr.northwestern.edu. Click on the icon labeled “Benefits” and then on the
link labeled “Benefits Enrollment”.
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What ID do I use to log into the system?
Use your NET ID and Password (used for
Eudora/Outlook Email and Meeting Maker) to log onto Self Service.
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Who do I contact if I have questions/problems with my Net ID?
Contact NUIT by email or phone: 847-491-HELP
(4357) or
consultant@northwestern.edu. NUIT’s support website is http://www.it.northwestern.edu/offcampus/support-center.html
Using the Benefits Enrollment page
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I am on the Benefits Enrollment page but don’t know what to do next.
What are the steps?
Click on the Help link at the top right corner of the Benefits Enrollment page. You
will be brought to an online tutorial which will walk you through the process.
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When
I use the self service link, the page tells me that I have no Open benefits
enrollment Event? What does that mean and what should I do next?
The message: “You do not have an open benefits enrollment event”
means that the Benefits Office has not yet had time to bring your record into
the self service system. You can expect to be able to enroll within two days of
your Hire Date. If you are seeing this
message but it has been more than two days since your Hire, call the Benefits
Department at 1-7513.
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As
a newly hired employee, how soon should I do my benefits enrollment?
You have 31 calendar days from the date of
hire during which to complete the enrollment process. To avoid the possibility
of retroactive premium deductions, the sooner you can complete your benefits
enrollment the better.
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When will my benefits be effective?
Your benefits will generally take effect the
1st of the month after the date of hire.
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What happens if I miss the
31 day window?
If you miss the 31 day enrollment
deadline, you may apply for certain benefits which require the demonstration of
good health (EOI) to enroll. The term "EOI" stands for Evidence of
Insurability. Sometimes called a statement of good health, this is a form you
submit with your enrollment form to apply for insurance coverage. It usually
requires a physical or a doctor certification of your good health. The EOI is
reviewed by the insurance company and its underwriters to decide whether you are
a good risk for coverage. Remember, with an EOI there is always the possibility
that you will be denied coverage.
If you miss the 31
day enrollment deadline and you desire health insurance coverage, your next
opportunity to elect health coverage is during the annual fall Open Enrollment
period, or within 31 days of a qualifying change in family or employment
status.
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Are
there any reminders to submit my benefit elections?
Approx 15-20
days into the 31 day window, an email reminder will be sent to employees who
have not submitted their benefit options by clicking the yellow submit button.
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What happens if I have
made my benefit selections and have not clicked the submit button in the 31 day
window?
If you do
not click the submit button within the 31 day time period your choices will
delete and go back to the defaults (no coverage for health, etc.). Due to no
submission the benefits division would not receive your initial request.
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What if I change my mind after I’ve completed all of my benefit
elections and they have processed?
You will not be able to make any benefit
changes until you either have a qualifying change in family or employment
status or the Annual Election period occurs. Annual Election changes are not
effective until the first of the next year.
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I
have questions about a specific benefit plan. How can I get additional
information?
For more benefits related information, please visit the Benefits Division
home page:
http://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/ . Benefits counselors are also available for assistance as follows:
The benefit counselors are located on the
For
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Should
I use the Back and Forward arrows in the Internet Browser to navigate through
the panel?
No. For successful navigation throughout the self-service pages, please
use the links provided on the screen. With the exception of the print icon to
print a screen page, do not use the buttons in the browser bar.
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I am enrolling in an HMO Health plan. How do I locate my PCP or Medical Group
number?
You can locate the PCP or Medical Group number by accessing the appropriate
website. For detailed instructions,
please click on the following links:
How to lookup a HMO IL Medical Group Number
How to lookup a UniCare PCP Number
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Do I have to make all my elections during the same online session? Can I do some and then return at another
time?
Yes, as long as you are within the 31 day
eligibility window, you may do your online elections during as many online
sessions as you wish. Just be sure to not click on the Submit button until you
are ready for these elections to be considered final. Once you have submitted,
even if it is within the 31 day window, no more changes can be made.
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Will I receive a confirmation that I entered my benefits?
A few days after submitting your elections
to the Benefits division, you will receive an email notification advising you
to verify your benefit selections. Use
the Benefits Summary page in HRIS Self Service to view and verify your benefit
plan selections.
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Are my benefit selections final
after I click the yellow Submit button?
Yes, your benefit selections are final once you click Submit in eBenefits.
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Will defaults be
applied if I don’t actively enroll in benefits?
Yes. The following defaults will be applied if you
don’t actively enroll in benefits.
- Enrollment in Basic Life with a $50,000 cap
- Enrollment in Long Term Disability (LTD)
- Enrollment in the 403(b) Unmatched Retirement Plan - Employer contributes 5%
-
Your
participation in all other plans will be waived (including Health Care)
Please note: Enrollment in the LTD &
Basic Retirement plans is effective the month following the accumulation of one
year of service and attainment of age 24.
I am clicking a link within the “Links of Interest” section, but nothing is happening. What do I do?
Turn off all pop-up blockers. If you still are having problems, it may because you are using Microsoft XP operating system; as a work around, hold down the CTRL key located on your keyboard as you click the appropriate link.
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I don’t have a computer available to enroll in my
benefits online. What should I do?
There are Benefits division
kiosks available on both the
On
the
On
the
Available
9am to 5pm, M-F
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I am an NMFF member. Do I still enroll in NU
benefits online? Do I enroll in NMFF benefits online?
As a NMFF member, you will enroll in NU
benefits online using HRIS Self Service, while elections in NMFF benefits will
continue to be done on paper. Any
questions about NMFF benefits enrollment should be directed to Cliff Cornelius
at 312-695-6514 or email at Cliff.Cornelius@nmff.org
I am enrolling in an HSA (Health Savings
Account). Do I enter the employee
contribution amount or the employee AND the employer contribution amount in the
Annual Pledge field?
Enter only the
EMPLOYEE contribution amount into the Annual Pledge field when enrolling in the
HSA plan.
Using the Benefits Summary page
I am a new
Hire. When I go to the Benefits Summary, I see no benefits listed. Why?
The majority of the benefits
for which a new hire is eligible become effective the first of the month after
the employee is hired. For example, the benefits for someone hired on 6/12 will
not be effective until July 1. When you come to the Benefits summary page, the
date that defaults in is the current date. If the current date is prior to the
effective date of your benefits, you won’t see anything. Change the date to the
first of the month after your hire date and you will see the benefits in which
you’ve enrolled.
The Benefits Summary will not
display your benefit elections until you have completed all elections and
clicked on the Submit button within eBenefits Benefit Enrollment.
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How do I view my
benefits using the Benefits Summary page in Self Service?
Sign
into Self Service using your Net ID and password. The page is located by
navigating: Self Service > Benefits
> Benefits Summary. Enter the effective date of your benefits and then click
the yellow Go button.
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Can I print the Benefits
Summary page?
Yes. From the Internet browser,
click File and then click Print.
Using the Update NU Life Insurance Beneficiary Page
What is the Update NU Life Ins Beneficiary page used for?
Employees who are currently eligible and enrolled in Northwestern University sponsored Basic Life and/or Suplemental Term Life insurance may change their beneficiary allocations during the year for these plans using Self Service. This online process replaces paper enrollment and update of beneficiaries.
Employees may change beneficiar allocation amounts as weee as add new individuals or legal trust to their lists of beneficiaries in HRIS.
How do I to get to the beneficiary update page?
Go to the Benefits \ Update Life Ins. Beneficiary page in Self Service. You may need to log on to Self Service using your netid and password if you have not already logged on.
The screen will display today's date unless someone in Human Resources is updating your record at the time. If this happens, the next date when you will be able to make changes to your record will be displayed.
The screen will automatically show who your beneficiaries are as of the display date. You may change the display date to review life insurance beneficiares at any given date in time.
For step-by-step instructions on Update NU Life Ins Beneficiary while updating your beneficiaries, please click on the Help link located at the top right corner of the Self Service screen, or you may review detailed instructions.
What happens if my beneficiaries pass away before I do?
If a person you have designated as a beneficiary dies before you do, the money that was allocated to them will go to the Contingent Beneficiary you designated online.
If all your Primary Beneficiaries have passed away, but you do not have a Contingent Beneficiary, the life insurance benefits will be paid in equal shares to the first surviving relationship class in the following order: your spouse, your children, your parents, your brothers and sisters. If you do not have family members, the benefit will be made payable to your estate.
• Spouse > children > parents > brothers and sisters > estate
This benefit order may not be your preference so we encourage you to use Self Service and designate who you would like to receive benefits in the event of your death.
What if I don't want someone to be a beneficiary anymore?
You can't delete the name of someone who is on your list, but you can reduce their allocation (how much money they will get) to zero. If you have questions about which beneficiaries can and can not be seen, contact the Benefits Division at 1-7513 or email benficiaryassistance@northwestern.edu.
Can I update the beneficiary information for my retirement plans on the same page?
No. You must contact your retirement plan You will find links to your investment company by logging in to Self Service and clicking Update Retirment Plans.
More information is available on the Benefits Retirement page .