Entry rules for initial enrollment and re-enrollment

You can define entry rules for initial enrollments and re-enrollments. An initial enrollment occurs the first time a benefit is added for an individual in a benefit type. A re-enrollment occurs any time an individual is enrolled in a plan type for which the individual already has had a benefit.

If a plan's entry rules change, we recommend that you add a new entry rule record for the plan. This method lets you define new rules with future dates and provides an online audit trail of changes.

When you define initial enrollment or re-enrollment entry rules, specify the beginning date (such as the start date or anniversary date) on which the individual is eligible to enroll in the benefit. You can add to this date a number of months, days, or hours of service that must be worked in order to be eligible.

For example, your organization may require that an employee work 1000 hours after the start date, before they are eligible to enroll. You can use a pay class to define a particular type of hours needed for eligibility.

You can define entry rules by employee group. For example, a union employee must be employed 30 days before being eligible; a non-union employee is eligible on the start date.