Enroll & Make Changes

Eligible employees may enroll in state insurance benefits within 31 days of their date of hire.

Failure to complete enrollment documents within 31 days of hire will result in a missed opportunity to enroll initially and your next opportunity to enroll will be during open enrollment or due to a qualifying life event, whichever occurs first.

Employees transferring from another state institution generally cannot make changes to state benefits, unless a special eligibility situation occurs simultaneously with the transfer to Lander University.

Open enrollment occurs annually from October 1 - October 31. All changes made during open enrollment are effective for the new plan year, beginning January 1.

Each year, employees may:

• Enroll, cancel or change health and vision plans
• Add or drop dependents
• Cancel or decrease optional life insurance or dependent life spouse coverage

Changes are made online through MyBenefits.

Employees may also:

• Enroll or increase optional life and dependent life spouse, which may require medical evidence of insurability
• Enroll or re-enroll in MoneyPlus Flexible Spending Accounts (Medical Spending Account, Limited-use Medical Spending Account, Dependent Care Spending Account) using MyBenefits

During odd enrollment years (e.g., 2023), subscribers may:

• Enroll, cancel or change dental plans

If you have a qualifying life event outside of an open enrollment period, you may be able to make changes to state insurance benefits by using MyBenefits.

• Within 31 days of your life event, contact Cheryl Lewis, Benefits Manager, at (864) 388-8237.
• Provide appropriate documentation, e.g., a marriage certificate to add a new spouse.
• To make a change, enroll or cancel a MoneyPlus Flexible Spending Account (MSA, LMSA, DCSA), complete the Active Notice of Election (NOE) Form and submit it to the benefits manager.

• At any time during the year, subscribers may update contact information and beneficiary designations with SC PEBA Insurance by accessing the MyBenefits online enrollment system.
• Subscribers may update name and address information by submitting the Name/Address Change form.

Eligible employees have 30 days from their date of hire or date of eligibility to make a selection into state retirement benefits. If you do not make a selection within that time period, you will automatically become a member of South Carolina Retirement System (SRCS) or Police Officers Retirement System (PORS), which is irrevocable.

Enrollment into retirement benefits is initiated through the university's online system. You will receive an email notification asking you to complete a task in our system. Once that task is completed, you will receive an email from PEBA that allows you to make your state retirement enrollment selection. Important: If you do not respond to the email from PEBA within 30 days of your initial date of hire, you will default into an applicable plan (SCRS or PORS), which is irrevocable.

Note: Generally, employees transferring from another PEBA-participating employer cannot make changes to state retirement benefits at the time of transfer to Lander.

There is an annual open enrollment period between January 1 and March 1. During this time, State ORP members may:

• Change vendors either by using Member Access, or by completing Form 1162
• Irrevocably switch to SCRS, if at any point during the open enrollment period, they have at least one year, but no more than five years of participation from initial enrollment in State ORP

All changes made during this time will be effective April 1.

• At any time during the year, active members can change their address on file with SC PEBA Retirement through Member Access.
• Subscribers may update name and address information by submitting the Name/Address Change form.

Eligible employees may enroll in SCDCP at any time throughout the year by completing the SCDCP enrollment form (enter Lander Payroll Center Number 1232) and returning it to Empower Retirement. Empower Retirement will notify the Office of Human Resources to start your payroll deduction(s).

Note: Participants transferring to Lander from another SCDCP participating employer must contact Empower Retirement and provide the Lander Payroll Center Number 1232.

Participants can increase, decrease or stop contributions at any time using the SCDCP website or by contacting customer service (Keytalk) at 1-877-457-6263.

• 401(k) contribution changes may take up to two pay periods to take effect
• 457 contribution changes are monthly

Empower Retirement will notify the Office of Human Resources accordingly.