Be sure to check out our training webinar on Open Enrollment and our Payroll Integration. You can view the Spring 2024 recorded training and slides from our OE Boot Camp here --> Session 2.

 

Closing out OE with integrated payroll? It's typically easier than you might think! This article will explain how to properly closeout to ensure all deductions are sent to your payroll partner successfully.  Let's take a wholistic look at this below:

1. Sending OE deductions to your payroll partner

   1. Mapping your deductions codes for the new plans

   2. Electing your 'Send Deductions Date'

2. Verifying that deductions were successfully sent
3. FAQs
4. Unique scenario: What if I have back-to-back Open Enrollments?

 

Sending Open Enrollment deductions to your payroll partner

 

1. Mapping your deductions codes for the new plans

What is the importance of these codes?​

• • They are the “keys” that allow us to insert recurring deductions into Payroll.
  • Payroll is the system of record for these codes.
    • If you are offering, say, Accident for the first time, then HR will need to create a deduction code in payroll for Accident first before you map it into EN.
  • They are case-sensitive and must be mapped exactly the way they are spelled in payroll.​

How do I find these codes?

For Paylocity, Paychex, or any of the ADP platforms

Go to your Payroll tab in EN --> Click into any Payroll Group --> Vendor Payroll Codes button --> Refresh codes

• • • • This report will pull in all current codes for you to view, confirm with HR, & map from a dropdown.

For all other payroll partners

Contact the HR User(s) at your group and ask the following two questions:

• • • • What you can ask: “Are the deduction codes for benefits from the previous plan year remaining the same?”
        • If Yes, then re-key those same codes in for their newly effective plan(s) that have been built out.
        • If No, then ask them to send you what the new codes have been named to map into the newly built plans.
      • What you can ask: “What are the codes you have created for your new benefit offerings?”​​
        • Map those into their new, corresponding benefit type(s).

 

2. Electing your 'Send Deductions Date' prior to OE closeout

What is the significance of this date?​

• This is how we get all of your OE-related deduction data to payroll automatically!
• This is the exact date that Employee Navigator will transmit all new, changing, or ending deductions to Payroll for plans set to ‘Always Send’ or ‘Don’t Send $0’ that have a deduction code mapped in.​
  • This job begins to transmit these in the early morning of the elected Send Date​.

Your Send deductions date must fall:​

• After the last processed pay cycle of the old plan year
  • Not too early​
• After your elected OE Closeout Date​
• Prior to when the first payroll of the new plan year will be processed
  • Not too late

So, how do I get this date just right?

Don’t guess – you run the risk of setting the wrong date.  Instead, we highly recommend sending your customer(s) this exact wording:

What you can ask: “Hi! Three questions for you with respect to Employee Navigator sending over your new plan year's deductions to payroll automatically.

• • • What is your first pay date of the new plan year where you are expecting to see these changes in payroll?
    • When will you process payroll for this check?
    • What is the pay period date range of this check?"

Finally, based on those answers, you should then choose a date that falls within the pay period range of the first check date and before the process date.  That’s it!

 

Example of how to properly closeout OE with integrated payroll

• Your company has 1/1/2025 plans built
• You contact HR and ask the proper questions from the Mapping section above
  • You map all continuing and, if applicable, new deduction codes into their corresponding benefit types
• You contact HR and ask the questions from the Send Date section above
  • Your company's first pay date of the new plan year = 1/10/2025
  • Their first process date = 1/7/2025
  • Pay period range = 12/27/2024-1/7/2025
• We would recommend choosing a Send Date of 1/2/2025.
  • This will ensure deductions are sent to payroll as early as possible, giving the group 5 business days to review the newly added data before processing on the 7th.

*NOTE: If you are closing OE early, please be aware of the following:

1. • New hires with effective dates that match the new policy year will not be able to make elections between the date you close OE and the start of the new plan year.
   • Any enrollment changes made outside of OE (new hires, live events) in between your OE closeout date and your Send Deductions date will all be "held" until the exact Send deductions date to be transmitted to payroll.

 

Verifying that deductions were sent successfully

You are required to check your Transmission Dashboard on your exact Send Deductions Date to ensure that all deductions are sent as expected. 

• If you do not see that they have been sent out, please contact Payroll@employeenavigator.com immediately.

 

What do to if you see transmission failures

• Click here to Review the reasons behind and steps to solve the most common OE-related deduction failures

 

 

FAQs

Q: My company takes deductions early and needs deductions effective prior to the policy start date to appear on a payroll they are running in advance. Is this possible?

A: In a way, yes, but there will be some manual work for the HR admin.  You will want to use the 'Advanced Options' tab within your OE to close out early and choose a send deductions date that falls prior to the date they will process this specific payroll.

• • Keep in mind, Employee Navigator cannot send deductions with start dates that fall prior to the effective date of the coverage in our system.
  • Once this is done, your company will need to manually adjust the start dates of these new deductions, which at first will equal the plan start date from EN, to a new, specific date that falls into the pay period date range of the payroll they expect them to appear on.
    • For instance, a company is processing payroll on 9/29/2024 for which they expect their 10/1/2024 deductions to be pulled on. They will want to:
      • Closeout OE on 9/26.
      • Choose a Send deductions date of 9/27.
      • Once the new deductions arrive in Payroll on 9/27 with their start dates of 10/1, HR will need to manually adjust the 10/1 dates to dates that fall into the pay period date range of their 9/29 payroll.

Q: Which vendors do not accept prior effective dates?

A: ADP, Checkwriters, Paycor, Paychex, and PrimePay do not.  In a scenario where you have benefits effective, say, 1/1/2025, and you choose a 1/5/2025 Send Deductions Date, the start date of all deductions will be 1/5/2025 in Payroll, as these vendors do not accept start dates that fall prior to the date they are sent.

• • • Be sure to confirm your send deductions date with HR to ensure that the deductions, based on the start date they will have, will fall into the pay period date range of their first payroll of the new plan year.

Q: I am changing deduction codes at OE, will Employee Navigator stop the old codes we're moving away from?

A: Yes, on your "Send Deductions Date" we will write an end-date for the original code(s) and write the new, start dates for the newly mapped codes.

 

Q: Am I able to see a report of the deductions that will be sent to payroll after closeout?

A: Yes, after OE closeout you are able to generate the OE Scheduled Deductions Report. This report can be accessed from your Payroll tab>Reports>OE Scheduled Deductions Report. This report will include anything that is queued with the "Send deductions to payroll" date.

 

Q: I want the newly elected deductions to be sent over to payroll on two different dates, can I do this? 

A: No. At this time you can only select one date to send over the deductions for all employees.

 

Q: If an employee was enrolled in coverage during the prior plan year, and then declines coverage for the new plan year, will an end date be sent to payroll? 

A: Yes. We will send an end date to payroll to end the existing deduction. 

 

Q: How far out from my OE closeout date can my 'Send Deductions Date' be?

A: Your 'Send deductions date' must be within 30 days of your OE closeout date. You will not be able to elect a date that falls further out than that.

 

 

 

Unique scenario: What if I have back-to-back Open Enrollments?

If a group has back-to-back OEs, meaning they have an OE in December and January for instance, they need to pay close attention to their closeout and send deductions to payroll dates on each.

Our system follows the logic of where the OE Closeout job runs a Send deductions job tied to that OE runs.  The “latest” OE closeout job wins, meaning whatever Send deductions date is tied to the most recently closed OE will be the true send deductions to payroll date.

Let’s look at the following scenario:

• • OE #1 for 12/1/2024
    • Closeout date = 11/15/2024
    • Send Deductions date = 12/2/2024
  • OE #2 for 1/1/2025
    • Closeout date = 12/1/2024
    • Send Deductions date = 1/2/2025

• Since the latter Open Enrollment is closed prior to the Send deductions date of the former Open Enrollment, then that latter OE has “won” and EN defaults to the latter Open Enrollment’s Send Date to queue and send all changes for both OEs.

Now, let’s look at the scenario done properly:

• • OE #1 for 12/1/2024
    • Closeout date = 11/15/2024
    • Send Deductions date = 12/2/2024
  • OE #2 for 1/1/2025
    • Closeout date = 12/3/2024
    • Send Deductions date = 1/2/2025

Since the latter Open Enrollment is closed after the Send deductions date of the former Open Enrollment, then EN will send deductions for OE #1 and OE #2 separately as expected by the user.