Eligibility
In general, employees working 24 or more hours per week are eligible for the benefits outlined in this overview. (Note: Employees must work 32 or more hours per week to be eligible for the life and disability plans.)
You may also cover your eligible dependents under certain benefits.
Your eligible dependents include:
Your spouse
the person you are legally married to under state law
Your children under the age of 26
as well as court-ordered eligible dependents with legal guardianship
Children with disabilities
(yours or your spouse's/partner's) who became disabled on or before age 26
New Employees
Welcome to Shields Health! We are committed to providing you with a rewarding employment experience. That begins with a comprehensive benefits program to support your total well-being.
Take action! Learn about your benefit options by exploring this website. Click on the menu in the upper right corner to begin. Then, enroll in the benefits you want during your first 30 days at Shields Health. Your benefits coverage is effective the first day of employment. Benefits end on the employee's last day of employment and do not continue through the end of the month.
If you don’t enroll within 30 days, you will not have benefits coverage, except for plans and programs that are fully paid by Shields Health, such as basic life insurance and the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Once your initial enrollment period is over, you cannot change your benefit elections until our next Open Enrollment, unless you experience a qualifying life event.
Enroll within 30 days of your hire date
You can enroll online at your convenience using our Workday enrollment system. Be sure to enroll during your first 30 days. For assistance enrolling or if you have any questions about your benefits, please contact the Mercer Benefits Center at (855) 995-1626 or ShieldsHealthBenefits@marsh.com.
Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity to make changes to your benefits for the next plan year. The changes you make will go into effect on January 1.
Watch for more information as our next Open Enrollment nears. Outside of the Open Enrollment period, you cannot change your benefit elections unless you experience a qualifying life event.
Life Events
When you experience a qualifying life event, you have 30 days to make changes to your benefits related to your event. For example, if you get married, you can add your spouse to your coverage, or you can drop your coverage to go on your spouse's plan.
You will process your change request through Workday.
Common qualifying life events include:
- Welcoming a new child, through birth, adoption or foster
- Getting married
- Getting divorced
- Death of a dependent
- Change in work status
- Loss or gain of benefits coverage (you or a dependent)