Employer Agreement

Each year, Employer Agreements are updated and submitted online through Benefits Connect, the Board of Pensions’ benefits portal. Every employer who offers benefits through the Benefits Plan of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) must have an Employer Agreement on file with the Board of Pensions.

The Employer Agreement defines

• which benefits will be offered;
• who will be eligible for benefits; and
• how much employees will contribute toward the cost of coverage.

Employers submit an Employer Agreement when they first join the Benefits Plan and each year thereafter during the designated period, usually beginning in July. Benefits available for employees to elect during annual enrollment in the fall, or when an employee has a qualifying life event, will be based on your selections in the Employer Agreement.

Submitting your agreement

Log on to Benefits Connect to complete and submit your Employer Agreement. Benefits Connect guides you through the process. You decide who will be offered what benefits, when coverage will take effect, and how much you and your employees will contribute to the cost of coverage. At the end of the process, the online Employer Agreement you submit to the Board through Benefits Connect will document these decisions.

Before submitting your Employer Agreement for the next year, review it to consider the following:

• Who will be offered which benefits. Use criteria such as hours scheduled to work, length of service, or job types to determine coverage you will offer to each benefit group. Learn more about how to create benefit groups.
• How much you and employees will contribute to the cost of coverage.
• When coverage will take effect. Benefits may be effective when employees are first hired or after a waiting period (up to 90 days for medical coverage), as long as you comply with applicable laws. Benefits elected during annual enrollment are effective January 1 of the following year.

Steps to complete

• Review and refine benefit groups. Once you log on to Benefits Connect, choose Employer Agreement, then Create a New Model. If you’re an existing employer, current members, benefit groups, benefits selections, and employer contributions will be populated based on the last year’s selections, but the new year’s costs will be reflected. Review and modify the members in each benefit group.
• Select benefits. Choose benefits to offer to each group. Indicate your employer contribution toward the cost of coverage, where applicable.
• Review costs and contributions. View estimated employer costs and employee contributions.
• Model selections. Each model, with benefits and cost scenarios, is named and saved automatically so you can return later. If you go through all the steps of the Employer Agreement, then choose Save Model, you will be able to name the model.
• Submit your final Employer Agreement. Return to Benefits Connect anytime before the Employer Agreement deadline to make changes or submit a new Agreement. The last Agreement submitted by the deadline is your final Agreement with the Board, reflecting benefits employees may elect during fall annual enrollment on Benefits Connect, for coverage effective the following January.

Updating your Employer Profile

The employer representative maintains the Employer Profile on Benefits Connect. This representative ensures that contact information for the employer representative, billing representative, and Retirement Savings Plan representative (if applicable) is accurate and up to date. Review and update all email and mailing addresses so that the Board may contact you with important information.