Is this the year you’ll have that knee surgery? Will your middle-schooler need braces? Have you picked up an adventurous new hobby that may benefit from an extra layer of insurance?

This year, employees must take action: All employees on a USG healthcare plan, as well as any covered dependents (18 or older) must certify/recertify their tobacco use status in order to avoid being charged the $75 (per person) surcharge fee.

To get started, visit hr.gatech.edu/open-enrollment. There you’ll find:

1. The benefits comparison guide for USG, benefits-eligible employees
2. Details on benefits unique to Georgia Tech employees
   1. Donated Sick Leave
   2. An additional dental plan
   3. Whole Life Insurance
   4. Identity theft coverage
3. Info session dates and times
4. Instructions on how to enroll using OneUSG Connect – Benefits online portal or OneUSG Connect ­– Benefits Call Center.

Before the Open Enrollment window closes (on Nov. 9), visit the annual Benefits Fair on Tuesday, Nov. 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom. There you can speak with benefit and retirement counselors from Georgia Tech and benefit providers like Kaiser Permanente, Delta Dental, and EyeMed (to name a few).  

Be on the lookout: Benefits-eligible employee should expect two items in their mail, a benefits overview from USG and a Georgia Tech-specific benefits overview from HR.