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Open Enrollment Tips & Tricks
Audience: All Benefits-Eligible Employees
Last Updated: October 2025
The annual Open Enrollment is the period each year when you can make changes to the Annually-Selected Benefits that you are eligible for through Tufts University.
The Open Enrollment period is typically held during the first two weeks in November, and changes made during this time will be effective the following January 1.
It's Open Enrollment again - click the button above for the most common challenges with our tips and tricks on how to navigate these!
Tips include:
- Storing your progress
- Completing OE on your phone
- Updating ex-Spouse coverage
- Adding/modifying covered dependents
- Enrolling your Domestic Partner
- Authorizing/submitting your elections
- Accessing your Confirmation Statement
New Hires & Open Enrollment
Joining Tufts at the end of the year means you may have the unique opportunity of completing TWO benefits elections in short succession.
Your New Hire benefit elections will be effective on your hire date through the end of the calendar year. While you may not need to complete Open Enrollment, you will need to make elections if you want to enroll in FSA(s) or many any other changes for next year. All current elections (health, dental, vision, life, long-term disability, legal plan, Health Savings Account, and voluntary benefits) carry over into the new year unless you make a change - the exception is Dependent Care and Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), which must be re-elected every year during Open Enrollment. We will always encourage you to take the opportunity to review your elections for the year and print/save your confirmation statement!
Please remember, if you enroll in an FSA as part of your New Hire Benefits Event for 2025, the full value of the contributions you've selected will be recovered from your remaining paychecks in 2025.
Upon completion of your New Hire Event in eServe, please contact tss@tufts.edu so we may assist in making your Open Enrollment Benefits Event available to you.
Life Events & Open Enrollment
If you have a Life Event with an effective date between October 15 and December 31, 2025, you must complete an Open Enrollment event after you complete your Life Event benefits election. Even if you've already completed Open Enrollment during the October 27 - November 7 event window, you must do it once more in order to ensure that any changes made during your Life Event carry into 2026. On January 1, 2026, your most recently completed Open Enrollment Event will establish your coverage in 2026, while your Life Event determines your coverage from the Effective Date thru Dec 31, 2025.
When your life event is approved, you will receive information regarding next steps from TSS.
Upon completion of your Life Event in eServe, please contact tss@tufts.edu so we may assist in making your Open Enrollment Benefits Event available to you.
Completing your Open Enrollment Benefits Election
To complete your Open Enrollment Elections, do the following:
- Go to eServe
- Click on the “Open Enrollment” Tile
- Click “Select” to begin the process of making your FSA elections and any other plan changes you need to make.
- For each plan you'd like to add, modify or waive, click the respective "Edit" button and "Store" each selection.
- Click “Store” to store your elections
- Click “I Agree” for the Salary Reduction Agreement
- Click “Click here to View your Open Enrollment Elections”
- View your Confirmation Statement (this can be found in the “Confirmation Statement” tile on your eServe Employee home page) for accuracy and then click "Print and keep a copy" for your records. (you can print to a PDF electronically or as a paper copy).
- If your Confirmation Statement is accurate, you are done. If not, and you need help, contact TSS.
- You may return and make modifications as often as you'd like throughout the Open Enrollment period.
Provided by Tufts Support Services