Benefits Open Enrollment for 2026

The open enrollment period for employee benefits will take place Monday, Nov. 10 through Friday, Nov. 21. During this time, you will have an opportunity to make your benefit elections for 2026. 

Good news about your 2026 benefit options

• Hamline will cover the entire medical plan premium increase for 2026 so your share will remain flat for the third year in a row. There will be no change to the menu of premiums, medical plan designs and provider networks we offer through Medica.
• Effective Jan. 1, 2026, Hamline will eliminate the vesting schedule for employer contributions to 403(b) retirement savings accounts. This means all contributions Hamline has made to your TIAA retirement account will be 100% owned by you, regardless of your years of service. Hamline will continue to contribute up to 7.5% of your base salary in matching funds.
• The IRS is increasing contribution limits for tax-preferred accounts:
  • 403(b) retirement account: 
    • Under age 50: Increasing by $1,000 to $24,500. 
    • Additional catch-up for age 50+: Increasing by $500 to $8,000.
    • Additional catch-up for age 60-63: Increasing by $250 to $11,500.
  • Health savings account (HSA): 
    • Individuals: Increasing by $100 to $4,400. 
    • Families: Increasing by $200 to $8,750. 
    • Catch-up contribution for age 55+ will remain the same at $1,000.
    • Medical & limited purpose flexible spending account (FSA): 
      • Contribution limit: Increasing by $100 to $3,400. 
      • Maximum balance you may carry over from 2026 to 2027: Increasing by $20 to $680.
    • Dependent care flexible spending account (DCFSA): 
      • The contribution limit is increasing by $2,500 to $7,500 – the first increase since 1986!
• Minnesota’s new Paid Family & Medical Leave law takes effect on Jan. 1, 2026. It provides partial wage replacement and job protection for up to 20 weeks per year. You can take PFML for your own serious health condition, bonding with a new child, caring for a seriously ill family member, and military-related family leave. The law stipulates this required program be funded through a payroll tax paid by employers and employees. You will see a deduction for this program on your paycheck beginning in January 2026.
• There will be no changes to the plan design or premiums of the:
  • Dental plan offered through Delta Dental
  • Vision plan offered through EyeMed
  • Critical illness plan offered through Unum
  • Hospital indemnity plan offered through Unum
  • Voluntary life insurance plan 
  • Short-term disability plan 
  • Long-term disability plan

• Hamline’s 2026 Employee Benefits Guide provides an overview of all benefits and should be a go-to resource as you think about your benefit elections for next year. Our benefits consulting partner also hosts a benefits resource website that is up-to-date with your 2026 benefit options. 
• A benefits fair will take place on Monday, Nov. 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for an opportunity to get your questions answered by representatives from Medica, Delta Dental, TIAA, Unum, and other Hamline benefit providers. You can catch an open enrollment overview presentation at 10 a.m. or noon in Anderson 111. Presentations by benefit vendors will take place at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in Anderson 111. There will be snacks and prizes, too, so don’t miss the benefits fair!
• Watch your email during the week of Nov. 3 for invitations to webinars:
  • Tuesday, Nov. 11
    • Benefits Overview: 10 - 11 a.m.
    • PFML Overview: 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 
  • Wednesday, Nov. 19
    • Benefits Overview: 1 - 2 p.m.
    • PFML Overview: 2 - 3 p.m.
  • The Nov. 11 sessions will be recorded and made available on this page.

On the morning of Monday, Nov. 10, you’ll receive a task in Workday with a link to complete your open enrollment. It will remain available in Workday until you submit it, but not later than the evening of or through Friday, Nov. 21. 

This is a very important deadline. If you don’t submit your benefit elections by the end of the day on Friday, Nov. 21, you will be re-enrolled in your 2025 insurance elections by default and you will not be able to make pre-tax contributions to a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) during 2026. 

The only opportunity to change your benefit elections outside of the open enrollment period is if you have a “qualifying life event,” such as marriage, divorce, death, birth or adoption of a child, turning 26 and aging out of a parent’s health plan, or loss of coverage from another source.

Questions? Reach out to Gina Lund (glund02@hamline.edu) in the Benefits Office.