UW-Madison employees struggling with choosing a benefits plan can now seek help — from ALEX.
ALEX, a “virtual benefits counselor” available throughout the UW System, is designed to explain various benefits options using layman’s terms, rather than confusing jargon.
“ALEX asks the user a series of questions and suggests appropriate benefits plans based on the answers,” UW-Madison said in a release. “Employees are encouraged to walk through their options with ALEX before they enroll in benefits plans for 2018.”
The virtual program is tailored to each individual employee, the university said. Sessions are also anonymous.
UW-Madison has rolled out a number of programs and measures designed to make this year’s Annual Benefits Enrollment simpler for employees. In addition to ALEX, the school is promoting the Benefits and Resource Fair, which “provides an opportunity to meet with benefits representatives, discover campus resources, and attend presentations on topics such as investment basics, budgeting, and planning for retirement.”
The fair will be held Tuesday, Oct. 17, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Union South. Not only will experts be available to answer questions about benefits packages, but free flu shots will also be available.
Annual Benefits Enrollment, the period in which employees can make changes to their benefit programs with no specific reason, began Oct. 2 and lasts until Oct. 27. Benefits changes take effect in January.
