Medical Benefits (Health, Dental, Vision) 

  • Benefits Eligibility Waiting Period  

  • Benefits are effective on the 1st of the month following 60 calendar days of employment 

 

  • Benefits Package & Important Steps to Enrollment 

To review your benefits options and elect which coverage is right for you:  

  • Visit www.MyMerlinBenefits.com  

  • Your initial log on details below: 

  • Your username is MEG + your Employee ID Number; Example: MEG12345 

  • Your password is last four digits of SSN + your full DOB (MMDDYYYY); Example: if your SSN is 123456789 and your date of birth is 05/04/1980 then your initial password would be 678905041980  

 

Benefits Express will email an enrollment notification with log on instructions.  Once enrolled, employees can download a confirmation statement. Benefits and plan information can also be accessed via www.MyMerlinBenefits.com.  If the employee contacts the Hub asking for their enrollment information, please forward them to Benefits Express (877-830-0033) for further assistance. 

 

Example: 

Employee Start Date 

Benefits Eligibility Date 

October 10th 

January 1st  

 

  • If an employee misses the Benefit enrollment period, they will not be able to enroll until/unless:  

  • Next Annual Enrollment Period  

  • Qualified Life Event (Changes must be made within 31 days) 

  • Marriage, Divorce, Legal Separation, or Annulment 

  • Birth or Adoption of a child 

  • Employee or Spouse’s employment status changes and affects current benefits eligibility 

  • Loss of other health coverage 

  • Change in Dependent eligibility 

  • Death of a Spouse/Domestic Partner or Child 

 

Benefits Express 

 

Hours of Operation: 7:30am-6:00pm CST 

Telephone Number: (877) 830-0033 

24hr Portal Access: www.benefitsexpress.com 

 

 

 

 

  • Benefits Express 

  • Benefits Express has online and phone support to help you with: 

  • Plan selections, changes, and additional Merlin Benefits information 

  • Process Qualifying Life Events and update dependents 

  • Uploading Dependent Eligibility Verification documents 

  • Issues enrollment notification. All inquiries related to obtaining enrollment information must be referred to Benefits Express. 

 

 

 

Leave of Absence – Lincoln Financial 

Lincoln Financial is Merlin’s Leave of Absence Administrator.  All requests for leave of absence such as Family Medical Leave (FMLA), Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, New York State Disability/PFL, Military Leave, Personal Leave, or intermittent leave should be initiated with Lincoln directly.  

 

How to Report a Claim 

 

 

Work Accommodations  

Restrictions for reporting long-term accommodation (this would be for employees who, due to medical conditions, require long-term accommodation to continue working but are NOT going out on a leave of absence). 

 

 

 

Below are the steps agreed upon to communicate with managers/employees who are looking to file for an accommodation: 

  1. Employee is to receive a doctor’s note 

  1. Employee reaches out to Lincoln (see attached FMLA Claim Intake) with that doctor’s note and any documentation of proof 

  1. Lincoln then takes over and reaches out to the HUB 

  1. The HUB processes and follows up with the employee's leadership (example: Janella Bergan would ask department leadership if they were able to accommodate or if further assistance is needed) 

  1. HUB may follow up on accommodation/FMLA claim to determine when to close the claim 

  

Procedure 

  • All employees should contact Lincoln Financial for guidance on Leaves, eligibility, and required documents. 

  • For leaves of a medical nature, all employees are required to have their healthcare provider to complete all medical certifications and receive approval from Lincoln Financial prior to a leave date, except for unforeseen absences. 

  • All employees must notify his/her immediate supervisor as soon as possible if he/she is unable to attend work due to an illness or injury. 

  • HR and immediate supervisors will be notified of approval and dates by the HUB. 

  • The HUB will update the employee’s status in the payroll system and follow up with the immediate supervisor on employees’ return to work. 

  • Employees who are on approved short-term disability will receive 60% of their weekly pay from Lincoln Financial. Employees may also submit up to 3.2 PTO hours per day to make up for the other 40% of weekly pay. No more than a total of 20 hours of PTO per Leave.