Create a workplace culture that supports your workers’ mental health
Did you know that one in four workers report wanting more mental health support from their employers? Be sure to review our Employer Mental Health Toolkit – it’s full of resources for you and your managers, as well as helpful materials for you to share with your workers.
We want to hear from you! Please take a few minutes to answer three questions on mental health in your workplace.
Last fall Director of Ministry Solutions Beth Jones answered many of your top HR questions during a webinar. We had such an incredible response that we’re ready for round two! Make room on your calendar for a special webinar tomorrow, May 5 at 1 p.m. where Beth will tackle your HR-related questions and provide actionable solutions. Do you have an HR question or topic you would like Beth to address during the webinar?
Are you up to speed with the Concordia Disability and Survivor Plan and how it benefits your workers in their times of need? If your answer is no – that’s OK! We’re providing a rundown May 15 at 1 p.m. CT during a featured webinar that explains the fundamentals of the CDSP.
This webinar will cover:
Plan provisions.
Administrative teams.
Life cycle of a disability claim.
This is the first webinar in a series delivered throughout the year that is dedicated to educating LCMS employers about the benefits available through the CDSP.
Our 2021 Ministry Report is available online! Visit ConcordiaPlans.org to view the report, which is inspired by our mission: Serve Ministries … Care for Workers … so that the Word of God Spreads!
The programs and activities you can read about in the Ministry Report reveal our mission at work and also reflect our direct response to what we’ve heard from you and your workers as we continue to “Ask. Listen. Act.” Thank you for your partnership, and we hope the report provides insight into how we serve your ministry and care for your workers.
Upcoming: CRP Age 21 participation requirement
This is a quick reminder about a change coming to the Concordia Retirement Plan in July. Made in response to ministry feedback, the change imposes a minimum age of 21 for enrollment in the CRP while grandfathering in younger workers already enrolled in the plan.
Beginning July 1, 2022, any newly hired workers under age 21 will not be enrolled in the CRP until they reach age 21. You will not need to make any changes to your process for enrolling new workers in the CRP. New workers under age 21 still need to be reported to CPS as they should be eligible for enrollment in the Concordia Disability and Survivor Plan, and, if applicable, the Concordia Health Plan and Concordia Retirement Savings Plan 403(b). Invoices will reflect the correct enrollments for these workers.
You asked, we listened: GTL reports are now available on the employer portal!
Employers can now access Group-Term Life reports online for the months of January through April 2022. The next report will be available May 10.
When you log into the employer portal, you will see an “Invoices & Reports” card on the main dashboard. (This is the same location where invoices can be accessed.) To view the GTL report:
Select the billing month you’d like to view.
Select the report type “GTL-Group Term Life.”
Click “Apply.”
A PDF of the GTL report will open in a separate window. From here, you can view, print or save the PDF.
When are GTL reports posted in the portal?
These will be posted on the 10th of each month.
What happens if I don’t have a GTL report for the month?
If an employer doesn’t have any GTL changes identified in the monthly report, no report is posted in the portal and the GTL-Group Term Life option will not be visible for that month.
What information is included in the monthly reports?
When the monthly GTL reports are run, changes for the entire year (including retroactive and prospective) are included. If there is a change in GTL rates effective any date throughout the year, it will be included in the report. Information in the most recent report will override the information given for the same span in previous reports.
Does this replace the mailed reports?
No. At this time reports will be both posted on the portal and mailed. CPS hopes to add delivery preferences as an enhancement in the future.
We are very excited to deliver this option to you! We hope this update makes it even more convenient to administer your CPS benefits. For more information on GTL reporting, visitConcordiaPlans.org/GTL.
New call at your ministry?
April was an exciting time for ministries as they learned of the new pastors, deaconesses, Directors of Christian Education and Directors of Parish Music who have been called to help minister. We’re sure it will be a busy time for all as they prepare to join you in just a few short weeks or months.
But what about benefits? Do you have what you need to successfully onboard your new workers? If you haven’t yet, we encourage you to check out our “Welcoming a Worker Toolkit” which has the resources you need for your new hires.
Of course, if you have any questions, you can reach out to your Account Manager or contact Concordia Plans at [email protected] or 888-927-7526.
Celebrating 175 Years
This year The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is celebrating 175 years. We give thanks for our Synod’s founding in April 1847 and the ongoing commitment to caring for workers and retirees. The Pension Plan for Pastors and Teachers was introduced in 1937, followed by the introduction of the Lay Retirement Plan.
In the 1960s, the Synod recognized the need for more extensive benefit programs to assist church workers in coping with the financial aspects of illness, injury and death. As a result, Concordia Plans was created to provide comprehensive retirement, health, disability and survivor coverage. Thank you to all the ministries that remain committed to caring for those who serve His church!
Life changes – planned and unforeseen – can interrupt the security of a paycheck. Whether those interruptions are the joyful addition of a child or something difficult such as an illness or injury, the Concordia Disability and Survivor Plan provides an income benefit to make sure the financial burden of the world doesn't distract from your worker’s ability to recover.
We encourage you to remind your workers of these important benefits.
Is it allergies? Is it pink eye? This spring get quick answers – for less cost than a traditional doctor visit – plus earn Vitality points! Complete a 98point6 visit between April 1 - May 31 to receive 100 points (200 points max), then go to MoveSpring and click “done.”
Upcoming member communications
Here’s a snapshot of the emails we’ll send your workers this month (they may also receive additional communications from our vendors):
Financial Wellness Education webinar series
Our next financial education webinar "Social Security Planning” will be held May 19.
Mental Health
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Throughout the month, we’ll be sharing resources with your workers to help them find ways to be mentally well and assuring them that it’s OK to ask for mental health support.
Within our mental health-focused communications, we are including a survey invitation for workers so we can better understand members’ needs around mental health.