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Enrollment

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You can enroll in benefits as a new hire, during Annual Enrollment, or during the year if you experience a qualified life event.

Overview

Review this page to learn about eligibility and how to enroll in your benefits.

Who’s eligible

You can enroll yourself and eligible family members for DISH benefits coverage.

Details

How to enroll

Enrolling is easy! Follow these steps.

Details

Who's Eligible

Eligible employees
You’re eligible for benefits if:
  • You’re a regular (non-temporary or contract) employee working an average of at least 30 hours per week
  • You have satisfied your new hire waiting period (the first of the month coinciding with or following your date of hire. You have 30 days to enroll in benefits from your date of hire.)
Eligible dependents
Your eligible dependents include:
  • Your legal spouse
  • A common-law spouse for those whose common-law marriage was validly established under state law. States that currently allow the formation of a common-law marriage include Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, and Washington D.C.
  • Dependent children, including natural children, legally adopted children, children in the process of legal placement for adoption you or stepchildren. Coverage is available until the end of the month in which dependent children turn age 26. Dependents are eligible regardless of whether they’re tax dependents, students, married or living with you.
For dental and vision coverage only, the following individuals are also eligible for coverage:
  • A domestic partner of an employee in California or Colorado

Add dependent contacts in HR Link

We recommend you add all your dependent children as contacts in HR Link. This will help the system show options to you when appropriate.

Proof of Dependent Eligibility

To ensure only eligible dependents are provided coverage under the company’s benefits program, DISH may conduct random audits to verify dependent eligibility.

You may be required to provide valid proof of eligibility for your dependents upon request. Failure to do so may result in loss of coverage.

You’re also required by federal law to submit Social Security numbers (SSNs) for you and your dependents one year or older so DISH can provide an annual statement about your coverage, as required under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Rehires and contract-to-hires

Employees who are Rehire and/or Contract-to-Hire of DISH will have the same benefit waiting period as a new hire (30-day enrollment; your benefits effective first of the month following or coincident with your date of hire and you have up to 30 days to enroll).

Rehires
  • As a rehire, you won’t automatically be re-enrolled in the DISH 401(k) Plan; however, you are eligible to participate the first of the month following your rehire date. To participate, please make your election at https://www.401k.com.
  • If your gap in employment with DISH was less than 455 days, your service time will count toward your Time Off accruals. If your gap in employment was more than 455 days, you will accrue Time Off at the new hire rate. You can find details about Time Off accrual on The HOP.
Contract-to-Hires
  • Eligibility for employee DISH programming will become effective on company hire date.
  • No service credit shall be provided for the 401(k) Plan or the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Service eligibility for the 401(k) Plan and Employee Stock Purchase Plan continue to be governed solely by the plan document.

Please note: Though your Time Off accrual may begin immediately, you will need to wait until you have reached 60 days of service to request time off. Additionally, you will not be able to see your time off accrued until after the 60-day mark. If you live in Colorado or New York, you will be able to use your time off immediately.

For any questions about benefit eligibility, contact the HR Operations team by navigating to Ask for help under Ask HR in HR Link.

How to Enroll

You can only enroll as a new hire, during Annual Enrollment or if you experience a qualifying life event, such as a birth or a marriage.

Enroll through HR Link, accessible through either The HOP or through OKTA.

How to Log in to HR Link

Through The HOP:

  1. Click HR Link.
  2. Click the Benefits tile.

Through OKTA:

  1. Go to https://dish.okta.com/.
  2. Enter your DISH email and NT password. If you do not have a current DISH email, please use your NT user name followed by “@dish.com.” For your first login, you will be asked to authenticate your identity.
  3. Select the HR Link tile.
  4. Click the Benefits tile.

Make/Review Your Elections

The process outlined below walks you through your benefits enrollment, including how to review your current benefit elections and how to update your elections for 2024. Be sure to read the detailed instructions on each page of the enrollment system while proceeding through these steps:

  1. Click Make Changes
  2. Review Dependents and Beneficiaries
    1. Check Dependent Eligibility
      • Verify that your dependents are eligible for benefits. The HR Operations Team may randomly audit dependents’ eligibility. You may be required to provide proof of eligibility for your dependents upon request.
      • You will need your dependents’ legal names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers (SSNs) to enroll. You’re required by federal law to submit SSNs for you and your dependents age 1 or older so DISH can provide an annual statement about your coverage, as required under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
    2. Review the information for the people you plan to cover or list as a beneficiary.
      • To add a new person, click +Add.
      • To update a contact, click on the person’s name.
    3. When finished, click Continue.
  3. Select Program
    1. Select the name of the appropriate program:
      • DISH Benefit Program to make changes to your medical, dental, vision, Flexible Spending Account (FSA), supplemental health, life and disability insurance benefits and to accept the Tobacco-Free Pledge.
      • Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) to enroll or update your ESPP election.
      • FSA Transportation to elect Transit and/or Parking FSAs and to enter your per pay period deduction amount.
      • Health Savings Account (HSA) Program to make changes to your HSA election and catch-up election, if eligible. You need to have an open HSA bank account through Optum Bank Bank before payroll deductions will occur. Simply check the box in HR Link to initiate a bank account. If you already contribute to an HSA, your current elections will remain in effect for 2024 unless you make changes.
      • Political Action Committee (PAC) to enroll or update your PAC election. This benefit is completely optional and subject to eligibility requirements.
  4. Benefits Enrollments
    1. Displays your current coverage, dependents covered and beneficiaries.
    2. Click Edit to make new benefit elections.
  5. Update Benefits
    1. Update Enrollments:
      • To choose or decline a plan, check the appropriate box. Do not forget to enter election amounts in the text boxes when necessary.
      • Please be aware: If you want to participate in an FSA for 2024, you must re-elect coverage during Annual Enrollment.
      • Remember to complete your Tobacco-Free Pledge by visiting HR Link and consenting to the pledge. You must complete this pledge each year.
    2. Cover Dependents
      • You must check the box next to the dependents you wish to cover under each plan.
      • Click Next.
    3. Review Beneficiaries
      • Review and/or update your beneficiary designation for your medical plan (your enrollment in the medical plan includes basic life insurance) and any supplemental life insurance benefits.
    4. Click Submit when you’re satisfied with your elections.
  6. Confirmation Statement
    1. Print a copy of this page for your records.
    2. Click Finish.

Defining Dependents vs. Beneficiaries

  • Dependent: Eligible family member who you enroll for health or insurance coverage
  • Beneficiary: Eligible person who you elect to receive a benefit in the event of your death (e.g., a life insurance benefit)