Voluntary Benefits
Payroll-deducted worksite coverage at zero direct employer cost
How voluntary benefits work
What voluntary worksite coverage adds to a benefits package
Zero direct employer cost
Premiums are paid entirely by the employee through payroll deduction. Voluntary lines add coverage to the benefits package without adding a premium line item to the employer budget.
Group rates and simplified underwriting
Worksite pricing is generally lower than the equivalent individual policy. Underwriting is typically guaranteed-issue or simplified during the initial enrollment window, which can include employees who would not qualify on the individual market.
Cash benefits for out-of-pocket exposure
HDHPs, level-funded plans, and ICHRA pairings commonly carry four- and five-figure deductibles. Voluntary policies pay cash directly to the employee on a covered event, which can be applied toward the deductible, copays, or other expenses.
The worksite product menu
Worksite products available through payroll deduction
| What it pays for | How it shows up | |
|---|---|---|
| Accident | Cash for injuries from covered accidents — ER visits, fractures, ambulance, follow-up | Per-event benefit schedule; pairs naturally with high-deductible medical |
| Critical illness | Lump-sum cash on diagnosis of cancer, heart attack, stroke, or organ failure | Tax-free benefit; amount selected by the employee at enrollment |
| Hospital indemnity | Per-admission and per-day cash for inpatient hospital stays | Commonly paired with high-deductible medical plans and workforces with maternity utilization |
| Gap (medical bridge) | Covers the difference between what medical pays and what the employee owes | Tied to the deductible and out-of-pocket max of the underlying health plan |
| Cancer | Diagnosis lump sum plus benefits for chemo, radiation, travel, lodging | Sold standalone where the demographic or family history justifies it |
| Identity theft | Monitoring, restoration services, and reimbursement for fraud losses | Low monthly cost; among the more commonly elected voluntary lines in small and mid-size workforces |
| Legal | Network attorney access for wills, real estate, traffic, family matters | Group legal plans cover most common legal needs at a flat monthly rate |
| Financial wellness | Coaching, debt counseling, emergency-savings tools, financial education | Frequently requested by younger and middle-income workforces |
| Pet | Reimbursement for veterinary care for cats and dogs | Modest payroll deduction; frequently elected even at small workforces |
Participation depends on the enrollment process
Low voluntary participation typically traces back to the enrollment process rather than the products themselves. When employees receive a benefits guide PDF, a short election window, and no walkthrough of what each policy covers, the most common outcome is to opt out.
Murdock’s enrollment process uses pre-enrollment communication, one-on-one meetings (on-site or virtual), and plain-language plan summaries. Employees have time to ask questions privately before they make an election.
- Pre-enrollment education tailored to the workforce
- On-site or virtual employee one-on-ones
- Plain-language plan summaries and benefits guide
- Manager and HR briefings before the window opens
How Murdock runs a voluntary enrollment
The enrollment process by phase
4–6 weeks out
Strategy & communications
Murdock works with HR to select the product mix for the workforce, then builds a communication plan: emails, posters, intranet copy, and manager talking points ahead of the election window.
Enrollment window
Education & one-on-ones
On-site or virtual employee meetings, group education sessions, and one-on-one conversations. Each employee has the opportunity to ask questions and make an informed election.
After enrollment
Year-round support
New-hire onboarding, qualifying-event enrollments, claims support, and an annual review to confirm the menu still matches the workforce.
BenAdmin integration, configured once
Voluntary lines are configured to flow through the employer’s existing benefits administration platform: Employee Navigator, Ease, PlanSource, and others. New-hire elections, life-event changes, and payroll deductions run through the same workflow as medical, dental, and vision. Eligibility files, EDI feeds, and deduction reports follow the cadence already in place, so voluntary lines do not create a separate paperwork system.
- Eligibility and enrollment files configured between the BenAdmin platform and the carrier
- Payroll deductions handled through the existing process
- Life-event changes mirror the medical plan workflow
- Annual renewal coordinated with the rest of the package
Year-round enrollment events
When voluntary elections can be made
New-hire enrollment
Voluntary elections are made in the same onboarding flow as medical and dental, on the new hire’s effective date.
Qualifying life events
Marriage, birth, divorce, and loss of other coverage open an election window for most voluntary products, mirroring the medical Special Enrollment Period.
Guaranteed-issue at hire
Most worksite products are guaranteed-issue during the new-hire window, including for employees who would not pass underwriting on the individual market.
Related coverage
How voluntary fits the rest of the package
Group Health Insurance
Fully insured, level-funded, and self-funded options for the core medical plan that voluntary sits alongside.
Learn moreICHRA
Reimburse employees tax-free for individual coverage. Voluntary worksite products are commonly paired with the HDHPs employees often select.
Learn moreEmployee Benefits
The full benefits-package view: health, dental, vision, life, disability, and voluntary lines.
Learn moreSupplemental for Individuals
For employees or family members shopping coverage on their own, the consumer-facing supplemental overview.
Learn more
Why work with us
How Murdock approaches voluntary benefits
Independent across major carriers
Murdock places voluntary worksite products through MetLife, Allstate, Unum, Voya, Sun Life, Trustmark, and other carriers. Carrier selection is based on product fit for the workforce.
Enrollment communication and meetings
Pre-enrollment education, one-on-one employee meetings, and plain-language plan summaries, rather than a single benefits guide drop.
Zero direct employer cost
Premiums are 100% employee-paid via payroll deduction at group rates. Broker compensation is built into carrier premiums; employers pay no separate fee.
Got Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question not listed here? Get in touch.
Voluntary worksite benefits are coverages offered through the employer but paid entirely by the employee through payroll deduction, typically at group rates that are lower than what employees would pay on the individual market. The most common worksite products are accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, cancer, identity theft, legal, financial wellness, and pet insurance. The employer absorbs no direct premium cost. The benefit to the workforce is access to group-rate coverage and additional cash benefits for events that a health plan may not fully cover.
High-deductible and level-funded plans often carry four- or five-figure deductibles, which can leave an employee with significant out-of-pocket exposure even after the medical claim is paid. Voluntary policies pay cash directly to the employee on a covered event such as a fracture, a diagnosis, or a hospital admission. The employee can apply that cash benefit to the deductible, copays, lost wages, or any other expense.
Low participation typically traces back to the enrollment process rather than the products themselves. When employees receive a benefits guide PDF, an open-enrollment window, and no walkthrough of the available policies, election rates tend to stay low. Murdock’s enrollment process includes pre-enrollment education, on-site or virtual one-on-ones, plain-language plan summaries, and ongoing communication, which tends to produce higher election rates than an enrollment that skips the walkthrough.
Yes. Murdock works with the major benefits administration platforms (Employee Navigator, Ease, PlanSource, and others), and most worksite carriers feed eligibility, enrollment, and deductions directly through those systems. New hires can enroll in voluntary coverage through the same workflow they use for medical, dental, and vision, and payroll deductions run without separate paperwork. Murdock configures the integration during the initial setup so that the steady-state workflow is in place from day one.
Many voluntary products allow new-hire enrollment year-round and qualifying-event enrollment when a life change occurs (marriage, birth, loss of other coverage). Some products are guaranteed-issue at any time with no medical underwriting. The exact mechanics depend on the carrier and the specific product, but employees generally do not have to wait for the next open enrollment to add coverage. Murdock configures plans so that life events trigger an election window.
Voluntary worksite benefits for South Carolina employers
Murdock designs, communicates, and runs worksite-benefit enrollments. Premiums are paid by employees through payroll deduction at no direct cost to the company.