Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment is your one time of the year to verify your personal benefits information, make any changes you wish to your plan elections, enroll in a flexible spending account (FSA) and add or remove dependents.
Enrollment requires using Employee Self-Service (ESS).You may also log in to ESS from a computer outside of the County's network. Required documentation must be scanned and uploaded to ESS in order to complete enrollment for dependents. For assistance with logging into ESS, please contact your agency's Help Desk.
Online Open Enrollment Assistance
If you need assistance with enrollment, schedule an one on one appointment with a member of the Employee Benefits staff. If you need to cancel your appointment, please notify our office through email risk.mgmt@cookcountyil.gov.
Enrollment Resource Links
REMEMBER: Any changes you make to plan elections during the Open Enrollment period go into effect the start of the new plan years (December 1st for all benefits except FSA, which is January 1st). If you enroll in the health care or dependent care FSA, deductions will begin with the first pay check of the calendar year.
Important Documents
Here is a list of important documents with helpful information on enrollment:
Open Enrollment: Information Sessions
Employee Benefits staff will be conducting Information Sessions both virtually and onsite this year.
Virtual Sessions
Virtual sessions will be hosted at 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Wednesdays throughout October and will provide you with an overview of your benefit plan options, the Open Enrollment schedule and new plan features. Click on the tabs below to view more details about the presenters for each session and to find a link to join the live session. Links to the recorded session will be added here after each session.
Presented By: Cook County Employee Benefits
Topics Covered: 2024 Open Enrollment: Choice Matters - Enroll 2024
Presented By: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois
Topics Covered: Medical Plans Overview
Presented By: ComPsych
Topics Covered: EAP: Guidance Resources Program
This session will be recorded
Click here to watch the recording
Presented By: Optum Financial
Topics covered: Flexible Spending Options and Commuter Benefits
This session will be recorded
Click here to watch the recording
Presented By: Mercer
Topics covered: Cook County Voluntary Benefits
Click here to watch the recording
Presented By: Nationwide Retirement Solutions
Topics covered: Myths and Realities
Onsite Events
Staff will also be onsite at 4 Cook County locations during Open Enrollment to answer your benefits enrollment questions and provide you with more information around the process and what is new in 2023.
Tuesday 10/17/2023
10 a.m. to 3 pm.
Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, Auditorium
Thursday 10/19/2023
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Stroger Hospital, Lower Level Cafeteria
Tuesday 10/24/2023
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
County Building, 7th Floor
Thursday 10/26/2023
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Criminal Courts Building, 2nd Floor Cafeteria
More Information on Benefits
In addition to providing employees with a challenging, rewarding environment for career and personal growth, we are proud to also offer some of the best benefits in the public sphere, including:
ComPsych® GuidanceResources® will replace Magellan Healthcare as Cook County’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Employees and their dependents can use confidential EAP services at no cost, copayments or deductibles. Trained mental health professionals are available 24/7 to counsel you and household members with many of life’s challenges.