Open Enrollment

Definition

The brief window when employees can choose their health insurance plans, usually managed by a benefits coordinator and understood by nobody.

Example Usage

Open enrollment is in October, which means I have one week to compare 47 health plans and choose one I'll regret.

Source: HR terminology

Related Terms

Intermediate

Bench

Employees who are between projects and sitting idle—like players on a sports bench. It's a nice way of saying 'we're paying you to wait.'

👥 Human Resources

Beginner

reference check

The practice of contacting a candidate's previous employers or colleagues to verify their claims and uncover potential red flags. Essentially calling their exes to ask if they were really as great as they claim.

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Intermediate

Severance Agreement

A legal contract outlining what an employee receives when laid off, including pay, benefits continuation, and various restrictions like non-compete clauses.

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psychological contract

The unwritten expectations and obligations between employer and employee beyond the formal employment agreement. The real deal that nobody discusses until it's violated.

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time to hire

The number of days between when a candidate enters your pipeline and when they accept an offer, measuring recruitment efficiency. Different from 'time to fill' which starts when the requisition opens—HR loves having multiple confusing metrics.

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360-degree feedback

A performance evaluation process where employees receive confidential, anonymous feedback from everyone around them—supervisors, peers, subordinates, and sometimes clients. It's like being roasted from all directions, but professionally.

👥 Human Resources

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