Length of service otherwise-eligible plan members must have before becoming eligible to participate in various types of benefits.
Waiting period
Plans with 100% participation and no contribution to cost by plan members.
Non‐contributory plan
Philosophy of relating benefits to the needs of plan members and their dependents.
Benefits/needs‐oriented philosophy
Plan where plan
members must
contribute to the
cost of the benefits.
Contributory plan
Categories of individuals whom a plan sponsor may want to consider protecting under its group benefits plan.
Eligibility
Benefits that are
a reward for
long service.
Accumulation‐oriented benefits
Benefits that protect plan members against serious loss exposures that could create immediate financial consequences should they occur.
Protection‐oriented benefits
Participation in
a benefit is a
condition of
employment.
Mandatory participation
Participation in a
contributory plan
when not a condition
of employment.
Voluntary participation
Ratio of plan members participating in a plan to total permanent employees, or total eligible plan members.
Participation ratios
Philosophy of relating benefits primarily to compensation, service or both.
Compensation/service‐oriented philosophy
Adoption of business policies regarding the general compensation of employees by employers.
Plan philosophy/objectives statement
The balance of various elements including wages and salary, incentive plans and group benefits.
Total compensation
A systematic method for analyzing a plan sponsor’s benefits plan.
Functional approach