The New York State Department of Civil Service has announced the Option Transfer Period, Dec. 2-31, 2010.

The three kinds of options during the Option Transfer Period concern:

• Health plans: During this period, you can change health plans; change from family to individual coverage; or cancel your health plan coverage. If you choose to remain with your health plan for next year, you will automatically be enrolled for 2011 at the same coverage level you have now.

The New York State Health Insurance Plan (NYSHIP) rates for 2011 can be found at http://hr.cornell.edu/benefits/open_enrollment.html. Details on the Empire Plan or HMO plans can be found in the Choices Booklet for 2011, at https://www.cs.state.ny.us/ebdonline/ebdonlinecenter/choices11/actives/actives_choices_set_11.pdf.

• Select Benefits: Cornell uses the dates of the Option Transfer Period every year to hold an annual open enrollment period for Select Benefits for contract college faculty and staff. If you wish to participate in Select Benefits, you need to sign up every year. Enrolling allows you to use pre-tax dollars to pay medical expenses.

Enroll in Select Benefits via eBenefits at https://ee.ohr.cornell.edu. For more information on Select Benefits, go to http://hr.cornell.edu/benefits/open_enrollment.html and http://www.hr.cornell.edu/benefits.

• Child care: If you have been notified that you are a recipient of a Child Care Subsidy Grant for 2011, you need to enroll in the Select Benefits Dependent Care Account to claim your grant money in 2011. Enroll in Select Benefits Dependent Care via eBenefits at https://ee.ohr.cornell.edu.

If you have questions or do not have easy Web access, contact the Resource Center at Benefit Services at 607-255-3936 or e-mail benefits@cornell.edu. Remember: The winter break begins Dec. 24, so Benefit Services is open through 5 p.m. on Dec. 23 and closed Dec. 24-Jan. 2. If you must visit Benefit Services in person for any option transfer reasons, such as picking up a Select Benefits enrollment form, you will need to do that on or before Dec. 23.