Purpose
Turn raw benefits plan details into a polished, employee-ready FAQ document that answers the questions employees actually ask during open enrollment — in plain language, organized by benefit type, and grounded in the specific plans, costs, and deadlines you provide. Eliminates the annual scramble of rewriting FAQs from scratch and cuts down the repetitive questions flooding the HR inbox.
When to Use
Invoke this skill when the user asks to:
- Prepare an open enrollment FAQ or benefits Q&A for employees
- Refresh last year's FAQ for a new plan year or updated rates
- Communicate a new benefit program, carrier change, or plan design change
- Reduce repetitive employee questions to the HR/benefits team during enrollment
- Build a self-service benefits resource for an intranet, portal, or enrollment email
- Explain confusing plan concepts (HDHP vs. PPO, HSA vs. FSA, dependent eligibility) in accessible terms
Inputs Required
Before starting, collect:
- Plan year and enrollment window: The benefit year and the open enrollment start/end dates
- Benefits offered: Which categories apply — medical, dental, vision, HSA/FSA, life/disability, retirement, voluntary/supplemental, wellness
- Plan options and key details: Plan names, tiers, and notable figures (premiums, deductibles, copays, contribution limits, employer match)
- What's changing this year: New plans, rate changes, carrier switches, dropped plans, or "no changes"
- Enrollment mechanics: How employees enroll (portal name, active vs. passive enrollment, what happens if they don't act)
- Eligibility rules: Waiting periods, dependent definitions, qualifying life events
- Where to get help: Benefits contact, carrier phone numbers, or enrollment support resources
If specific figures are missing for a plan, generate the FAQ structure with a clearly marked placeholder line the operator can fill, and note which numbers are needed. Never invent dollar amounts.
Instructions
Step 1: Confirm Scope and Flag Changes
Establish which of the 8 benefit categories are in scope based on the benefits offered. Identify every item flagged as "changing this year" — these become priority FAQs, since change drives the most employee confusion. If enrollment is passive (default to current elections) versus active (must re-enroll), note this prominently, as it changes the most important answer in the document.
Step 2: Generate FAQs Across 8 Categories
Write each answer in plain, second-person language ("you," "your plan"). Keep answers to 2–5 sentences. Lead with the direct answer, then add the caveat or next step. Use the specific plan names and figures provided — no generic templates.
Category 1 — Enrollment Basics & Deadlines (6–8 questions) The mechanics of participating. Cover: when open enrollment opens/closes, what happens if you miss the deadline, active vs. passive enrollment, how to enroll, when elections take effect, and whether current elections carry over.
Category 2 — Medical Plans (6–8 questions) Plan comparison and selection. Cover: what plans are offered and how they differ, HDHP vs. PPO in plain terms, how to choose based on usage, what's changing this year, how premiums/deductibles/out-of-pocket maximums work, and network/provider questions.
Category 3 — Dental & Vision (3–4 questions) Cover: what's covered, whether these are bundled or separate elections, in-network expectations, and any changes.
Category 4 — HSA & FSA Accounts (5–6 questions) The most-confused category — explain carefully. Cover: HSA vs. FSA difference, who's eligible for an HSA (HDHP requirement), contribution limits for the plan year, employer contributions, use-it-or-lose-it vs. rollover rules, and how to change contributions mid-year.
Category 5 — Life, Disability & Voluntary Benefits (4–5 questions) Cover: employer-provided coverage amounts, supplemental/voluntary options, evidence of insurability requirements, short-term vs. long-term disability, and how to add or increase coverage.
Category 6 — Retirement (401k/403b) (3–4 questions) Cover: contribution limits, employer match and vesting, how to change contributions, and whether open enrollment is required to participate (usually not — clarify this).
Category 7 — Dependents & Life Events (4–5 questions) Cover: who qualifies as a dependent, documentation required to add dependents, what counts as a qualifying life event, the window to make changes after a life event, and removing dependents.
Category 8 — Getting Help & Next Steps (3–4 questions) Cover: who to contact with questions, carrier customer service resources, where to find plan documents (SBCs, SPDs), and what to do if a technical issue blocks enrollment.
Step 3: Build the Quick-Reference Decision Guide
Add a short "Which plan is right for me?" guide framed around 2–3 employee profiles (e.g., "If you rarely visit the doctor," "If you manage an ongoing condition," "If you're planning a family"). Point each profile toward relevant considerations — not a prescriptive recommendation, since employees must decide for themselves.
Step 4: Add the Key Deadlines & Action Callout
Create a prominent boxed summary at the top: enrollment window dates, whether action is required, the single most important deadline, and the primary help contact. This is the section most employees will actually read.
Output Format
- Structure: Key deadlines callout at top → 8 categorized FAQ sections → quick-reference decision guide → help contacts
- Length: 1,400–2,000 words; 35–45 total questions
- Format: Structured document — bolded questions with concise answer paragraphs beneath; callout box and decision guide as scannable lists
- Sections: Deadlines callout, then Categories 1–8 in order, then Decision Guide
- Tone: Warm, clear, and reassuring — HR communications voice that respects employees' time and avoids jargon; every acronym defined on first use
Quality Checklist
Before delivering output, verify:
- [ ] Total question count falls between 35 and 45 across all categories
- [ ] Every category in scope is present with its minimum question count
- [ ] All plan names, dates, and figures match the inputs provided — no invented numbers
- [ ] Items flagged as "changing this year" each have a dedicated question
- [ ] Active vs. passive enrollment is stated clearly in the deadlines callout and Category 1
- [ ] Every benefits acronym (HDHP, HSA, FSA, SBC, EOI) is defined the first time it appears
Notes
- The HSA/FSA and enrollment-basics categories generate the highest volume of real HR inbox questions — invest the most clarity there
- Keep the decision guide non-prescriptive; framing it as "considerations" rather than "recommendations" avoids liability and respects employee choice
- This document is designed to be reusable annually — the operator updates figures and "what's changing" each plan year rather than rewriting from scratch
- If any required figure is missing, mark it with a clear fill-in line rather than guessing, and list the missing items at the end so the operator can complete them before publishing
How to use this skill
This file is a Claude Code skill in Anthropic's standard format — markdown with YAML frontmatter at the top.
Installing in Claude Code:
~/.claude/skills/<folder-name>/SKILL.md— auto-loads in every session anywhere on your machine (recommended for skills you'll use across multiple projects)<your-project>/.claude/skills/<folder-name>/SKILL.md— auto-loads only when working in that project (recommended for project-specific skills)
Restart Claude Code or open a new session to register.
Using in Claude.ai, ChatGPT, Gemini, or other AI tools:
- Drag this file into a new chat, or copy and paste its contents
- Send your task or request as your next message — the AI will apply the skill where it fits
For Claude Code skill details: https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/skills