For public sector HR teams managing Open Enrollment (OE), complexity isn’t the exception—it’s the norm. Between hybrid work arrangements, union-negotiated benefits, and varied eligibility requirements across departments, rigid benefits administration systems often can’t keep up. What these employers need is flexibility.
That’s where a flexible, custom rules engine can become a game-changer. Designed to accommodate a diverse workforce, these systems give HR teams the control and customization necessary to navigate a landscape that’s anything but one-size-fits-all.
The Public Sector’s Complexity Problem
Public sector workforces are among the most complex in the country. Consider a mid-sized municipality with multiple bargaining units, part-time and seasonal workers, retirees, and newly hired employees all in the same system. The eligibility rules, contribution schedules, and benefit offerings can vary significantly from one employee group to the next.
This complexity shows up in the data: an Equitable survey found that over half of employees regret their open enrollment decisions, partly because they spend limited time reviewing options and may not understand them.
Why Static Systems Fail Public Employers
Many legacy systems treat OE like a straight path: employees receive a standard set of options, with few guardrails or validations. But in the public sector, a static approach can result in serious compliance issues, incorrect elections, or delayed coverage—problems that disproportionately affect populations that already face barriers to care.
These issues aren’t just theoretical. In a 2024 Businessolver State of Workplace Empathy report, nearly 70% of public sector employees said they had trouble understanding or accessing their benefits due to outdated communication or confusing rules.
Enter the Rules Engine: What It Does and Why It Matters
At its core, a rules engine is a logic layer that governs how benefits are offered and administered. It can be programmed to reflect the nuances of your policies—automatically validating eligibility, adjusting contribution amounts, and restricting benefit choices based on criteria like:
- Employee classification (e.g., full-time, seasonal, union)
- Date of hire or rehire
- Bargaining unit agreements
- Plan tier limitations
- Age or dependent status
When configured correctly, a rules engine becomes an invisible guide during OE, ensuring employees only see what they are eligible for and that each selection complies with organizational policy.
Flexibility = Inclusion
One of the most powerful outcomes of a flexible benefits system is inclusion. Public sector employers serve a wide array of employee demographics—older workers nearing retirement, younger digital natives entering the workforce, and multigenerational caregivers balancing home and job responsibilities.
A flexible rules engine allows HR teams to:
- Tailor communications for different groups (e.g., custom OE windows for retirees vs. active employees)
- Accommodate life changes in real time (e.g., birth of a child, military leave)
- Support multiple plan types simultaneously, including medical, dental, vision, supplemental, and wellness programs
- Align with state or union regulations without the need for manual workarounds
The result is a more equitable and accessible experience—one where employees feel seen, supported, and set up for success.
Better Data, Smarter Decisions
Another major advantage of flexible systems is the real-time reporting they enable. When rules are built into the system logic, HR teams can monitor OE activity as it happens, including:
- Completion rates by employee group
- Common enrollment errors
- Plan popularity and selection trends
- Eligibility mismatches and exception cases
This level of visibility helps HR leaders proactively solve issues during OE, rather than discovering them after the fact. It also gives finance and leadership the insights they need to plan for benefit utilization and funding.
SHRM notes that only 43% of HR professionals, executives, and workers rated their organization’s HR technology as effective in the 2025 SHRM State of the Workplace report.
According to SHRM’s 2025 State of the Workplace report, only 43% of HR professionals, executives, and workers consider their organization’s HR technology to be effective—a clear signal that current systems aren’t meeting expectations. For public employers managing complex benefits programs, this shortfall often stems from a lack of flexibility and customization. Rules engines address this gap by allowing teams to configure workflows, enforce eligibility rules, and generate real-time reporting—all tailored to the specific needs of their workforce.
Real-Life Examples: How It Works in Action
Let’s look at a few real-world scenarios that highlight the value of a flexible system:
1. K–12 School District with Part-Time Aides
A district has 400 part-time aides working fewer than 30 hours per week. Per policy, these employees are eligible only for limited medical coverage and must self-pay premiums. With a configurable rules engine, the system can hide all non-eligible plans, enforce payment confirmation, and prevent enrollment errors—without HR needing to manually screen submissions.
2. County Government with Multiple Unions
A county negotiates separate plans and contribution levels with five unions. Using a rules engine, each bargaining unit can be assigned its own plan menu and rate structure. OE becomes faster and more accurate—no spreadsheets, no manual overrides, and no missed memos.
3. Retiree Administration for a City Municipality
The city offers retiree coverage that transitions to Medicare upon reaching age 65. The system flags employees approaching retirement and guides them through their personalized OE process. It also allows different OE timelines for active employees and retirees to reduce call volume and confusion.
Flexibility is a Compliance Tool
In today’s regulatory environment, flexibility isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a compliance imperative. From the ACA’s employer mandate to HIPAA protections and state-specific statutes, the public sector faces unique scrutiny. Rigid systems increase the risk of missteps.
With a properly configured rules engine, employers can enforce these rules programmatically, reducing legal exposure and avoiding costly corrections.
The Future of OE Is Configurable
In the past, public sector employers were forced to choose between expensive custom software or one-size-fits-all tools. That tradeoff no longer applies.
Modern benefits administration platforms like Bentek give HR teams the best of both worlds: flexibility and control. With intuitive dashboards, dynamic rules logic, and real-time analytics, HR teams can scale OE for a diverse workforce without sacrificing accuracy or compliance.
Want to learn more about how Bentek can help you create flexibility in your benefits? Let’s talk today!
