American Greetings Benefits

Termination of employment or retirement is considered a qualifying life event which impacts benefits. You may want to compare the American Greetings benefit options to those offered by other sources (i.e. Federal or State Health Care Exchanges, also known as the Marketplace). For a list of options, go to the AG Retiree Medical FAQ. Many former associates find that comparing all of the available coverage options helps find the plans best suited to their needs.

Click here to view the Summary Plan Descriptions for each of American Greeting’s benefit plans which contains additional details on the impact of your benefits and if you are eligible for post-retirement health care.

Questions on retiree health care are available by contacting AmWINS Care Line for American Greetings at 1-844-796-3621.

Health Care, Dental, and Vision Coverage

Your employee coverage, including any enrolled dependents, ends the last day of the month in which employment terminates.

If your employment is terminated for any reason, other than for gross misconduct, you may be offered continued coverage under COBRA, generally for up to eighteen (18) months. For more information about COBRA, click here.

Associates covered by a union contract or separation agreement may refer to that for additional information.

You may be eligible for retiree health care provided if:

You are at least age 55 and have a minimum of 15 years of continuous service with the Company when you leave.
You are age 65 or older and have a minimum of 10 years of continuous service with the Company when you leave.
Associates hired before January 1, 1992, may be eligible for subsidized post-65 healthcare coverage. Associates covered under a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) should also review their CBA for subsidy information, if applicable.

If you are eligible for retiree healthcare and would like additional information, including plan options and cost estimates, contact AmWINS Retiree Administration at 844-796-3621. Additional information can also be found in the Summary Plan Description.

Life & AD&D Insurance

Coverage ends the last day of the month in which employment terminates.

You may convert all or part of your life insurance to an individual whole life insurance contract up to 31 days after the change in benefits (or 45 days from the date the conversion notice is given to you, if the notice is given more than 15 days but less than 90 days after the date benefits were terminated or reduced). There is no conversion option for AD&D coverage.

Disability Benefits

Short-term disability (STD) and long-term disability (LTD) benefit coverage end on the last day of active work.

Flexible Spending Accounts

If an associate who has been making deposits to his or her flexible spending account (FSA) is terminated from the company, the account will be impacted.

Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA): If you are contributing to a DCFSA, your pre-tax contributions will end as of your separation date. Claims can be filed to your DCSA until March 31 of the following year, or until all the money in your DCSA has been paid out (if prior to the end of the plan year), for eligible expenses that were incurred while you were still actively contributing to the account. Money left in the DCFSA at year end is forfeited. DCFSAs are not considered health plans; therefore, federal COBRA regulations do not apply. Coverage or service dates may not be extended beyond your date of termination.

Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA): If you are contributing to a HCFSA, your pre-tax contributions will end as of your separation date. Claims can be filed to your HCFSA until March 31st of the following year, or until all the money in your HCFSA has been paid out (if prior to the end of the plan year), for eligible expenses that were incurred while you were still actively contributing to the account. Money left in the HCFSA at the end of the plan year is forfeited. You may be eligible to continue your HCFSA participation through COBRA if your claims are less than your FSA balance.

Health Savings Accounts

You can take your H.S.A. with you after you leave American Greetings and have access to all of your funds. However, you may no longer contribute to your account when you lose eligibility to the Consumer or Enhanced Consumer Medical Plans. AG’s employer contributions stop on your date of termination.

If you close your Optum Bank HSA and use the funds for eligible expenses, the funds are not subject to taxation. If you use the funds for expenses that are not considered eligible expenses, the withdrawal is subject to ordinary income tax, and if you are under age 65, an additional 20% penalty tax.

For more information visit, Optum Bank or call (866) 234-8913. (plan number 199947)

Retirement Savings Plan

You are no longer eligible to contribute to American Greetings Retirement Savings Plan due to your termination of employment. Depending on your balance total amount, you can keep money in the plan and/or take a distribution. Your account may be automatically disbursed if you have a balance under $5,000 and you do not complete the required distribution paperwork. Vanguard will send you a termination packet explaining your options.

For more information, contact Vanguard at (800) 523-1188 or go to www.vanguard.com/retirementplans (plan number 091997)