New Employee Orientation (NEO) Guide

Within the First 30 Days

Permanent Employees

• New permanent employees must attend a New Employee Orientation (NEO) session. NEO is typically conducted via webinar on the middle Monday of the month (full schedule listed to left).  

• Webinar is scheduled from 12:30 to approximately 4 PM.

  • • These sessions will provide an overview of the state system and DNR, discuss important policies, and provide critical benefit enrollment information, CoWINS and DNR Payroll presentations.

    • Your Selection Specialist adds New Employees to the NEO roster.  *Please reach out to dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us if you cannot make it to your scheduled NEO.*

• You have 30 days from the date you were hired to make your medical, dental, flexible spending, life insurance, and long-term disability insurance elections. This is an online process through BenefitSolver (company code: "soc").

  • • Available during the new hire period only is Guarantee Issue for:

      • • Optional Life Insurance up to $100k

        • Spouse Optional Life up to $30k (no more than 50% of employee optional)

        • Child Life $5k or $10k (no more than 50% of employee optional)

        • Long-Term Disability (LTD) Coverage

• • Please review documents needed to add additional dependents (both spouse and children) to the coverage.

  • To learn more about benefits offered through the State of Colorado, please visit our State Benefit Options page! 

• Review DNR and Universal Policies

• Complete the State Employee Security Awareness Training

• Begin working on required compliance and EDI training modules within DNR's Learning Management System

• Review the State of Colorado Employee Handbook

• Review the How do I...? Section

Note on Benefits:  If your spouse/domestic partner/civil union partner or child is also a state employee, they may be covered for their own optional life as an employee or as a spouse/domestic partner/civil union partner or child under your plan, but not both. Double optional life coverage is not allowed. If you have previously been covered under another state employee (even if they have left state employment), please let your HR representative know so that we can ensure that your coverages are transferred correctly within the vendor system. 

*Questions about NEO please email dnr_hr_employeebeneftis@state.co.us*

Within the First 60 Days

PERA Retirement Plans:  New employees have 60 calendar days to make their retirement choice between two types of retirement plans: 

• Defined Benefit (DB)

  • • New Employees who do not elect a retirement benefit plan within 60 days will default to this plan.

    • More like a pension type plan

    • Consider this option if you like to let PERA manage your investments.

• Defined Contribution (DC)

  • • Consider this option if you would like to manage your own investments. 

    • Similar to a 401k plan

Before making any retirement decisions, we recommend that you consult with your financial advisor or contact PERA at (800) 759-7372. 

To view the full details of both these plans, please CLICK HERE to visit PERA's website.