MetLife + MMA

Online Employee Navigator Addition Simplifies and Enhances Program

This article appeared in the April 2026 issue of MiMfg Magazine. Read the full issue and find past issues online.

Today’s workforce demands robust benefit solutions, yet manufacturing employers continue to contend with complex administrative process and ever-growing budget implications.

With a history dating back to 1964, MMA members have gained competitive advantages from participating in the MMA-MetLife employee benefits program — advantages like competitive and stable insurance rates, efficiency and personalized local service.

Administered by MMA and sold through independent brokers or agents, the program includes options for life, vision, dental, long-term disability, short-term disability and accidental death or dismemberment insurance.

According to Brenda Nalett, MMA Director of Insurance Services, the group buying power of 32,000-plus insured individuals means that MMA members can take advantage of more balanced and more competitive insurance programs and rates, as a company’s rates are based on pooled experience.

Members also have a more efficient and enjoyable experience with local, dedicated customer service.

“Each group gets a personal representative at MMA to help them out,” Nalett says, adding that the result is a range of tailored solutions designed to help business leaders balance costs and drive employee satisfaction.

Whether its enrolling new employees, making changes or general questions about their plans, groups have a direct line to a dedicated insurance processor based in MMA’s headquarters in Lansing.

Employee Navigator Integration

And now, MMA-MetLife has a new value-added feature: Employee Navigator.

Beginning in September 2025, MMA’s systems are integrated with Employee Navigator, an HR and benefits management platform that is designed to simplify and automate benefits administration.

With this collaboration, brokers and HR administrators experience streamlined benefit enrollment and administration, reduced errors and compliance assurance, and improved efficiency and reporting capabilities. The platform also empowers employees with intuitive self-service tools. New policy information or employee updates entered into the Employee Navigator platform are sent automatically through Employee Navigator to MMA for administration.

“For small and mid-sized manufacturers, HR often wears many hats,” Nalett explains. “This streamlines the process for busy HR administrators; its really a great benefit for all of our members and their agents and brokers.”

Rate Stability

Through effective program management and aggressive loss control initiatives, MMA-MetLife’s pooled renewals have remained as low and stable as possible over the past three decades.

MMA’s life insurance rates, specifically, went for more than 20 years without an increase, only increasing twice since 1996.

• Short-term disability rates have not increased in 14 years.
• The average cost increase over the past 20 years is only 3 percent for long-term disability benefits and only 5 percent for dental benefits.
• In place for seven years, vision insurance rates have never increased within this program.

“MMA-MetLife is such a cool program,” Nalett says. “Not only do participants have easy access to insurance through the world’s largest life insurance company but they also get local personalized service together with rate stability and the other benefits of MMA membership.”

Ask your agent/broker to reach out to their MetLife sales representative to explore the opportunities available with MMA-MetLife. Members may also contact Brenda Nalett directly at nalett@mimfg.org to get connected with MetLife.