Category: News

08 Nov

A benefits wishlist for millennial employees

Millennials are the new core workforce. Their concept of work is different than the standards set by previous generations. They bring bold, new approaches of what work should be, how and where it should be performed, and what the rewards for work should be. While this has made some employers uncomfortable, millennials are not likely […]

08 Nov

DOL’s new fluctuating workweek rule may pave road for worker bonuses

The Department of Labor’s new proposal would give employers additional flexibility when calculating overtime pay for salaried, non-exempt employees who work irregular hours — and may make it easier for some workers to get bonuses. The new proposal, released this week, clarifies for employers that bonuses paid on top of fixed salaries are compatible with […]

08 Nov

IRS increases retirement contributions for 2020

The IRS said this week that workers contributing to 401(k), 403(b), 457 and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plans plans can add $19,500 next year, an increase from $19,000 in 2019. The move could help workers save more for retirement, but it may be inconvenient for employers who’ve already started open enrollment, experts say. Employees […]

08 Nov

It’s time for clients to try reference-based pricing. Here’s why it works

In 2017, the U.S. spent $3.5 trillion on health expenditures. That’s more than any other country and more than double the average among developed countries, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Every year, healthcare costs rise, putting additional strain on individuals, their families and their employers. The system is broken. Any significant […]

08 Nov

AI, tech are transforming traditional HR

Nearly all HR leaders say their jobs will be unrecognizable in 10 years thanks in part to the adoption of new technology, according to new survey data. Eighty-two percent of HR executives say that their jobs will transform due to increased focus on people management and less on administrative tasks, as well as the adoption […]

08 Nov

It’s time to consider a wage and hour audit

Those who believed the Trump administration would scale back the Obama-era Department of Labor’s aggressive enforcement of wage and hour laws may be surprised to learn that the DOL recently announced that it recovered a record $322 million in unpaid wages for fiscal year 2019. This is $18 million more than that recovered in the […]

02 Nov

Experts predict 2020’s most in-demand benefits

With 2020 fast approaching, benefits professionals are taking stock of breakthrough trends of this year, even as they think about what employers will most want to offer their employees in the next. “Looking back on 2019 it was definitely a year of innovation in benefits,” says Kate Torgersen, founder of Milk Stork, a breast milk […]

31 Oct

Employers are scaling back their dependence on high-deductible health plans

Everything old is new again. As open enrollment gets underway for next year’s job-based health insurance coverage, some employees are seeing traditional plans offered alongside or instead of the plans with sky-high deductibles that may have been their only choice in the past. Some employers say that, in a tight labor market, offering a more […]

31 Oct

Making employees more comfortable with open enrollment

When it comes to open enrollment employees often finish the process with more questions than when they started. They are finding it increasingly difficult to interpret their benefits plans and more often than not, they don’t fully understand what they signed up for. About 35% of employees have little to no understanding of their healthcare […]

31 Oct

New UnitedHealthcare benefit offers alternatives to opioids

Unitedhealthcare is introducing a new benefit for members with acute low back pain which is intended to make accessing physical therapy and chiropractic care more affordable. The new benefit allows plan participants enrolled in certain employer-sponsored health plans to pay zero out of pocket for their first three visits to a physical therapist or chiropractor […]