Voluntary Benefits ERISA Compliance Exemption - Voluntary benefits are optional benefits that employers may offer to enhance their traditional benefits packages. Offering voluntary benefits allows an employer to include...

Read More

Health Care Plan Tobacco Surcharges - If you are looking for ways to manage health care costs, avoiding tobacco surcharges can reduce your health care spending. Your health care plan may have tobacco surcharges on...

Read More

Form 5500 Deadline Is July 31 - Each year, employers that are subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) must electronically file an annual report (Form 5500) for each employee benefit plan...

Read More

Health Plan Deductibles and OOPMs – Key Concepts for Employers - Deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums (OOPMs) are important cost-sharing parameters for health plans. A deductible is the amount an individual must pay...

Read More

Selecting the FMLA Leave year - Under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), covered employers must allow eligible employees to take 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave per each 12-month period for...

Read More

Psychiatry Basics and Health Plan Coverage - A psychiatrist is a medical doctor specializing in mental health, including substance use disorders. They are trained to diagnose, treat and help prevent a wide range of...

Read More

The Most Common Summary Plan Description Misconceptions - One of the most important documents participants must automatically receive when becoming covered under a health benefit plan that is subject to the federal...

Read More

Compliance Considerations for Unlimited PTO Policies - With employee leave laws continuing to expand in patchwork fashion across the country, employers may consider implementing an unlimited paid time off (PTO) policy...

Read More

Employee Assistance Programs - Employee assistance programs (EAPs) are work-based intervention programs that connect employees with resources to identify and address personal problems. EAPs typically include a variety...

Read More

Accidental Death and Dismemberment - When accidents happen, their life-altering or fatal consequences can be devastating not only for the individuals involved but also for their families and employers. In such an event,...

Read More

How to Navigate a Growing Array of Benefits Options - In today’s labor market, offering a robust benefits package is essential for talent attraction and retention and employee well-being. The rise of voluntary benefits...

Read More

Mental Health Parity Continues to Be a Top Enforcement Priority - The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) recently released its annual enforcement report on the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act...

Read More

Employers Must File ACA Returns Electronically by March 31, 2025 - The Affordable Care Act (ACA) created reporting requirements under Internal Revenue Code (Code) Sections 6055 and 6056. Under these rules, certain...

Read More

5 Employee Benefits Trends Shaping 2025 - Employee benefits are transforming, and employers can get ahead of these changes as they strive to attract and retain top talent. The modern workforce is multigenerational, with...

Read More

Over 80% of Employers Will Add or Improve Benefits in the Next Year - A new report by health care benefits company Lively found that 81% of organizations plan to add or improve employee benefits in the next year to...

Read More

U.S. Workers Are Satisfied With Their PTO, But Don’t Exhaust It - A new Harris Poll survey found that most employed Americans are satisfied with their company’s paid time off (PTO) policy; however, 3 in 4 said they didn’...

Read More

Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefit Limits to Increase in 2025 - The IRS has released Revenue Procedure 2024-40, which includes cost-of-living adjustments for employee qualified transportation fringe benefits for...

Read More

7 Employment Policies to Review in 2025 - Employee handbooks are important for establishing employee expectations, addressing workplace issues and defending against potential lawsuits. Failing to update the employment...

Read More

Deadline for Employers to Receive MLR Rebates Is Approaching - Employers with insured group health plans may soon receive a medical loss ratio (MLR) rebate from their health insurance issuers. Issuers who did not meet...

Read More

Motivating Employees to Spend More Time With Open Enrollment - Open enrollment is a critical period for both employees and employers. It’s the time when employees can make important decisions about their benefits, which...

Read More

Report Finds Weight Loss Drugs Key Driver of 2025 Health Care Cost Increase - A recent Business Group on Health (BGH) survey found that heightened interest and spending on glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs is a...

Read More

Court Denies FMLA for Unmarried Father Before Child's Birth - The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals recently held in Tanner v. Stryker Corp. that an unmarried employee who traveled to be with his pregnant ex-girlfriend for...

Read More

Increased Civil Penalty Amounts for SBC, MSP, HIPAA Violations - On Aug. 8, 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a final rule increasing key penalties affecting group health plans. HHS...

Read More

8 Tips for Effective 2025 Open Enrollment Communication - Now more than ever, employees are looking to their employers for guidance on navigating their available benefits and how to stretch their dollars further. Many...

Read More

SAR Is Due by Sept. 30 for Calendar Year Plan - Many employers that must file Form 5500 on behalf of their employee benefit plans must also provide plan participants with a summary annual report (SAR). The SAR is a...

Read More

The DOL Overtime Rule’s Impact on Employee Benefit - The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) final rule issued on April 23, 2024, increases the salary thresholds used to determine whether executive, administrative and...

Read More

IRS FAQs on Educational Assistance Programs - The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued frequently asked questions (FAQs) that provide general information on educational assistance programs under Section 127 of the...

Read More

3rd Circuit Rules USERRA May Require Paid Leave - On May 21, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit held that short-term military leave may be comparable to jury duty leave and bereavement leave and...

Read More

What Are Specialty Drug Benefits? - Specialty drugs, also known as specialty pharmaceuticals, are some of the most expensive prescriptions you can buy-costing up to $2,000 or more per month. Unfortunately, they may also...

Read More

Form 5500 Deadline is July 31st - Each year, employers that are subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) must electronically file an annual report (Form 5500) for each employee benefit plan...

Read More

- Report Highlights Growing Demand for Family-friendly Benefits - A new report released by family health benefits platform Ovia Health by Labcorp (Ovia) uncovered U.S. workers’ preferences for family-friendly workplace...

Read More

- DOL Releases Benefit-related Penalty Amounts for 202 - On Jan. 11, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published the 2024 inflation-adjusted civil monetary penalties that may be assessed for a wide range of...

Read More

- 7 Key Employee Benefits Trends in 2024 - Attracting and retaining employees has challenged employers since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, the labor market is expected to cool slightly; however,...

Read More

- Early-career and Entry-level Development Programs to Attract Talent - In the competitive landscape of today's job market, attracting and retaining top-tier talent is a priority for organizations looking to secure...

Read More

- Benefits Breakdown - January 2024 - 4 Key Trends Driving Employer Health Care Costs in 2024 - Amid ongoing inflation pressures, employees and employers alike can expect their health care costs to increase in 2024....

Read More

- - Open Enrollment 2024 – Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) - Employers who sponsor high deductible health plans (HDHPs) that are compatible with health savings accounts (HSAs) should prepare for open enrollment by:...

Read More

- - Educating Young Employees on Open Enrollment - Many employees need help with open enrollment. This is particularly true among younger workers, who typically have less experience selecting benefits than older...

Read More

A spending bill signed into law on March 15, 2022, extends the ability of high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) to provide benefits for telehealth or other remote care services before plan deductibles have been met...

Read More

- Health care costs continue to rise each year, and 2022 will likely be no exception. In the new year, experts predict a 6.5% increase in medical expenses alone, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. In terms of health...

Read More

Employee Benefit Plan Limits for 2022 - Many employee benefits are subject to annual dollar limits that are periodically updated for inflation by the IRS. The following commonly offered employee benefits are subject to...

Read More