Employee Benefits Report – April 2021
Federal Government Allows 401(k) Distributions for Birth or Adoption
Your employees can use their 401(k) savings to help with the costs of a qualified birth or adoption. Read on for details.
Individual vs. Group Long-Term Care Coverage for Employees
Considering whether to offer long-term care insurance to employees? How does group long-term compare to individual long-term insurance? Read on for details.
HealthCare Options for Unemployed Workers
How President Biden’s executive orders could affect health care coverage and the way we address the pandemic. Read on for details.
COVID-19: Do You Have Liability?
Lawmakers are looking into legislation to shield employers against unreasonable liability due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – March 2021
New Federal Guidance for Requiring COVID Vaccinations
With some exceptions, you may legally require your employees to get a COVID-19 vaccination as long as the disease is a threat to the workplace.
Read on for details.
How to Know When Health Insurance Will Cover an Oral Procedure
How to know when an oral procedure is actually a medical procedure and not dental.
Read on for details.
More States Are Embracing Employer-Sponsored IRAs
Americans younger than 59½ will have a second chance to take money from their retirement accounts without paying a tax penalty — if they meet a new condition.
Read on for details.
401(k) Withdrawal Penalties Suspended Again
In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act allowed people affected by the coronavirus to withdraw or borrow up to $100,000 from their 401(k), Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA) or similar account without a 10 percent penalty until the end of 2020.
Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – February 2021
New Hospital Cost Transparency Rule Now in Effect
New federal rules promise to make it easier for consumers to know the true costs of a hospital service or item, as well as the in- and out-of-network costs of health insurance benefit plans.
Read on for details.
The Safe Way for Employees to Roll Over a 401(k) to an IRA
To avoid pitfalls employees should talk to a financial advisor before making changes to retirement accounts. Read on for details.
Legal Services Benefits — During the Pandemic and Beyond
70 percent of full-time U.S. workers experienced some kind of “legal life event” in the past year. Of these, 20 percent said they were less productive at work, and one-third took time off work to deal with legal needs. Read on for details.
More Identity Scams Target Employers and Employees
Identity fraud is on the rise and two scams employers should be aware of relate to tax returns and unemployment claims.
Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – January 2021
Are Employer-Mandated COVID-19 Vaccinations Legal?
When a COVID-19 vaccination is made available to the public, should employers require employees to get the vaccination? Read on for details.
Health Care Benefit Trends for 2021
Health care in 2020 has been impacted by the pandemic and that trend is expected to continue next year. Read on for details.
Could Employer Retirement Accounts Change in a Biden Administration?
There’s talk that tax-deferred retirement plans could be replaced by a system based on tax credits. Read on for details.
What You Need to Know About Disciplining Employees for Not Social Distancing
Social distancing and mask wearing are viewed as some of the best ways to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – December 2020
Taking the High Cost of Relocation Out of the Equation
Even though Covid has made working remotely much more popular, there are still jobs that require people to work on premises. Relocation expenses for people hired in these positions can be costly. Read on for details.
What it Takes to Add Inclusion to Your Diversity Efforts
Employers have been practicing diversity in hiring for many years but are now finding that inclusion is also important. Do you know the difference?
Read on for details.
2021 Health Care Costs Could Reach Double Digits
Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) reports that since 2012 the cost of family coverage has increased 3 to 5 percent annually. The COVID-19 pandemic is changing that trend.
Read on for details.
Family Friendly Benefits Now Include Fertility Treatments
A new trend in employer-sponsored benefits is fertility benefits. Not only do these family friendly benefits meet employees’ needs, they save companies and individuals money.
Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – November 2020
Pandemic Puts Pressure on Workers
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the face of today’s workforce. Older workers are leaving their jobs in droves. It’s uncertain whether the changes are permanent — or if employers can stem the tide. Read on for details.
Have an HDHP? Fill in the Gaps With HI
The popularity of high-deductible health plans (HDHP) is leading to an increase in Hospital Indemnity Insurance (HI) as a way for employers to provide employees with cost-efficient financial protection against rising health care costs. Read on for details.
How to Thwart Identity Theft in the Workplace
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many Americans to work from home — a situation identity theft criminals have used to their advantage.
Read on for details.
Taking #MeToo Allegations Seriously
Even though employers and human relations departments discourage sexual harassment in the workplace, the #MeToo movement has highlighted the need for employers to show that they understand the problem and are creating a culture that holds perpetrators accountable. Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – October 2020
Prescription Drug Executive Orders’ Future Unknown
Four orders have been signed, but it’s unlikely they will go into effect before the election. Read on for details about the orders and their possible impact.
Read on for details.
Managing FMLA During COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has created several challenges for employers trying to determine the best way to stay in compliance with Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) guidelines.
Read on for details.
Important Steps to Take Before Launching Your Annual Benefits Enrollment
Paper shuffling, bewildered looks, and frantic note-taking. It’s another open enrollment season — the annual 30-day period during which workers choose their benefits for the coming year
Read on for details.
Importance of Flu Shots Heightened During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Health care workers faced a difficult challenge this year — treating patients with the unpredictable COVID-19 virus.
Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – September 2020
Pros and Cons of Employees Working Remotely
With two-thirds of employees working from home at least part-time, employers are finding there are advantages and disadvantages.
Read on for details.
How the Pandemic Could Shape the Future of Health Care
The COVID-19 pandemic has quickly forced the medical community in the United States to rethink how it provides health care. In response to the crisis, new regulations have been enacted and advances in technology fast-tracked.
Read on for details.
Where the 2020 Presidential Candidates Stand on Health Care Reform
The nation’s health care system is expected to be one of the top issues for voters in the 2020 presidential election because of the declining number of Americans with health insurance, in part due to job losses, and the rise in health care and insurance costs.
Read on for details.
Be Prepared: What You Need to Know Before Offering Vision Coverage
Vision benefits are an important part of a complete health package. Providing the right benefits can boost morale and attract and retain talent.
Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – August 2020
Short on Funds? When Furloughs Make Sense
Furloughs — mandatory, temporary suspensions from work without pay — have allowed many employers to hold on to their businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.
Read on for details.
The Good News About Retirement Savings in Light of the Stock Market Downturn
Your employees have worked hard to save for retirement, but did the coronavirus pandemic wipe out their life savings?
Read on for details.
IRS Health Plan Changes for 2020
Those changes include making it easier to get health care and allowing employees to make mid-year changes to their FSAs if their employers allow it.
Read on for details.
Company Policies Must Now Address LGBTQ Rights in the Workplace
Employers who do not have policies and practices that are inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) workers, should craft guidelines addressing the issue. Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – July 2020
How to Keep Employees from Raiding Retirement Funds
The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc upon the finances of many employees, and some have been forced to use funds from their retirement plans.
Read on for details.
3 Challenges for Benefit Managers During the Pandemic
Providing benefit portability, helping employees manage their work/life balance and maintain financial stability can help employees during this difficult time.
Read on for details.
Mustering Employer Resources to Combat Mental Health Issues
Unfortunately, as a consequence of the work-from-home, shelter-in-place and quarantine initiatives put in place to keep us safe from COVID-19, there has been a rise in emotional distress.
Read on for details.
What to Consider Before Employees Fly the Friendly Skies Again
Now that restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic are being lifted, some businesses are allowing employees to travel for work again.
Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – June 2020
Retirement Plans: Cash Flow Problem Solver
Cash flow is a big concern for both employers and employees, and the $2 trillion coronavirus economic relief bill and existing regulations provides an unlikely beneficiary — retirement plans.
Read on for details.
Benefits and Challenges of Telehealth Begin to Emerge
Telehealth’s convenience and value were highlighted when fears about the coronavirus pandemic prompted individuals to look for a way to get medical advice without having to go to a doctor’s office.
Read on for details.
&bnsp;
States Taking Action to Control Rising Drug Costs
States are taking action to keep prescription drug costs from rising uncontrolled.
Read on for details.
&bnsp;
&bnsp;
&bnsp;
What Employees Need to Know About COVID-19 and Life Insurance Benefits
With COVID-19 still in the forefront of everyone’s mind, your employees may be wondering if the life insurance they purchased or that you provided will pay their beneficiaries if they die from the disease. Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – May 2020
What We’ve Learned About Keeping Essential Businesses Operating During a Pandemic
Coronavirus COVID-19 has scared everyone and changed the way businesses operate — including sick leave policies.
Read on for details.
Going Beyond Term Insurance Minimums
How to improve life insurance benefits for employees. Read on for details.
Roth 401(k) — The Overlooked Retirement Investment Tool
Only 11 percent of employers take advantage of Roth 401(k) options. Why this is a missed opportunity for employees to maximize their retirement income.
Read on for details.
Mental Health Tips for the Month of May
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and, especially in these times of self-isolation, it’s a good time to remind your employees of the importance of taking care of their mental health.
Read on for details.