Health Insurance
Key Employee Benefits Trends for 2023
Many of the challenges that plagued workplaces in 2022 will likely continue this year and beyond. Current labor challenges are forcing employers to find ways to balance rising costs and inflation while providing employees with the benefits they value and need. Understanding this year’s employee benefits trends can help employers assess whether their offerings meet…
Read MoreHeart Health and Valentine’s Day!
What better way to wish your employees a Happy Valentine’s Day than to give them a Wellness Program focusing on heart health! Heart disease, which includes strokes and other cardiovascular diseases, is a pervasive problem in the United States. In fact, more than 12 million people visit their physicians each year for heart disease-related reasons.…
Read MoreUpcoming ACA Reporting Deadlines
Employers subject to Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting under Internal Revenue Code Sections 6055 or 6056 should prepare to comply with reporting deadlines in early 2023. For the 2022 calendar year, covered employers must: Furnish statements to individuals by March 2, 2023 File returns with the IRS by Feb. 28, 2023 (or March 31, 2023,…
Read MoreBang for Your Buck: Getting the Most Out of Employee Benefits
Employee benefits have always been a vital part of an employer’s offerings, but never more so than in the wake of the pandemic and the Great Resignation. Millions of workers have left their jobs, and while the reasons vary, central among them is the sense that employers don’t care about their team members as individuals.…
Read MoreMaryland Passes Paid Family and Medical Leave Law
Maryland’s Time to Care Act (TTCA) establishes a paid family and medical leave (PFML) insurance program. Contributions to the program will start on October 1, 2023. Contribution rates are still to be determined. Those rates will be determined no later than June 1, 2023. Starting in 2025, covered employees may take up to 12 weeks of leave…
Read MoreOpen Enrollment: Plan Changes for 2023
As always, a new year brings new changes for group health plan sponsors. As open enrollment approaches, sponsors should take note of the required changes for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2023, and review plan documents to make sure all changes are incorporated. Additionally, any plan changes must be communicated to plan…
Read MoreCovered on Campus – Protecting Your Student at College
It’s the time of year when we start sending our children off to college, and there are seemingly hundreds of details to be attended to, from class schedules to roommates to new computers to be purchased. Add in the emotion of the moment (especially if it’s the first time) and it can all be a…
Read MoreBenefits 101: Educating Younger Employees
In the age of the Great Resignation (or the Great Reshuffle, if you prefer), anything an employer can do to retain talent is vital. Providing a substantial benefits package is obviously important, but many employers overlook the important step of making sure their team actually understands what’s in the package and how it can make…
Read MoreEmployers – Be Careful with COBRA Notices!
Employers are seeing an increase in lawsuits from former employees alleging deficient (COBRA) election notices, with statutory penalties of up $110 per person per day. These lawsuits are generally class actions and can result in significant attorneys’ fee awards for successful ex-employees. The fact employers are struggling to comply with COBRA notice requirements means employers…
Read MoreHR Hotline – Real People, Real Answers
In a recent post we discussed our HR and Compliance Portal, our online portal for convenient access to resources on safety, compliance and much more (read about it here). While this portal is a vast and searchable resource, sometimes you need a little personal guidance, especially when it comes to matters of Human Resources. Chances…
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