Blog
Smart healthcare benefits can increase life expectancy by 12 years
Deanna Cuadra | August 3, 2023 | Employee Benefits News In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. life expectancy dropped by over two years to 76.4, the lowest it’s been in two decades. But Americans still have a shot at living longer, healthier lives than previous generations — especially if employers are willing to rethink their approach to healthcare. By 2040, the average
What is intermittent leave under the FMLA, and when can employees use it?
Question: What is intermittent leave under the FMLA, and when can employees use it? Answer: Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), intermittent leave is leave taken in multiple blocks of time, each less than the employee’s full FMLA entitlement, for the same ongoing reason. Examples of intermittent leave include an employee taking a day each week for ongoing cancer treatments or a pregnant
Connecting the dots so benefit initiatives work together
Lydia G. Jilek | July 20, 2023 Employers have focused significant time and energy over the last several years developing benefits programs for employees that support them in critical areas, but how many employees really understand them? And more importantly, how many people truly take advantage of them in the way they were intended? A thoughtfully designed benefits program will
New Form I-9 and Remote Verification Procedure Rolled Out
Federal Law Alert July 26th, 2023 New Form I-9 and Remote Verification Procedure Rolled Out UPDATED FORM I-9 A new Form I-9 (Rev. 08/01/23) will be available for employers to use on or after August 1, 2023, and once released can be found on the USCIS website. Employers can also order paper copies if they don’t want to use the electronic version. The
What do I need to know about religious accommodations?
Kara, JD, SPHR: Employers with 15 or more employees are required by federal law to provide reasonable accommodations for an employee’s sincerely held religious beliefs, practices, and observances, unless doing so would create an undue hardship on the employer. The need for a religious accommodation generally arises when an employee’s religious beliefs or practices conflict with a specific task or
Employees want weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy. Can employers afford them?
By: Stephanie Schomer | June 21, 2023 A wave of interest in trending weight loss drugs, fueled by headline-dominating celebrity slim-downs, is causing some employers to see their healthcare costs skyrocket. Now, leaders are turning to benefit providers, advisers and innovators to help them quell costs and offer alternative solutions to treat obesity and manage weight. The medications in question, including Ozempic,
HR Teams will feel the weight of SCOTUS religious accommodations ruling
By Deanna Cuadra| July 11, 2023 The Supreme Court has made a slew of decisions in the last month, but only one has been unanimous: the issue of religious accommodations. And employers are directly impacted. In the case Groff v. Dejoy, Gerald Groff sued his employer, the U.S. Postal Service, because they failed to meet his religious accommodation request — as
What is PCORI filing?
Question: What is PCORI filing? Answer: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) created the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to study clinical effectiveness and health outcomes. To finance the institute’s work, a small annual fee—commonly called the PCORI fee—is charged on group health plans. PCORI filing is generally not required for standalone, self-funded dental or vision plans if they are considered “excepted benefits.” A plan
What is COBRA?
Question: What is COBRA? Answer: COBRA is short for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985. It’s a federal law that allows certain employees and covered dependents to elect to continue their same group health coverage, at their own cost, when it would otherwise be discontinued because of a qualifying event. These qualifying events include termination or reduction in hours, death of a
What employers should include in an offer letter
Question: What should be included in an offer letter? Answer: The offer letter should outline the expectations and benefits of the job and provide explicit details about compensation. Ideally, it provides the candidate with all the information they need to make an informed decision about whether to accept the job or not. A standard offer letter generally should include: Job details, including