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Advisers must weigh the pros and cons and ask themselves: How badly do I want this?

With the goal of improved participant outcomes, a simplified approach using straightforward language could be more attractive to employees.

With pet ownership on the rise, more companies are implementing policies that allow workers’ four-legged friends in the office. But before formalizing a pet-friendly workplace policy, HR leaders need to consider the pros and cons that go along with it.

There are a myriad of reasons, such as increased utilization, why this approach could reap more benefits than the typical telephonic EAP.

A little bit of negotiation and understanding of how carrier formulas work can go a long way in helping employers prepare for rate increases.

Advance planning optimizes results and turns any event into a productive business opportunity for a brokerage.

Changes to the ACA and a range of other laws and regulations affecting health benefits could be imminent.

Broker disintermediation is not about to happen — nor is it something a smart carrier should desire.

Significant variances between the two delivery models include an employee’s level of ongoing relationship with the same physician over time.

A holistic approach to regulations that impact defined benefit plans is the only way to ensure employees are secure in their post-work years, says the ERISA Industry Committee.