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Commentary: While an employee assistance program may be promoted to employees when it’s launched, it quickly becomes lost in the collection of employee benefits and is rarely utilized. To maximize its value, ask whether your prospective vendor includes some of the following services.

Commentary: This is due in large part to improvements in health care, more ways to accommodate people with disabilities and changes in the workplace itself — especially the growing acceptance of telework, says Aetna’s Liz Incze.

Commentary: Many executives find themselves having to choose to either pay salary continuation or administer seasonal layoffs. What’s needed in this scenario is an alternative benefit that supports both the interest of the employee and the organization.

Commentary: Start with fellow employee benefit firms that you already know, whether friendly competitors or businesses that have synergies with your own practice, says columnist Jack Kwicien.

Commentary: Supreme Court decision yields universal agreement that fiduciary duty is an ongoing responsibility, affirms four best practices for plan advisers to follow.

Commentary: Smart brokers provide awesome service, killer expertise and modern technology solutions that can compete with any online platform.

Commentary: Such tools stimulate enhanced benefits administration for corporate clients, particularly within these four aspects of coverage.

Commentary: Countless conversations with brokers struggling with 6055 and 6056 concerns show many find their applicable large employer clients are challenged to find practical solution for this reporting, says EmployeeTech’s Michael Weiskirch.

Commentary: At the end of an unsuccessful enrollment campaign, an adviser may wonder why participation was so low after they spent time and money on communications. It’s simple, says David Melton: Brokers employing the same old strategy will not succeed.

Chances are you have seen article after article claiming brokers need to buy more technology to help sell and service clients this year. Although partially true, blindly accepting these blanket statements can be costly for brokers. What I want to share with you is my experience working with these technology systems and a simple yet powerful approach you can take to make sure you don’t waste time and money on inefficient technology solutions. …