Employer Strategies

EBN's annual i-COMM Awards recognize the best in internal communication of benefits. In this four-part series, we highlight this year’s winners, including Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., winner of Best Print or Online Newsletter.

Saddled with the high cost of emerging specialty drugs, employers are looking to their benefit advisers for strategies to manage their medical plan’s drug spend.

Wellness vendors are excited about Apple’s potential foray into smartwatches. Today, the Cupertino, Calif.-based technology company is expected to announce its next generation of the iPhone. But for those in the employer health care market, their sights are set on the reported “iWatch” because of its potential use as a wearable fitness and health tracking device.

Commentary: Open enrollment time means employer clients will be reviewing fee disclosures. Columnist John Ludwig discusses several steps plan sponsors should take when reviewing the disclosures for accuracy and to determine if fees are fair and reasonable.

Since joining the NFL Players Association 25 years ago, Dana Hammonds has launched a successful financial education program and constantly fine-tuned educational topics and outreach to meet players’ needs. She is the recipient of EBN’s 2014 Benny Award for Leadership in Retirement Planning.

Many studies indicate that workers should save at least 12% to 15% of their income each year. It is likely that most 401(k) plan participants are not saving anything near this amount.

As private exchange providers introduce voluntary benefit offerings, how will broker commissions be affected?

Several factors, including the economy and technological advances, are contributing to a slowdown in the health care cost growth rate in the U.S., studies show.

As the gap widens on whether e-cigarettes are part of the solution or still part of the greater problem of employee smoking cessation, their popularity is still on the rise. Experts from the health management group HealthFitness have provided some additional tips for employers taking on the challenge of creating e-cigarette policies in the workplace.

EBN’s annual i-COMM Awards recognize the best in internal communication of benefits, and are awarded in four categories: Best Overall Communications Campaign, Best Print or Online Employee Newsletter, Best Employee Intranet or Portal and Best Use of Social Media. In this four-part series, we highlight this year’s winners, starting with AECOM, i-COMM winner for Best Overall Communications Campaign.