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Despite time away from work being a key ingredient to work-life balance, many Americans don’t take full advantage of their paid vacation benefits. Fifty-nine percent of respondents to a recent survey by Purchasing Power said they left at least one paid time off day unused at the end of last year, while 35% of them left five days or more. Here are five ways benefits professionals can help end America’s vacation deprivation from Vitesse Consulting’s Shani Magosky, and one new voluntary benefit to consider.

Even if they began saving late or have yet to begin, it's important for your plan participants to know they are not alone, and there are steps they can take to kick-start their retirement plan. Merrill Lynch has provided the following tips to help boost their savings - no matter what their stage of life - and pursue the retirement they envision.

With recent changes to the use-it-or-lose-it rule for flexible spending accounts – employers can now offer a carryover of up to $500 in funds or allow a two-and-a-half month grace period at the end of the year – FSAs may become a more appealing savings option for employees. Here’s what you need to know about the new rules, along with five lesser-known ways employees can spend their FSA dollars.

As Memorial Day approaches, it’s a good time to consider how veterans’ unique skills might be a good fit for your organization. Veterans make the ultimate employees, says Megan Hawker, clinical manager with ACI Specialty Benefits. A veteran herself, Hawker shares three reasons to consider hiring a veteran and two tips for recruiting one.

As the Affordable Care Act shines a spotlight on employer-sponsored health coverage, employees are more confused than ever about their health insurance options. As you gear up for open enrollment this year, here are 10 employee questions, courtesy of Towers Watson, you should be ready to answer.

The ACA and private exchanges could change the game when it comes to employer-sponsored health coverage. Sharon Goodman, principal at Slevin & Hart, and the International Foundation for Employee Benefit Plans provide eight areas employers need to look at when considering a private exchange. [Images: Fotolia]

Although employees of small businesses share the same interests and concerns about their benefits and personal finances as employees in large companies, they’re less likely to have benefits. But small employers don’t have to settle for small benefits packages.

Most employers know, intuitively, that mental illness takes a very real toll on many of their employees, as well as their bottom line. The statistics are, nevertheless, startling. According to the Partnership for Workplace Mental Health, one-in-five adults will experience a diagnosable mental illness in any given year.

The confusion over health plan coverage is a reality for many employees. As the number of options flood the marketplace – whether they be defined contribution or defined benefit plan models, or plans on private exchanges – complexity can be a disadvantage. According to Towers Watson, employees need to ask more questions – or possibly these 10 questions – in order to gain an understanding of their company’s benefits.

Many Americans consider their job to be a high priority and many would also feel lost if they were unable to go to work every day. The recent survey by WellPoint finds that many employees would go to great lengths to get back to work as soon as possible after an illness or injury, rather than let it hold them back.