Banco Popular de Puerto Rico

Seventy-four percent of individuals reported experiencing at least one legal event in the past year, and a majority of those who did said it impacted their work, according to research from ARAG. Among those who went through some sort of legal event, 40% experienced four or more in the last year, up 20% from five years ago. Legal plan benefit offerings – free to employers, practical to wage earners – are growing in popularity for obvious reasons. [Images: Shutterstock]

The U.S. health care system wasted $418 billion on bad medication-related decisions in 2012. While the entire nation suffers from these costly decisions, they have a disproportionate effect on the poorest states. In fact, nine out of the 10 poorest states rank among the most wasteful, according to research from Express Scripts. Waste stems from using high-priced brand name medications instead of clinically equivalent generics, not taking medications as prescribed, and using more expensive pharmacies than necessary. Here are details on the most wasteful states, as well as the most frugal. How does your state stack up in prescription spending? [Images: Shutterstock]

With much of the world's purchasing power located outside of the U.S., the chances are your company will, at some point, expand into new countries. When looking at a benefit strategy outside of the U.S., it’s important to be flexible enough to accommodate local norms while maintaining regulatory compliance. EBN Contributing Editor Shana Sweeney offers five tips to get you started. [Images: Shutterstock]

Americans believe discussing stress with their health care providers is important, yet many aren’t having the conversation, reports a recent study from the American Psychological Association. Richard Citrin, Ph.D., and president of Citrin Consulting, and Dr. David Ballard, assistant executive director for marketing and business development with the American Psychological Association, offer five suggestions for helping your employees start having those conversations. [Images: Shutterstock]

“I used to be caught up in the spin cycle of thinking that net worth automatically afforded me life worth,” says Gary Kunath, an entrepreneur, speaker, former CEO and author of “Life ... Don't Miss It. I Almost Did: How I Learned To Live Life To The Fullest.” However, Kunath adds, “At a certain point you realize that money doesn't make you rich, it just allows you to buy more stuff.” U.S. workers seem to have achieved a similar realization, as most employees prioritize satisfaction over salary and prize work-life balance. Kunath offers professionals five ways to achieve balance and improve their “life worth.” [Images: Shutterstock]

Shrinking HR departments, coupled with increased regulatory complexities, are leading organizations like Hawaiian Airlines to outsource their benefits administration. Tim Clifford, president of ADP Benefit Services, shares five considerations employers need to think about when hiring a provider to handle their benefits administration. [Images: Shutterstock]

For many human-resources professionals, getting buy-in from the C-suite can be a challenge when top-level executives are strapped for time. Further, HR and C-suite representatives communicate in fundamentally different ways. In a CareerBuilder article, Beverly Flaxington, a certified professional behavioral analyst, shares her tried-and-true tips for HR professionals to effectively communicate with executives and gain leverage to achieve their goals. [Images: Shutterstock]

The Employers Resource Association receives more than 8,000 calls each year to its human resources hotline. For the third consecutive year, ERA data show, the highest demand for phone-in expertise was not about health care reform or retirement plans, but HR “staples” like performance management, fair labor issues and immigration. On ERA’s top 10 list of most-questioned topics, the Family and Medical Leave Act remains No. 1.

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer may have banned working from home for her company but winners of this year’s Work-Life Rising Star recognition awards prove that teleworking and other flexible work programs are alive and well.

The Supreme Court in March hears oral arguments on the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act and the validity of California’s Proposition 8. In advance of an anticipated summer SCOTUS ruling on these same-sex marriage issues, Rich Stover, a principal at Buck Consultants offers four tips to help employers discern what they should be doing right now to prepare for same-sex marriage developments. [Images: Shutterstock]