Client communications

FMLA: Help clients reach a coordinated absence management strategy

Most advisers know the basics of FMLA. The Family and Medical Leave Act is the federal law that requires employers to provide employees with a job-protected, unpaid leave of absence from work for a variety of family reasons, including military leave or their own medical-related needs. FMLA strictly regulates the process that employers must follow to comply with the law.

David Mohl
By David Mohl
Senior Counsel
CIGNA HealthCare

Spelling corporate wellness success

The meaning of success is different for each of us. Whether we are talking about business or personal achievement, we define success by what matters most to us. Is it any wonder that your clients have different ideas about what spells success for a corporate wellness program?

Facebook plugin released for agents

Insurance agency online marketing provider Insurance Website Builder is partnering with Insurance Technologies Corp. to add a Facebook social media plugin to its offering. The Facebook social media plugin installs a mini version of an insurance agency’s main website on Facebook, including blogs, employee directory, locations and quote forms.

Study: Americans want to work with advisers

Many reports indicating that Americans know they don’t have sufficient life insurance have surfaced over the past few months. So, what’s the solution? According to the 2011 Genworth LifeJacket Study, “7 Key Insights to Help Close the Coverage Gap,” Americans have a desire to work with an agent or adviser to understand the role of life insurance in securing their families’ futures. Additionally, 40% of consumers do not believe they have enough life insurance to meet their families’ long-term needs. The study illustrates that financial professionals should change the way they approach their client base and break down the barriers that keep families from obtaining adequate coverage.

Helping clients avoid outlasting their retirement funds

Financial planners can prove their worth if they find ways to lessen the chance that their clients will not outlive their retirement funds. David Blanchett, director of consulting and investment research for the Retirement Plan consulting Group of Unified Trust in Lexington, Ky., last week detailed how planners can implement sustainable withdrawal strategies so that retirement income works for their clients.

Americans not planning for long-term care

The second poll in a series of retirement pulse polls by Sun Life Financial suggests that discomfort over aging and hopes of remaining independent throughout the golden years prevent many Americans from planning long-term care. “Shut Your Eyes and Hope for The Best: American Attitudes Toward Long Term Care Planning,” surveys both mainstream and affluent Americans age 50 and older.

Baby boomers rapidly warming to social media

Financial advisers and human resources managers looking for new and more effective ways to interact with their Baby Boomer employees should be inspired by a new report that finds social networking participation among this highly coveted group surged more than 60% in the past year.

An Attitude of Service

In these days of increasing reliance on electronic communication and high-tech Internet applications, in-person meetings have never been more important for Darrell Phillips. By holding regular face-to-face meetings with the 4,000 employees at his 41 501(c)(3) and governmental hospital plan clients across the state of Kansas, Phillips' mission is three-fold: 1) Build trust with the employer; 2) Serve the purpose of the programs by helping employees take advantage of their benefits; and 3) Let employees know they have access to a resource who truly cares about them.

Elizabeth Galentine
By Elizabeth Galentine
Former editor-in-chief
Employee Benefit Adviser

TV talk, benefits style

After going through all the normal marketing steps for his firm – direct mail, email and referral promotions, among others – benefits broker Jim Edholm has added another: videos.

Brian M. Kalish
By Brian M. Kalish
Online Managing Editor, Health Care Group
SourceMedia

Long lives and lessons for plan sponsors

Longer life expectancies and the individual responsibility for retirement savings are combining to challenge conventional thinking and to re-shape the relationships between employers and their older employees. Check out five significant practical benefits for plan sponsors.

As markets swoon, brokers become couples counselors

With investors falling in and out of love with Wall Street at a rapid pace, some financial advisers are finding themselves playing a new role — that of marriage counselor. As financial markets remain in turmoil, couples are getting more anxious as they watch their nest eggs wither.

Hiring by small-business clients slows in August

Hiring by small businesses slowed in August and employers reduced hours, an independent survey shows on Sunday, suggesting the recent stock market turmoil may have dampened job creation. Read how there are now fears surrounding the month's stock market rout that could ultimately make businesses hesitant to hire new workers.

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