Employee benefits

The minimum wage battle took center stage Tuesday night in Oregon, as voters in the city of Portland rejected a proposal to dramatically increase minimum wage in the city. But the pressure is likely to continue as workers’ rights groups and some politicians continue to push for higher minimum wages across the country.

Commentary: It may ultimately be a greater risk to remain fully insured and continue treating annual health care spend as an expense rather than an investment.

To date, adoption of private benefit exchanges by employers has been modest, but Holley Maher, partner at St. Louis-area brokerage MRCT, sees them as a highly relevant solution. And, despite issues Healthcare.gov has caused for brokers and consumers alike, the site is changing the health care landscape, says Maher, whose company operates its Smart Benefits Marketplace using bswift technology.

As private exchanges continue to evolve, industry insiders say the integration of accountable care organizations could be the ‘next big thing' in the exchange world; one that could be a big win for employers.

Commentary: If plan fees are a potential liability, the logic is sound that the least amount of fees paid reduces that liability. But, EBA retirement columnist John Ludwig asks, does it really?

Aimee DeCamillo, head of T. Rowe Price’s retirement plan services unit, discusses the firm’s target-date fund glide path philosophy, the prevalence of managed accounts and the importance of digital experiences in boosting employee engagement in 401(k) plans.

Amazon.com Inc. will give new fathers paid parental leave and extend paid maternity leave for mothers, as the online retailer seeks to enhance its benefits as a way to attract and retain talent.

As employers face growing challenges trying to balance employees’ well-being with containing benefits-related company costs, many are seeking guidance on how to manage the administrative and compliance requirements of the Affordable Care Act.

The U.S. is “drowning” in over-diagnosis and over-treatment and workplace wellness programs are partly to blame, said a wellness industry expert during a debate at the Population Health Alliance conference in Washington, D.C.

Commentary: There are a few major culprits behind the challenges women face, and advisers must be mindful of the best ways to address them.

Bolstered by the Affordable Care Act, 79% of employer groups now have some type of wellness program, according to a survey by the National Business Group on Health. Along with the opportunities, however, come some regulatory pitfalls.

The service is designed for plan sponsors that want to manage their stock plan records in-house but are looking for employee servicing, guidance and brokerage services.

The Equal Opportunity Employment Commission is issuing a proposed rule today, aiming to clarify how wellness incentives apply to the health information of a spouse participating in an employer-sponsored wellness program.

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, passed Wednesday by the House of Representatives, is causing concern in retirement circles after a pension provision was added that raises the amount of money employers must pay to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. for pension insurance.

Commentary: Most large employers screen applicants for substance abuse and randomly screen existing employees — testing that’s cost-prohibitive for most small businesses.

Several retirement industry experts met on Capitol Hill Wednesday in a continued push to encourage better access to retirement plans for small businesses, championing bipartisan reforms to multiple-employer plans.

A more competitive health insurance market is favorable, but not always possible. Brokers operating in a market controlled by only a few carriers need to offer a wide variety of services in order to retain clients and increase sales.

Just four years after exiting the pharmacy benefit management business, Walgreens is getting back into it with the acquisition of pharmacy retail chain Rite-Aid.

ADP has agreed to drop its defamation lawsuit against Zenefits after a months-long dispute fought in the public eye. What does the Zenefits win mean for established industry stakeholders and the benefit startups that threaten their way of business?

The DOL recently won judgments against two employers who failed to remit employees’ 401(k) contributions. Here are three tips for plan sponsors to follow when remitting workers’ elective deferrals to the retirement plan.