Employee benefits

The roll-in is one of the more valuable, yet under-appreciated, 401(k) plan features.

The definition of wellness seems to be broadening, with benefits such as vacation days, community volunteering and workplace celebrations taking the stage as top wellness initiatives,

Having a goal, understanding the workforce and communicating in a variety of ways helps increase participation.

Success in today’s complex business environment has become greatly dependent upon workforce productivity, and having employees who understand proper safety controls can greatly enhance the chance of increased profitability for an organization.

Private exchange technology platforms are the cornerstone of the new benefits administration market.

As many brokerages offer a private exchange to their clients, carriers who run their own are working extra hard to educate customers about their offerings, says Lisa Feddema, director, exchange management, Health Care Service Corp.

Most 401(k) plan sponsors work with an investment adviser to help them manage their 401(k) plans. Many are unaware that it is reasonable to expect their investment adviser to help with various vendor management duties.

Educating employers and employees about retirement using a holistic approach, advisers say, has increased employee understanding and engagement in their benefit plans.

Another bullish forecast about private HIX growth estimates that the roughly 2.5 million current enrollees (excluding retirees) could triple in the coming year.

Commentary: Collective information is the new frontier when it comes to big data in the health care realm, says Lockton’s Kayla O’Neal

Commentary: Given the shifts in the industry, advisers also need to help plan sponsor clients think about retirement benefit programs from a different perspective, says T. Rowe Price’s Francisco Negron.

The Senate and House of Representatives are pushing legislation to exempt volunteer fire fighters and emergency responders from the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate.

The Senate and House of Representatives are pushing legislation to exempt volunteer fire fighters and emergency responders from the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate.

Democrats Thursday reintroduced legislation that would allow employees to earn paid sick leave, a benefit 43 million employees don’t currently have access to.

Smartphone-based activity and fitness apps are just as accurate as those found on dedicated wearable devices, and may be a more economical alternative for most people.

With the news of the breach of security at Anthem health plans, many employers have been wondering whether their employees are affected and how they should respond.

The cyber attack might affect group health plans, and plan sponsors need to identify if and/or how they are affected and what they need to do in response.

Eight years after drugstore chain giant CVS bought PBM Caremark, Rite Aid followed suit yesterday in announcing plans to acquire EnvisionRx, a 14-year-old PBM with estimated 2015 revenue of $5 billion, and 21 million covered lives.

Having an effective employee engagement strategy is one of the most important components of running a successful retirement plan, says EBA columnist John Ludwig.

For employers battling absenteeism or looking to reinvent current policies, creating a solid philosophy which includes robust return-to-work and employee wellness programs will be vital in increasing attendance.