Employee benefits

Between taking on debt for dependents and the high demand for graduate degrees in today’s workforce, people of all ages are carrying student loan debt, making student debt repayment benefits more valuable than ever.

The season is often seen as a leisurely one, yet new research suggests time off doesn’t always translate into reduced stress.

The rules are expected to be designed to ensure that highly compensated employees and rank-and-file workers receive health benefits that are relatively equal in value.

The workplace plays a significant role in facilitating retirement savings, yet less than half of workers globally are offered a retirement plan with employer contributions, finds recent research.

New rules take effect next month, and health advisers need to consider how the directives affect matters of plan design and operation.

Thoughtful use of incentives and creating a strong network of supporters are ways to encourage participation, says UnitedHealthcare CMO Sam Ho.

Videos and quizzes may help workers retain health and wellness knowledge better than other forms of communication, according to Limeade.

Cost misperceptions keep them from buying policies, which provides an opportunity for advisers, says Web Benefit Design’s Jessica Campbell.

Employees who expect to work longer are less healthy, more stressed and more likely to feel stuck in their jobs than those who expect to retire earlier, finds new data from Willis Towers Watson.

Plan sponsors would be wise to ask their healthcare vendors if they have insurance policies in place to cover data breaches and other risks, according to USI’s Paul King.

When launching a new 401(k) program, or revamping an existing one, employers have much to consider, including eligibility, waiting periods, employer matching, plan loans and automatic features.

Insurers are getting more aggressive in promoting their voluntary products to brokers through better online tools, including improved agent portals.

Thoughtful use of incentives and creating a strong network of supporters are ways employers can encourage participation, says Dr. Sam Ho of UnitedHealthcare.

A group of insurers, pharmaceutical companies and employers is calling on publicly traded corporations to report on the health of their workforces in annual reports, 10-Ks, sustainability reports and other SEC documents.

To deliver real value for groups under 100 lives brokers must have more than a salesperson’s mindset, says Sutter Health Plus’s Monica Majors.

Some 23% of Americans with jobs said they planned on being septuagenarian employees, up from 16% in 2009, according to recent research.

Brokers and employers are embracing it, but facing limitations with carrier IT capabilities, says Warner Pacific’s John Nelson.

Workers are nearly twice as likely to choose the financial protection products when they’re offered through their employer, finds a recent Cigna study.

As plan sponsors try to reduce the costs associated with healthcare claims, many are turning to spousal surcharges or eliminating spousal coverage altogether, according to recent research from actuarial firm Conrad Siegel.

The robo-adviser announced this week a partnership with the state of Nevada and Ascensus to offer its own 529 plan.