Employee benefits

Since passage of the ACA, there has been a ‘huge divide’ between benefit pros and payers, according to attendees at the CIAB Employee Benefits Leadership Forum.

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.

The ACA’s waivers for small businesses are ending in 2017, so it’s time for companies to look more closely at their benefit programs, according to adviser Sue Wakamoto-Lee.

Plan sponsors must stay ahead of emerging trends or risk exposing themselves to additional costs, says Hodges-Mace’s Eric Helman.

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.

With the majority of employees owning a smartphone, employers must make mobile devices a key part of their messaging strategies, according to Gene Raymondi, CEO and founder of eni.

Plan sponsors should spend as much time developing education policy statements as they do an investment policy statement, says Jeffrey Hemker.

Since passage of the ACA, there has been a ‘huge divide’ between benefit pros and payers, according to attendees at the CIAB Employee Benefits Leadership Forum.

There is ‘tons of opportunity' for advisers to educate workers on the financial security benefits of these products, says new Cigna study.

Large employers unsure of the cost savings they’d see by moving employees to an online marketplace, but health sites are still evolving, according to Pacific Resources.

Gerard Bridi, CEO of NutriSavings, details how the wellness initiative can help both employers and their workers.

The ACA’s waivers for small businesses are ending in 2017, so it’s time for companies to look more closely at their benefit programs, according to adviser Sue Wakamoto-Lee.

Self-funding is the first step to reducing health plan costs without sacrificing quality, but plan sponsors can go even further by unbundling services, according to AdminaHealth’s Arthur Jonokuchi.

in response to employers offering more wellness programs containing financial incentives, the EEOC has issued new guidance.

Employers need to be prepared to handle mental health accommodations for employees, while also being ADA-compliant, says employment attorney Ben Hase.

Advisers must stay ahead of emerging trends or risk exposing clients to additional costs, says Hodges-Mace’s Eric Helman.

Women, in particular, are lagging in earnings and in the amount of income they’re saving for retirement, according to research from T. Rowe Price.

Large employers unsure of the cost savings they’d see by moving employees to an online marketplace, but health sites are still evolving, according to Pacific Resources.

Retirement plan sponsors should spend as much time developing an education policy statement as they do an investment policy statement, according to Invesco’s Jeffrey Hemker.

The more engaged and proactive an employer is with its benefit communications, the more likely workers are to stay, which reduces recruiting and training costs.