Employee benefits

Benefits issues can lead to diminished productivity, finds new research, as workers spend an average of three and a half hours a month dealing with healthcare issues at work.

Getting employees to understand and participate in their financial future is all about the language, say industry experts at this week's NAPA 401(k) Summit in Nashville.

Workers without access to the benefit are three times more likely to delay, or put off entirely, needed medical care for themselves and almost twice as likely to forgo medical care for their family members, according to new research.

Public policies to boost participation in DC plans are critical but so is getting participants to save more, says Melissa Kahn.

Three strategies to consider when helping employers structure workplace programs that offer employees financial tools for their future.

The knowledge that their employers are paying the claims of the plans can dramatically change employees’ entire outlook on health benefits and total compensation, says CBIZ's Zack Pace.

Chris Schutt of Digital Benefit Advisors says ACA compliance requirements present one of the biggest challenges for clients.

Boomerang employees — workers who left for another opportunity, only to return to their former employer later — are on the rise, as companies are becoming more enthusiastic about welcoming them back.

Delivering the right message can make skeptical employees active participants in a well-being plan, says Viverae's Mike Lamb

Health insurance and retirement accounts can require a substantial amount of specialized knowledge and research, which can sometimes lead to decisions about them being put on the back burner indefinitely, according to Captain401’s Roger Lee.

The majority of large employers offer high-deductible health plans coupled with health savings accounts, but traditional plans are still favored by many employees.

Lawmakers and industry authorities discuss at the National Retirement Planning Week conference some of the initiatives employers could implement to help workers with retirement readiness.

Nearly half of large companies offer some type of program, yet just over one-third of workers say they have access to one, highlighting a disconnect between available benefits and employees’ understanding of them.

It’s important to educate employers and workers about available HSAs, HRAs and FSAs so that employees can get the most out of them.

As defined in the new rule, investment advice includes recommendations to an employee benefit plan, plan fiduciary, participant or beneficiary, or an IRA, HSA, or education savings account owner.

Primary care provider-based wellness tests work well for remote employees, but ones conducted at the workplace are better for an employer’s bottom line, according to an analysis of medical claims data conducted by HealthFitness.

The top companies, revealed in descending order, based on Form 5500 Schedule A reporting data from analytics firm miEdge.

Big data will lead to better informed plan recommendation engines, resulting in more educated benefits decision-making and a better user experience for employees, says Businessolver's Jon Shanahan.

Helping clients understand the pension and benefit plans of seller organizations is an important part of any acquisition.

As fiduciary awareness grows, collective investment trusts, which often have lower fees than mutual funds, are poised for growth.