Quality of life benefits

Commentary: Even the best hospitals are not immune to medical mistakes. However, there are steps employers can take to educate themselves about its costs.

Cristian Igualt and his wife, Ana Castro, just had their second child. Now both parents are on monthslong paid leaves from their job, making the family extremely lucky and rare in the U.S. workforce.

Small employers such as Beehive PR and Beach Cities Health District create a culture of mental wellness with a suite of day-to-day programs that encourage work-life balance, employee involvement and employee growth and development opportunities.

Commentary: The rapidly evolving regulatory environment has increased benefit and tax complexities for most employees, making the open enrollment decisions more confusing and stressful than ever.

Beyond slick user interfaces and the ability to access benefits information on a mobile device, employees are looking for software that speaks to them and personalizes their own experience.

Employers can be vulnerable to lawsuits if they have staff members they think are exempt from overtime rules, but are really not.

As technology progresses forward, employers need to take a look at strategizing a more mobile remote workforce, including how to measure, regulate and compensate the workforce.

Commentary: We would all be better off if we stopped debating the merits of employee wellness and focus on what the intent of it should be – helping employees and their families achieve their optimal health.

Many companies have embraced financial incentives as a way to encourage participation in wellness programs, but workers still express concerns about privacy and not wanting their employers to be involved in their health and well-being.

Commentary: Most employers are in the dark about what they get in return for what they spend on health benefits. As a result, they tend to make decisions about benefits on the basis of costs alone, with little regard to value.

Small business owners don’t always have the resources or know-how to establish 401(k) plans for their employees.

It all starts with a business plan and honest answers to some tough questions about the state of your company, says columnist Jack Kwicien.

Flu season is just around the corner and you’ve probably set up free flu shots for everyone in the office. But are you also offering financial wellness programs to shore up your employees’ immunity against financial stress?

Commentary: Whether the employee relations function is managed internally or through a third-party, a company representative should reach out to employees who are injured at work. Here’s why.

Commentary: Employers say that stress is the No. 1 workforce risk issue. And now employers have more reason to be concerned: A recent study found that people who report stress in the workplace lose three years of their life.

Even when price, quality and relevant health information is available to employees, they must be prompted to get engaged with the information, which requires some heavy lifting by employers.

Anywhere from 4% to 8% of dependents enrolled in group employee health insurance are not eligible to be in the plan. How it happens and what you can do about it.

Commentary: Employers can reduce turmoil by taking a phased approach to Cadillac tax avoidance.

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.