blog

Fringe Benefit Analysts® is a full-service insurance, consulting and employee benefits firm. We serve a wide range of businesses with best-in-class expertise, services and support for their benefit programs. Our clients are assured of accurate, consistent solutions, attention to detail, responsiveness and a high return-on-value for their benefits dollars. Fringe Benefits Analysts helps ‘calm the waters’ of the complex and sometimes overwhelming world of insurance benefits. Please enjoy our blog!

Don’t Ignore the Human Element in Cybersecurity, Say Professionals

January 16 | 2018
By: Adva Taylor
Utah Business Magazine
Don’t Ignore the Human Element in Cybersecurity, Say Professionals

Salt Lake City—Cybersecurity threats have become just a part of doing business. There’s no magical salve or solution that will keep your business 100 percent in the clear from any sort of cybersecurity threat—and those threats are becoming more sophisticated every year. How can you keep your company safe? One of the first steps is […]

Read More

Drawing a Line: How to recognize and eliminate sexual harassment in your organization (yes, yours too)

January 11 | 2018
By: Lisa Christensen
Drawing a Line: How to recognize and eliminate sexual harassment in your organization (yes, yours too)

Harvey Weinstein. Al Franken. Charlie Rose. The last several weeks have been filled with a seemingly endless line of allegations against high-profile celebrities, politicians and businessmen, and as more victims come forward, even more appear. Sexual harassment is a phenomenon that just happens in other places and other industries—until it happens close to home, too. […]

Read More

Boostability: Giving Small Businesses an Online Boost

January 9 | 2018
By: UtahBusiness.com
Boostability: Giving Small Businesses an Online Boost

In today’s world, consumers expect businesses to have an active presence online—and that includes small businesses. It doesn’t matter if you’re the handyman down the street or owner of the local pizza joint, your customers (and potential customers) expect you to be online. Let’s face it—the internet is as important today as the Yellow Pages […]

Read More

Cost Effective Wellness Strategies for Small Business Employers

December 29 | 2017
By: Lori Kunkle
RN, MSN
Clinical Wellness Director for Power Kunkle Benefits Consulting, a UBA Partner Firm
Cost Effective Wellness Strategies for Small Business Employers

Companies like Google®, L.L. Bean®, and Zappos.com® have the ability to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on wellness programs for their employees. They can build state-of-the-art gym facilities, walking trails around the corporate campus, and offer any number of wellness services to benefit their workers, as well as monetary incentives. For the average employer […]

Read More

EEOC Guidance on National Origin Discrimination

December 27 | 2017
By: Nancy Bourque
HR Practice Leader at United Benefit Advisors
EEOC Guidance on National Origin Discrimination

Recently, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued new guidance on national origin discrimination. National origin discrimination is discrimination because an individual is, or the individual’s ancestors are, from a certain place or has the physical, cultural, or linguistic characteristics of a particular national origin group, including Native American tribes. A member of one national origin […]

Read More

Advance Informational Copies of 2017 Form 5500 Annual Return/Report

December 22 | 2017
By: Danielle Capilla
Senior VP of Compliance and Operations, United Benefit Advisors
Advance Informational Copies of 2017 Form 5500 Annual Return/Report

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) released advance informational copies of the 2017 Form 5500 annual return/report and related instructions. Specifically, the instructions highlight the following modifications to the forms, schedules, and instructions: IRS-Only Questions. IRS-only questions that filers were not required to […]

Read More

Agencies Provide Relief for Group Plans and Donation Programs Affected by Hurricanes/Wildfires

December 19 | 2017
By: Danielle Capilla
Senior VP of Compliance and Operations, United Benefit Advisors
Agencies Provide Relief for Group Plans and Donation Programs Affected by Hurricanes/Wildfires

Guidance for Group Health Plans Impacted by Hurricane Maria and California Wildfires The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a news release to recognize that plan participants and beneficiaries may encounter problems due to Hurricane Maria and the California Wildfires. The DOL advises plan fiduciaries to make reasonable accommodations to prevent workers’ loss of benefits and to […]

Read More

Vision Benefits — Focus On The Important Things

December 15 | 2017
By: Fringe Benefit Analysts
Vision Benefits — Focus On The Important Things

Stay focused on vision health and wellness Ever heard of “smiling eyes?” We know all about that. It’s what happens when your eyes are healthy and happy. We’ve re-envisioned the world of vision benefits. In our world, members are at the heart of everything we do, so whether you have an existing vision correction need […]

Read More

With Below Average Cost, Increasing Enrollment, CDHPs Have Big Impact

December 14 | 2017
By: Bill Olson
VP, Marketing & Communications at United Benefit Advisors
With Below Average Cost, Increasing Enrollment, CDHPs Have Big Impact

When most experts think of group healthcare plans, Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans largely come to mind—though higher cost, they dominate the marketin terms of plan distribution and employee enrollment. But Consumer-Directed Health Plans (CDHPs) have made surprising gains. Despite slight cost increases, CDHP costs are still below average and prevalence and enrollment in these […]

Read More

IRS Updates Guidance on Play-or-Pay Penalty Assessments

December 12 | 2017
By: Danielle Capilla
Senior VP of Compliance and Operations, United Benefit Advisors
IRS Updates Guidance on Play-or-Pay Penalty Assessments

Beginning in 2015, to comply with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), “large” employers must offer their full-time employees health coverage, or pay one of two employer shared responsibility / play-or-pay penalties. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) determines the penalty each calendar year after employees have filed their federal tax returns. In November […]

Read More