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As many employers and businesses are aware, employee benefits packages are very important considerations for candidates when they are being scouted by recruiters. Finding the best team members many times means offering a comprehensive package; however, it can be time-consuming and difficult to decide on the best plans, and then implement them, when it is […]
Some employers offer paid parental leave. Others provide tuition reimbursement. Yet others provide pet insurance for employees’ furry friends. Outdoor clothing giant Patagonia even pays its employees two months’ pay to leave their job and volunteer for a worthy cause. While these are all great employee perks provided by some companies, there are four types […]
While many employees may be dreaming of a short summer vacation, others could have a longer block of time off in mind. Sabbaticals, whether paid or unpaid, are extended breaks from work without leaving a position. A sabbatical gives an employee the opportunity to take timeto travel, spend time with family, do something meaningful or volunteer, […]
The end of the open enrollment season is in sight, and human resource professionals are breathing a sigh of relief as they close the door on the 2019 enrollment. Smart benefit managers are already beginning to assess new products and services for the next enrollment season and looking at how to improve their programs and […]
Since the ACA was enacted eight years ago, many employers are re-examining employee benefits in an effort to manage costs, navigate changing regulations, and expand their plan options. Self-funded plans are one way that’s happening. In 2017, the UBA Health Plan survey revealed that self-funded plans have increased by 12.8% in the past year overall, […]
What people want in their benefits package is changing. Retirement and health care still rank high but soft perks and voluntary benefits factor into satisfaction more than any other benefits, so says “Employees Increasingly Excited About Soft Perks and Company-Culture Benefits,” in Employee Benefit News. When considering a job offer, these types of benefits are top of […]
Becoming a parent is an extraordinary and, at times, stressful endeavor. Your life is about to fundamentally change. And as you plan the myriad dimensions of this new reality, you may be wondering how you’ll cover all the bills while you take time off work. Family leave is a complex issue and it requires a […]
Many small-business owners mistakenly believe they cannot afford to offer benefits. But while going without benefits may boost your bottom line in the short run, the penny-wise philosophy could strangle your business’s chances for long-term prosperity. “There are certain benefits good employees feel they must have,” says Ray Silverstein, founder of PRO, President’s Resource Organization, […]
Employers who are designing a health and welfare benefit plan for their employees often wonder about the rules relating to setting premiums for employees. Employers generally have significant flexibility in this part of their plan’s design. Common structures contemplated by employers include, but are not limited to: Charging all employees a flat amount for their […]
Today, most new full-time hires expect a company to offer certain standard benefits – health, dental, vision, and life insurance, paid vacation and sick days, and a 401(k) or pension. Some companies go beyond this and provide other benefits such as profit sharing, parking reimbursement, mobile phone reimbursement, wellness programs, and even on-site daycare. So […]
Historically, employers have utilized health risk assessments (HRAs) as one measurement tool in wellness programs design. The main goals of an HRA are to assess individual health status and risk and provide feedback to participants on how to manage risk. Employers have traditionally relied on this type of assessment to evaluate the overall health risk […]
Though employers are not required to educate employees about their individual responsibilities under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), it is helpful to know about the individual mandate. The individual responsibility requirement (also known as the individual mandate) became effective for most people as of January 1, 2014. Under the individual mandate, most […]
UBA’s compliance team leverages the collective expertise of its independent partner firms to advise 36,000 employers and their 5 million employees. Lately, a common question from employers is: How does an applicable large employer (ALE) determine whether or not a newly hired variable hour employee should be offered benefits? The answer depends on how the […]
