Month: August 2016

Massachusetts passes broad new pay equity law

A new Massachusetts pay equity law going into effect on July 1, 2018, contains provisions that are much broader than current federal law and even prohibits employers from screening applicants based on their salary or wage history. Although the law doesn’t take effect for nearly two years, employers are advised to start planning immediately in […]

GOP Blueprint for Replacing ACA Causes Employer Concern

By David Slaughter, JD, BLR Senior Legal Editor The recently released Republican blueprint for replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), while generally well received by plan sponsor groups, elicited concern for its proposal to tax employer-provided health benefits above a certain threshold.

Benefits Professionals Share Best Practices and Trends

By Chris Ceplenski, BLR Managing Editor, News “The pendulum for benefits responsibility has swung back over to the employer.” “We saw a drastic rise in enrollment in our high deductible health plan (HDHP) when we renamed it an HSA plan.” “Benchmarking against your competitors is important, but don’t be a copycat.” “Eliminate the benefits-speak and […]

3 Avoidable Errors That Could Upend Your Employees’ Retirement Plans

As older Americans approach retirement, many may be realizing their financial planning isn’t what it should have been. That could mean they need to postpone retirement—or abandon the idea altogether. “Most people don’t spend much time even thinking about retirement,” says Stephen Ng, founder and president of Stephen Ng Financial Group. Ng is also the […]

6 Ways to Navigate the Booming Wellness Market

As wellness and prevention swiftly become the No. 1 driving force behind employer-sponsored health benefits, you may have noticed that the wellness industry is expanding—exploding, really—in turn. This trend is creating a tougher challenge for corporate leaders, who are seeking to successfully navigate a fast-moving market with a hefty array of services.

Unusual Recruiting Techniques to Try

Recruiting new talent can be a tough job. When the job market is open and there are lots of candidates, it’s tough to weed through them all to find the best choice. And when the job market is tight, it can be tough to get enough candidates to find the right one at all. Many […]

Millennials Value Career Growth and Learning

Millennials may be the most-studied generation in the workforce today. One recent survey sought to dispel myths surrounding recruiting and retaining Millennials, and the research indicates that it is a generation that highly values career growth and learning.

Taking the sting out of Zika: what employers need to know

by Lisa Berg On February 1, 2016, the World Health Organization declared an international health emergency associated with the spread of Zika virus, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began advising pregnant women or those considering becoming pregnant to avoid travel to places with Zika outbreaks. To date, more than a […]