Employee Benefits
August 21, 2025
Preparing for Open Enrollment: Common Questions and Answers
As open enrollment season approaches, it’s never too early to start preparing so that you can make educated choices on benefits enrollment for the upcoming year. This annual window offers the opportunity to enroll in, change or update coverage options such as health insurance, dental plans, and voluntary benefits like life and disability insurance. The...
August 14, 2025
California’s Minimum Wage Rate to Increase on Jan. 1, 2026
On Aug. 1, 2025, the California Department of Finance (the Department) announced that the state hourly minimum wage will increase to $16.90 per hour on Jan. 1, 2026. The new rate will apply to all employers, regardless of how many individuals they employ. California’s Minimum Wage Rate California’s minimum wage rate is adjusted annually to...
August 12, 2025
5 Tips to Prepare for Open Enrollment Early
Open enrollment is a critical time frame each year for employees to review, assess and modify their existing benefits or enroll in new ones. During open enrollment, employees can accept or decline employer-sponsored insurance, such as health insurance, life insurance, dental insurance and vision insurance, among other options. Open enrollment dates vary; however, for employer-sponsored...
August 7, 2025
Navigating Health Plan Notice Changes in 2025 and Beyond
Employers should be aware of updates to several model notices that can be used to comply with certain disclosure requirements for their group health plans under federal laws. Federal agencies provide these model notices to aid compliance and periodically update them to reflect changes to the law or the information contained in the notices. While...
August 5, 2025
Participating in OSHA’s Annual Safe and Sound Week
Safe and Sound Week is an annual campaign conducted by OSHA and other safety organizations. It will take place from Aug. 11-17 this year. This event aims to recognize the successes of workplace safety and health programs across the country and provide additional resources to help organizations and their employees kick-start or improve upon occupational...
July 21, 2025
Survey Finds One-third of Employers to Expand Voluntary Benefits by 2027
A recent survey from Gallagher, a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting firm, found that nearly one-third of employers are expected to expand voluntary benefit offerings by 2027. The survey demonstrates the significance of voluntary benefits in modern benefits packages, with over two-thirds (70%) saying they are driven to offer these perks to ensure...
July 8, 2025
5 Strategies to Bolster Occupational Safety in an Aging Workforce
As the workforce ages, employers must adapt to ensure the safety and productivity of their older employees. Many baby boomers are delaying retirement or reentering the workforce, so the number of employees aged 55 and older is rising. While these workers bring valuable experience and engagement to their roles, they also face unique safety challenges...
July 1, 2025
U.S. Supreme Court Upholds ACA’s Mandate for Free Preventive Care
On June 27, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a key component of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) preventive care mandate (Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, Inc.). The Court’s decision requires health plans and health insurance issuers to continue covering, without cost sharing, the full range of recommended preventive care services. ACA’s Preventive Care Mandate The...
June 17, 2025
U.S. Prescription Drug Spending Rose 10.2% in 2024
A new report from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists revealed that prescription drug spending in the United States reached nearly $806 billion in 2024, up 10.2% from 2023. The increase was largely driven by the demand for weight loss medications, including glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs. GLP-1 medications are prescribed for diabetes and obesity and...