The California Department of Industrial Relations has announced that the state hourly minimum wage will increase to $15.50 an hour on Jan. 1, 2023. The new rate will apply to all employers, regardless of how many individuals they employ. California’s…
Employers that sponsor group health plans have some different options available to them for designing their plans’ enrollment process. When it comes to enrollment, health plan sponsors should have rules in place regarding: When employees can enroll in the health…
Trending Employee Benefits That Strengthen Attraction And Retention Efforts In the wake of the Great Reshuffle—the mass movement of workers to jobs that prioritize their needs—and macro trends like the tight labor market, attraction and retention are top of mind…
The job market is still dealing with the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers are taking stock of their circumstances and considering which employment perks matter the most. Specifically, employees are increasingly more concerned about their physical and mental health,…
Effective for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2023, group health plans and health insurance issuers must make an internet-based price comparison tool available to participants, beneficiaries and enrollees. This requirement comes from final rules regarding transparency in…
Employers are seeing an increase in lawsuits from former employees alleging deficient Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) election notices, with statutory penalties of up $110 per person per day. These lawsuits are generally class actions and can result in…
To address the infant formula shortage amid medical device and health care company Abbott Nutrition’s voluntary recall of certain powdered infant formulas, the Biden administration is working to ensure that formula is safe and available for families across the country.…
An organization that is dedicated to preserving employee mental health and fostering a stigma-free environment is one that will succeed in its efforts to support employee mental health. Make sure that any mental health initiatives are aligned with core values,…
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) allows individuals to continue their group health plan coverage in certain situations. Specifically, COBRA requires group health plans to offer continuation coverage to covered employees and dependents when coverage would otherwise be lost…
Different employees have different needs and values. Therefore, the same benefits offerings can’t satisfy everyone. If your organization is trying to appeal to current and prospective workers, consider tailoring your benefits options. Below are potential options for expanding the existing…