September 11, 2026
New ACA Affordability Threshold and Employer Penalties
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently released new figures for determining affordability for employer-sponsored health coverage and increased employer penalties for failing to comply with the Affordable Care Act’s (ACAs) employer shared responsibility mandate. Affordability Percentage ...
September 8, 2026
Workplace Culture | When Financial Stress Follows Employees to Work
Employees don’t leave financial concerns behind when the workday begins. CAPTRUST’s 2026 Financial Wellness Survey found that 62% of employees experienced moderate to severe financial stress, and 74% said financial stress affected their motivation at work. When employees are financially ...
September 8, 2026
Compliance Brief | September 2026
Proposed Regulations Address Employer Contributions to Trump Accounts and Dependent Care Nondiscrimination Testing The Department of the Treasury and the IRS have issued proposed regulations providing guidance on employer contributions to Trump Accounts and clarifying nondiscrimination testing ...
September 1, 2026
Employee Benefits | Building a Benefits Strategy for Financial Resilience
Financial wellbeing benefits have traditionally centered on a long-term goal: retirement. But employees’ financial lives don’t begin at retirement. Many are balancing immediate priorities, including healthcare expenses, debt, emergency savings, and everyday living costs. PwC’s 2026 Employee ...
August 25, 2026
Advocacy in Action | Unexpected Bill
A member received a bill from the lab for $2,152.89. The member did not understand why he was receiving the bill and mentioned the issue to his co-worker. His co-worker mentioned her Patient Advocate had helped her resolve a similar issue. The member called his Patient Advocate about the lab ...
August 19, 2026
IRS Proposes Long-Awaited Nondiscrimination Testing Rules for Dependent Care Assistance Programs
Proposed regulations issued by the Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service on Aug. 11, 2026, address dependent care assistance programs (DCAPs), providing long-awaited guidance on the nondiscrimination requirements applicable to existing DCAPs under Section 129. DCAPs allow ...
August 18, 2026
Dear HR Manager | Protecting PTO
One of our managers regularly emails and texts employees while they’re on PTO. He says he only contacts them when something is important, but employees have told HR they feel like they can never fully disconnect. How should I address this? — Protecting PTO Dear Protecting PTO, The issue ...
August 18, 2026
New Trump Account Proposed Regulations Give Employers a Roadmap for Implementation
Employers interested in adding Trump Accounts to their benefits offerings now have their first detailed framework for doing so. On Aug. 11, 2026, the Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (the Agencies) issued proposed regulations explaining how employers may contribute to ...
August 18, 2026
No Surprises Act IDR Changes
Group health plan sponsors – particularly sponsors of self-insured plans – should prepare for a series of operational changes to the federal independent dispute resolution (IDR) process under the No Surprises Act. The changes do not take effect all at once. Some requirements are already in ...
August 11, 2026
Workplace Culture | The Post-Summer Reset: Rebuilding Focus Without Burning People Out
August can be an awkward month at work. Some employees are returning from vacation. Others are trying to take time off before summer ends. Projects that slowed down in June and July suddenly need attention, and leaders are beginning to look toward fall deadlines and year-end goals. The natural ...
