August 9, 2022
Workplace Culture | Bringing Purpose to Your People
Your individual purpose is a driving force that brings value to your life. It may influence your decisions and motivate you in certain situations. McKinsey research shows that 70% of employees believe their jobs express their individual purpose. This is good news because employees with a clear ...
August 2, 2022
Dear HR Manager from Work-Life Balance Advocate
Dear HR Manager My team worked overtime during the pandemic to meet production goals and did not complain about the extra hours. However, now that we are back to “normal,” I noticed that a few of them will respond to emails outside of business hours and stay late at the office. I worry they ...
July 27, 2022
HHS Issues Proposed Rules under ACA Section 1557 to Clarify Scope of Discrimination Protections
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a proposed rule (Proposed Rule) implementing Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, and disability in certain health programs and ...
July 19, 2022
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | The Power of Pronouns
Words are powerful. Names and pronouns, in particular, represent an important part of a person’s identity. LGBTQ+ colleagues are validated every time a colleague uses their appropriate pronoun. Inclusive employers send a strong signal to employees by asking and using their preferred pronouns. ...
July 15, 2022
Advocacy in Action | Specialty Pharmacy Prescription Drug
A member’s daughter has a chronic illness and needed help obtaining a special prescription drug to treat the condition. The child had been taking another prescription drug but had experienced an adverse reaction causing the child to be hospitalized. The member needed the daughter’s new ...
July 12, 2022
Workplace Culture | Building a Positive Workplace Culture
American workers were willing to depart their jobs for greener pastures during the “Great Resignation.” Unfortunately, one of the contributing factors to the record quit rate was toxic workplaces. For many companies, this reshuffle was a wakeup call to re-examine workplace culture and create an ...
July 5, 2022
Dear HR Manager from Hindsight
Dear HR Manager, I was promoted to management three months ago and have decided it was a mistake to accept this leadership role. I initially thought managing a team of salespeople was the next logical step in my career, but I miss being the person to make the sale. I enjoy the client ...
June 30, 2022
An Employer’s Guide to Workplace Protections for Abortion-Related Decisions
Employers likely have questions about abortion-related employment protections and healthcare benefits after Friday’s SCOTUS controversial decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. Given the ruling, people in states with strict abortion limitations may end up traveling to other states to receive ...
June 23, 2022
2022 The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Fee
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee, which is also referred to as the Comparative Effectiveness Fee, initially applied from 2012 to 2019. However, in December 2019, the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 extended the fee to 2029. The fee is due based on ...
June 15, 2022
Compliance Recap | May 2022
The month of May again brought relatively little major employee benefit compliance guidance from federal agencies. However, there was plenty of activity in the courts to provide useful insight into steps employer plan sponsors can take to safeguard against benefits. Department of Labor Provides ...
