When it comes to motivating employees, one size does NOT fit all, and with the cost of health insurance soaring, employers are caught in a difficult position. They need to manage their budgets, but they cannot afford to alienate employees by stripping down coverage. To bridge...
An annual standardized wage increase is a uniform percentage or flat-dollar raise given to employees, often regardless of individual performance. These increases typically range from 2% to 4%, though this varies by industry, company size and economic climate. More employers are taking this “peanut butter”...
Workplace injury is no longer just physical. Mental and psychological claims are rising rapidly—and for risk managers and PEO professionals, they represent a more complex, costly, and strategic exposure. This shift isn’t temporary. It’s redefining how workplace risk must be managed. Why Psychological Claims Are Increasing Several forces...
An explanation of benefits (EOB) is a helpful breakdown of how your health insurance handled a recent claim. While it may look like a bill, it’s simply a summary, not a request for payment. Learning how to read your EOB is one of the easiest...
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) restricts the actions an employer may take with respect to employees with disabilities. Among the ADA’s restrictions are limitations on an employer’s ability to require employees and applicants to undergo medical examinations or answer questions regarding medical conditions. The ADA...
For employers that use a biweekly payroll schedule, 2026 will be an unusual year. Due to the way the calendar falls and the placement of the New Year’s Day federal holiday, many organizations that typically run 26 biweekly payrolls will instead issue 27 paychecks during...
On Feb. 24, President Donald Trump delivered the first State of the Union (SOTU) address of his second term. The SOTU address is an annual speech the president delivers near the beginning of each year, outlining how the country is doing and identifying future initiatives...
In 2026, the employee benefits market is being shaped by a variety of trends, including regulatory volatility, shifting compliance priorities, accelerated cost pressures and ever-evolving workplace demands. Here are compliance trends to watch for: On July 4, 2025, a sweeping tax and spending bill, commonly...
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) created reporting requirements under Internal Revenue Code (Code) Sections 6055 and 6056. Under these rules, certain employers must provide information to the IRS about the health plan coverage they offer (or do not offer) to their employees. Under the original rules,...
Real-time pay (often called on-demand pay or earned wage access) sounds like a slam dunk: employees get money as soon as they’ve earned it instead of waiting for payday. From an employer’s standpoint, though, it can be a surprisingly messy operational and compliance project. Here’s...