"[T]he Illinois Act mandates that all employees receive at least 40 hours of paid time off per year, which can be used for any reason ... [F]or Illinois employers with employees located within the City of Chicago, the Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance will double the minimum amount of paid leave that employees must get."  MORE >>

"The court found further confirmation of ERISA preemption by the fact that Bristol brought a parallel claim for ERISA benefits as the plan participants' assignee. Because the terms of Cigna's ERISA plans are central to the state law claims, the court held that the state law contract claims are preempted due to their impermissible reference to ERISA plans." [Bristol SL Holdings, Inc. v. Cigna Health & Life Ins. Co., No. 23-55019 (9th Cir. May 31, 2024)]  MORE >>

"[The authors] re-surveyed inaccurately listed Pennsylvania providers (N=5,170) between 117 to 280 days after a previous secret shopper survey. Overall, 19.0% (N=983) of provider directory listings that had been identified as inaccurate were subsequently removed; 44.8% (N=2,316) of provider listings continued to show at least one inaccuracy; and 11.6% (N=600) were accurate at follow-up. [They] were unable to reach 24.6% (N=1,271) of providers."  MORE >>

"An effective communication strategy informs employees by distributing educational resources that clearly instruct plan users on how to utilize the services and goods provided by their plan. This includes offering regular workshops, webinars, Q&A sessions or panels with local providers to employees that dive into the need for care and pain points along the healthcare journey."  MORE >>

"[W]hat if the employee would be better off without your plan? What if finding them other funding sources results in a win-win for all involved? The unfortunate answer is that there is no simple way to simultaneously help the participant and move them off the plan. [This article discusses] some popular ideas and the compliance risks that arise from them."  MORE >>

"Over the past 25 years, the gap between the increase in health insurance costs and workers' wages has significantly expanded.... [T]he hospital price index rose steadily between 2006 and 2023, faster than insurance premiums or professional services.... [H]ospitals (for-profit and non-profit) have consistently maintained higher profit margins than insurance companies. As health insurance costs continue to weigh heavily on working Americans, [this] analysis suggests that high hospital prices drive insurance premiums."  MORE >>

"By offering employees the option to dedicate a portion of their income to homeownership and providing a matching contribution, employers can encourage their employees to save for a down payment on a home. This benefit can help younger generations who may need help saving for a home in today's market. By making it easier for employees to save for a down payment, this approach could help more people achieve the dream of homeownership and create more stable communities."  MORE >>

"As the increasing cost of childcare in the U.S. keeps parents out of the workforce, childcare benefits have emerged as a critical component of total awards within an employee benefits suite. A new study ... found that not only do robust childcare benefits contribute to a thriving workforce, they can have up to a 425% return on investment for employers through increased retention, higher productivity and reduced absenteeism."  MORE >>

"We again write to recommend that Treasury and IRS publish official guidance confirming that the 100% excise tax on reversions under Section 4976 of the Internal Revenue Code ... does not apply when an employer 'repurposes' surplus retiree benefit assets in a welfare benefit fund to provide other health and welfare benefits, including to active employees.... [T]here are compelling policy reasons to issue guidance to allow the repurposing of such assets -- and no apparent policy or legal reasons to continue to place billions of dollars of tax-deferred welfare benefit fund assets in 'tax limbo.' "  MORE >>

"ERISA uniformity is important to maintain common benefit coverage for employees in multiple states. But it is also vitally important to finding economies of scale in benefit administration.... To tamper with the current tax treatment of employer-sponsored coverage would be especially devastating to businesses and American workers. It would also fail to address the cost drivers behind rising health care costs."  MORE >>