"Missouri voters approved Proposition A ... mandating paid sick leave for most employees beginning on May 1, 2025 ... Employers with Missouri-based employees should take steps now to comply with these changes, but also closely monitor the status of laws due to pending legal challenges and the potential for changes by the Missouri legislature."  MORE >>

"[T]he Proposed Rules explain how the Paid Leave Division will determine whether an employee is considered a 'seasonal employee' and therefore not covered by the Paid Leave program.... The Proposed Rules also outline how to calculate benefits for a covered individual taking intermittent leave."  MORE >>

"In litigation involving the adequacy of an employer's COBRA notices, the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has held that the spouse of a covered employee under the employer's health plan was not required to arbitrate his COBRA claims. The court reasoned that the spouse was not a party to an employment agreement containing the disputed arbitration provisions." [Lubin v. Starbucks Corp., No. 21-11215 (11th Cir. Dec. 16, 2024)]  MORE >>

"Employers must recognize that in loco parentis relationships can extend beyond traditional parent-child dynamics and may include adult siblings. This broader interpretation can impact FMLA leave eligibility and requires careful consideration of the employee's caregiving role and responsibilities." [Chapman v. Brentlinger Enterprises, No. 23-3582/3613 (6th Cir. Dec. 13, 2024)]  MORE >>

"Some of the most notable functions of price transparency are being implemented by employers. With the help of third-party data crunchers, employers are using price transparency insights to establish narrow or high-performance networks ... As another option, employers may implement stricter cost-sharing requirements for employees who visit hospitals with prices that are above a certain threshold relative to Medicare."  MORE >>

"[Of] the 88,930 retail pharmacies operating during 2010-20, 29.4 percent had closed by 2021.... Independent pharmacies were at greater risk for closure than chain pharmacies across all neighborhood and market characteristics. Policy makers should consider strategies to increase the participation of independent pharmacies in Medicare and Medicaid preferred networks managed by pharmacy benefit managers and to increase public insurance reimbursement rates for pharmacies that are at the highest risk for closure."  MORE >>

"The U.S. made up about 50 percent of worldwide sales revenues but only 13 percent of total volume for prescription drugs in 2022 ... Compared to other countries in the [OECD], the U.S. made up approximately 60 percent of sales revenues, but only 24 percent of the volume. Total sales revenues of prescription drugs in the U.S. grew from $582 billion in 2017 to $716 billion in 2022, a 23 percent increase -- compared to only a 2 percent increase in the rest of world[.]"  MORE >>

"NFP, a global benefits consultant and property and casualty insurance broker, recently reported that only five percent of U.S. employers offer menopause benefits to their employees. This figure increased only incrementally from last year when four percent of U.S. employers offered such benefits.... Many see the slight increase as surprising and frustrating for employees who overwhelmingly request these benefits."  MORE >>

"[1] Begin by reviewing the quantitative data from the open enrollment period.... [2] Gather feedback from employees.... [3] Analyze internal communication efforts.... [4] Take a deep dive into the procedural side of open enrollment.... [5] Document insights and identify areas for improvement."  MORE >>

"[These] recommendations would achieve the Democratic goal of limiting the tax exclusion for employer-sponsored health insurance and the Republican goal of giving workers greater control over their health care dollars and decisions, all in a manner that is budget-neutral and more politically durable than past efforts.... [1] Replace all health-related tax preferences with a single income- and payroll-tax exclusion for deposits into worker-owned, tax-free [universal health accounts (UHAs)]. [2] Set UHA deposit limits for individuals and families at levels that achieve revenue neutrality. [3] Allow patients to use UHA funds to purchase any health insurance plan from any source, tax-free."  MORE >>

"[Oscar Health CEO Mark Bertolini said,] 'Employers buy for the average of their employee population. They buy large networks because their employees use a lot of providers. As a result, the ability to negotiate a better rate with that provider group is a lot less because you've got everybody in. But when you get narrow networks, which is what's happening in the individual market, an individual can find their network.' "  MORE >>

"[I]ndividuals and businesses in parts of West Virginia that were affected by Post-Tropical Cyclone Helene that began on Sept 25, 2024 ... now have until May 1, 2025, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.... [I]ndividuals and households that reside or have a business in Mercer County qualify for tax relief."  MORE >>

"70% of benefits leaders say they're approached by AI vendors at least once a month.... [These questions] will help you create a shortlist of AI vendors and compare those offerings against each other.... [1] What are your business requirements? ... [2] What is the vendor's expertise level? ... [3] How does the vendor address relevant risk? ... [4] What is the sales process like? ... [5] Will you have the right support during implementation?"  MORE >>

"Employee handbooks and policies ... Review contribution limits ... Evaluate partner and vendor performance ... Plan and prioritize employee communication and education ... [As] of the first day of the plan year beginning on or after January 1, 2024, group health plans are required to expand their internet-based self-service tool to include all covered items, services, and drugs[.]" [Includes a chart of most common deadlines by date.]  MORE >>

"[EBSA protects ] more than 153 million workers, retirees and their families who receive coverage from approximately 765,000 private retirement plans, 2.8 million health plans and 619,000 other welfare benefit plans. Together these plans hold estimated assets of $13.6 trillion.... Last year, with a budget of under $200 million, [EBSA] recovered $1.4 billion for plans, participants and beneficiaries — a return on investment that delivers results for America's workers."  MORE >>