On October 12, Trump signed an Executive Order to "reform the United States healthcare system to take the first steps to expand choices and alternatives to [ACA] plans," he announced in a White House press release.

Product Updates | Data Breach Response | World Mental Health Day | Disaster Relief

Every day on our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook pages, we share need-to-know industry information for benefits pros. If you haven't joined the experts who follow us, here are the top stories from around the web:

Feature-Rich Benefits Administration Platform Delivers New Advantages
in Plan Selection, Responsiveness and HR Analytics

The IRS has released their updated forms for the 2017 plan year, along with updated instructions. This is what you need to know.

Open Enrollment | ACA Compliance| DOL Audits

Every day on our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook pages, we share need-to-know industry information for benefits pros. If you haven't joined the experts who follow us, here are the top stories from around the web:

Several key new business wins highlight success of investments in operations, product enhancements and customer experience

Following the week's news of the Graham-Cassidy bill's demise, it is time to make plans for ACA compliance.

Our benefit experts discussed about our robust solution for ACA compliance & reporting:

• ACAManager automates compliance with one-click filing
• ACA Fulfillment ensures your IRS-required forms are disbursed and submitted

Disaster Relief | Generations in the Workforce | Data Security | Payroll Compliance

Every day on our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook pages, we share need-to-know industry information for benefits pros. If you haven't joined the experts who follow us, here are the top stories from around the web:

As a benefits pro, you're an invaluable resource for your employees and clients. But what do you do when even you don't have the answers? Call in the compliance expert at benefitexpress, Larry Grudzien, for a Compliance Check.

Affordable Care Act Compliance | Optimizing Wellness Plans | Creating Culture

Every day on our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook pages, we share need-to-know industry information for benefits pros. If you haven't joined the experts who follow us, here are the top stories from around the web:

Wellness Plan Compliance | NAHU Vanguard Council | Retirement Savings Plans

Every day on our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook pages, we share need-to-know industry information for benefits pros. If you haven't joined the experts who follow us, here are the top stories from around the web:

Q3 2017 Recipient: Ewa Bucior

A Standing Ovation is a special reward program at benefitexpress that honors two employees who have gone above and beyond in fulfilling our Community Pillars. 

Each Quarter, nominations are tallied, read, and carefully considered before being awarded at our company Town Hall meetings where the final nominations are read aloud to highlight just how much the winners have done to deserve the award. Aside from the recognition, each winner also receives a check for $2500.

Q3 2017 Recipient: Kendra Stewart

A Standing Ovation is a special reward program at benefitexpress that honors two employees who have gone above and beyond in fulfilling our Community Pillars. 

Each Quarter, nominations are tallied, read, and carefully considered before being awarded at our company Town Hall meetings where the final nominations are read aloud to highlight just how much the winners have done to deserve the award. Aside from the recognition, each winner also receives a check for $2500.

On January 20th, an executive order directed agencies to reduce potential burdens on employers due to the Affordable Care Act. That announcement kicked off a series of dialogues, predictions, and proposals that left employers wondering how to proceed. It was widely speculated that the IRS would not enforce ACA reporting this year, and employers could disregard the individual and employer mandate requirements without fear of penalties. This is not the case.

New I-9 Form | Disaster Response | Enrollment Communications

Every day on our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook pages, we share need-to-know industry information for benefits pros. If you haven't joined the experts who follow us, here are the top stories from around the web:

Hurricane Irma / Millennials in the Workforce / Wellness Plan Compliance

Every day on our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook pages, we share need-to-know industry information for benefits pros. If you haven't joined the experts who follow us, here are the top stories from around the web:

We've written before about the EEOC's limits on wellness programs. For a wellness plan to be considered truly "voluntary", the incentives for participating (and therefore the penalties for not participating) can't be so high that they would compel an unwilling participant to join. To be compliant with the ADA and GINA, plans that require participants to disclose family medical history or undergo a medical screening can't have an incentive that exceeds 30% of their health insurance premium. That is, until now.

ACA / Natural Disasters / The End of DACA

Every day on our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook pages, we share need-to-know industry information for benefits pros. If you haven't joined the experts who follow us, here are the top stories from around the web:

Wellness Programs | Enrollment Meetings | Voluntary Benefits

Every day on our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook pages, we share need-to-know industry information for benefits pros. If you haven't joined the experts who follow us, here are the top stories from around the web:

When met with the challenge of switching your process from paper to online benefits enrollment, a heap of questions and uncertainties accompany the task.

We had a couple benefitexpress experts - as well as an accomplished resource from the broker arm of benefits - meet to discuss how it really works... and how it could save your money, time, and sanity.

Paper Enrollments | DOL Survey | HRIS | Non-traditional Benefits | MEWA

Every day on our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook pages, we share need-to-know industry information for benefits pros. If you haven't joined the experts who follow us, here are the top stories from around the web:

The convenience of a Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement comes with additional regulatory burden. It takes a deep understanding of compliance requirements to keep both your employees and your bottom line healthy when it comes to MEWA.

Skip the struggle with complicated legal briefs and sort out your strategy in this one hour seminar.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

Every day on our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook pages, we share need-to-know industry information for benefits pros. If you haven't joined the experts who follow us, here are the top stories from around the web:

Every day on our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook pages, we share need-to-know industry information for benefits pros. If you haven't joined the experts who follow us, here are the top stories from around the web:

Every day on our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook pages, we share need-to-know industry information for benefits pros. If you haven't joined the experts who follow us, here are the top stories from around the web:

By now, you've heard of the major ACA repeal proposals: the House's American Health Care Act and the Senate's Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017. Industry news sites have covered the struggle to pass repeal measures. The House passed the AHCA on May 4th, but the bill is unlikely to pass in the Senate. The Senate still lacks the votes to pass their own version, the BCRA, and revised the bill yesterday.

Lorraine Holly, one of our Sales Executives, spent the past six months as chair of NAHU's Vanguard Council. To celebrate her achievements with the council and our continued commitment to our brokers, we asked her to share her experience.

Every day on our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook pages, we share need-to-know industry information for benefits pros. If you haven't joined the experts who follow us, here are the top stories from around the web:

HR pros, if you follow our blog, you may already know the benefits of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. It allows for a credit to employers - up to $9,600 over 1-2 years - for hiring employees who may face barriers to employment. To estimate how much you might receive per employee, we've made a handy calculator. Of course, this blog does not constitute tax advice, so always seek advice of a tax expert. 

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) - outlined by the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration - is a valuable employer incentive. Compliance with the requirements to earn the incentive is a process; however, as with any process - automation makes it easy. Here are a few WOTC requirements that can be improved with automation.

If your business provides health benefits you handle Protected Health Information. Last year, the HHS stepped up its HIPAA privacy audits, expanding the scope beyond health care providers to any business that handles PHI – that means you.

Here's your one-hour guide to: proper handling of protected information, permitted disclosures of PHI, current EDI standards & compliance strategies, and best practices before & during a HIPAA audit.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

Every day on our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook pages, we share need-to-know industry information for benefits pros. If you haven't joined the experts who follow us, here are the top stories from around the web:

Every day on our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook pages, we share need-to-know industry information for benefits pros. If you haven't joined the experts who follow us, here are the top stories from around the web:

If your organization is looking into the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) without considering the government's filing process, then it could risk missing out on the credit by filing too late.

In the race for top talent, wellness plans are no longer an option, they are a necessity. Like medical insurance and a 401(k), basic wellness benefits are expected by your prospective employees. Learn how to structure a new plan or reform your existing program to optimize employee engagement and regulatory compliance.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

Shifting regulations and contradicting messages on enforcement have employers questioning whether they need to prepare for a DOL audit and what they should be doing.

Learn about: what to do after receiving a notice, how to prepare for an audit, what auditors are looking for, and best practices during a DOL audit.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

Continues Investment in Products, People with Josh Trent and Julia Goebel

Schaumburg, IL -- benefitexpress, the leading provider of employee benefits and human resources technology has appointed two new leaders in sales and marketing to the executive team, continuing their commitment to growth and innovation through outstanding people.

After court appeals, a 60-day delay, an executive order, and an official investigation, the Fiduciary Rule will be implemented in under three weeks. The rule mandates that all advisers working with retirement plans or providing retirement financial advice act as fiduciaries for their clients. While brokers and insurance agents will be affected the most, this legislation will have implications across the industry.

With questions about millennials dominating our conversations about benefits, it’s easy to forget that the work force is growing from both ends. Baby boomers are delaying retirement while millennials (and even Gen Z) start their careers. As boomers become Medicare eligible, many remain on their employer’s coverage, whether or not that’s the best choice for them.

Get the tools you need to: Navigate paying claims Understand how Medicare interacts with COBRA and other healthcare Lead eligible employees through their options Craft a compliant notification strategy. This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

Some things just don’t go together – kittens and nice furniture, children and caffeine – and recently, some technology companies have tried to convince employers that brokers and HRIS belong on that list. Emerging “one stop shop” HR systems have attempted to cast brokers as obsolete, claiming employers only need HRIS technology without support. This idea of an obsolete broker is flat out false.

The IRS has recently issued Revenue Procedure 2017-37, which provides the 2018 cost-of-living contribution and coverage adjustments for HSAs, as required under Code Section 223(g).

The new administration is causing major changes in the benefits industry, with a laser focus on what will become of the Affordable Care Act. Confronted with a litany of new legislation, it’s easy to miss something.

Here's the download of the new laws you need to know to keep your benefits compliant and get the legal take on what this means for benefits and HR. This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

A Complete Integration of Payroll and Benefits Administration

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (May. 02, 2017) – benefitexpress, the leading provider of employee benefits and human resources technology and services, has announced bCEdge, a new product in partnership with Summit HR & Payroll. bCEdge will provide brokers and employer groups with access to a streamlined solution for applicant tracking, onboarding, human resources, payroll, and benefits.

Now that over 70% of baby boomers are on Facebook, is the entire workforce becoming digital-first (and only)? With online enrollment tools and communication becoming a must-have, it can be tempting to make enrollment communications available online for employees and skip meetings -- especially when you're unsure if your employees are interested.

Controlled group attributions are a tricky subject for even seasoned HR pros, which can make it tempting to skip over understanding the rules and hope for the best. However, changes in the Affordable Care Act affect controlled groups perhaps more than any other type of business.

This is your one-hour complete guide to the three types of groups, how they interact, and the types of relationships that most affect your compliance strategy. This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

Uber is in the news for a multimillion dollar settlement following a dispute over whether their drivers are employees or independent contractors, and they aren’t the only ones. Misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor is one of the costliest mistakes an employer can make.

Sort out which your employees are and learn your options for reclassifying workers in the presentation you literally can’t afford to miss. This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

Whether you’re still on paper (or using a system so inefficient that you might as well be on paper), a successful enrollment is the catalyst to a sustainable benefit strategy. Accurate data, ease of use, employee adoption and increased participation – all results of a custom, digital enrollment process.

Here are the dollars and sense to reshape employee benefits for a multigenerational workforce.

As you begin next year’s benefits planning, are you sure your plan satisfies all requirements from the IRS, HHS, DOL, and more?

Come prepped with your benefits details in hand and check off:

• Common errors in ERISA plans
• Cafeteria plan pitfalls
• Structuring your FMLA administration
• Avoiding mishaps with MEWAs
• Preparing a compliant COBRA strategy

Get the legal answer for your plan questions in this critical webinar. This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

Exclusive partnership to provide next-gen
benefit administration solutions

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (Mar. 08, 2017) – benefitexpress has announced a forthcoming partnership with USI Insurance Services (“USI”), a nationwide insurance brokerage and consulting firm. After a rigorous evaluation, benefitexpress was selected as a national partner. As part of both organizations’ continued commitment to investing in their clients, the two will partner to provide an adaptive, fresh approach to HR technology combined with superior service to clients.

FSAs can do some heavy lifting for your benefits plan – they allow employees to save pretax dollars for healthcare costs without the price tag of other financial wellness initiatives. However, many HR professionals lack a deep understanding of the compliance requirements to offer and administer a well-rounded program for their employees.

If ACA is repealed, there will be significant implications for FSAs. Devise your strategy to:

• Accurately catch employee election changes
• Manage rollover requirements
• Determine who pays first – HRA vs FSA
• Understand COBRA’s impact on an FSA

Get coaching on how to prep now for the legislative impact on FSA administration. This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

Avoid a tax season surprise and make sure your benefits are actually beneficial to your employees. It’s time to ensure you’re keeping your plan non-taxable to your employees and tax deductible for you by learning:

• How to pass the Benefits Test
• Common pitfalls in nondiscrimination requirements
• Covered plans beyond basic health and disability insurance
• The best way to provide tuition assistance to employees

Get your maximum deduction come tax time while maintaining your top-tier benefits with this presentation.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

As new regulations kick in for 2017 and ACA reporting season is coming to a close, review all recent legislative changes. This webinar focuses on what you need to know for your 2017 benefits strategy.

Learn about new legislation from DOL, HHS, IRS, and EEOC. We cover all relevant rulings since our previous webinar and host an interactive Q&A with the audience.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

The DOL released a new employer guide to the Family and Medical Leave Act this year, but many employers have unanswered questions. Administrating FMLA is a tricky topic; learn to navigate the regulations with ease.

From major regulatory changes to the day-to-day questions HR and benefit managers have, we cover everything you need to know right now to legally administrate FMLA leave.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

This is a follow-up to our recent webinar, hosted by benefits attorney Larry Grudzien. Watch the replay here.

There comes a time in every child's life...when they're no longer eligible for coverage under their parents' insurance plans. With a few exceptions, that time comes at age 26, when your employees' children need to find their own health insurance. That doesn't mean they always move on when they should, though, or that adult children are the only ones incorrectly covered. Divorced and ineligible spouses can inflate your number of participants as well. In fact, if you're not auditing your dependent population, we've found that 3-5% of your participants shouldn't be covered by your insurance (we've even seen up to 15% in some cases).

Are you considering using a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to increase employee engagement with your health insurance plan?

Learn the ins and outs of offering a private benefits marketplace for your employees, HRA administration, and the various agencies regulating what can be included in an HRA.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

The DOL, PPACA, ERISA, COBRA, and HIPAA all have separate guidelines for the ACA marketplace notice for initial and open benefit enrollment. Untangle the requirements for your own notice and learn best practices for including the notice seamlessly in your benefits strategy.

The presentation covers what needs to be in the notice as well as rules for delivering the notice to employees.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

December is here, which means wrapping up this year's projects while planning the office holiday festivities. When January rolls around, you'll be juggling reporting requirements, generating forms for employees, and implementing your plans for the new year. Instead of having a dozen vague resolutions, initiate these 5 effective goals for smooth sailing into 2017.

After our first ACA reporting season, it’s time to regroup and review what we’ve learned for 2016. The IRS is limiting extensions and good faith efforts, raising penalties, and strictly limiting transitional relief.

With higher stakes, we review the changes to ACA reporting for 2016 and common ACA management issues. We also answer questions regarding the ACA employer mandate.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

Improperly classifying your employees can lead to millions in back wages and penalties. However, a properly handled transition can keep you in compliance as well as strengthen employee loyalty and engagement.

Training focuses on:

• Key elements of the new rules; including new minimum salaries and back wages
• Classification of salaried and hourly employees
• Transition and Compliance Strategies
• Employee communication before December 1
• The impact on employee benefits
• Employee communication

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

Check out these insightful stats that will help explain the benefit buying behavior of one of the largest populations in today's workforce.

Review all of the recent releases from government agencies. including: the DOL, HHS, IRS and EEOC.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

With the release of a newly-minted corporate website and expanded Executive Leadership Team, benefitexpress is poised for success in the benefits technology space.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (Nov. 3, 2016) – On the heels of the August acquisition of benefitsCONNECT, benefitexpress announced the launch of its new brand and corporate website, as well as the appointment of key members to its Executive Leadership Team (ELT). Both announcements are the result of strategic planning over the past few months to integrate the two companies and accelerate growth.

Included in this infographic are the 2017 indexed figures for retirement limits, flexible benefit related limits, and transportation benefits.

The IRS has just announced an increase in the limits for Flex Spending Accounts among other key benefit limitations. The limit on employee contributions to employer-sponsored FSAs has increased to $2,600 per year for 2017. This is a $50 increase over last year’s limit of $2,550.

Many other voluntary benefit limits were also increased in the announcements. This year, the Long Term Care Insurance deductible increased faster than the national inflation rate. The new limits are:

Review the requirements for offering HSAs. This will include what coverages must be offered, documentation to be completed, what rules the employer and employee must follow (including HSA employer contribution rules), and commonly made mistakes.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

Medicare eligibility can extend, shorten, or not affect COBRA coverage, and puzzling out which case applies is complicated. Acting incorrectly is costly to participants, and while you are no longer covering their premium, the administrative fees add up.

Review all of the requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. Training will go over which employers have to comply, which benefits are subject to ERISA, what documentation employers must provide, and penalties for noncompliance.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

While HR and benefit administration professionals are preparing for open enrollment, IRS reporting is just around the corner. We know it feels like you just finished filing for 2015, so we’re here to help. If you’re a benefitexpress client, you won’t have to worry about filing – we rocked reporting last year. With the acquisition of benefitsCONNECT, we’re offering even more services this year.

The deadline to provide creditable coverage notices to your employees is fast approaching. By October 15th, you must let all Medicare-eligible plan participants whether your employer health plan is considered creditable or non-creditable. If you do not provide creditable coverage and your employee decides not to enroll in Medicare Part D, they could be subject to a fee if (and when) they leave your plan and enroll. Your plan provider will be able to tell you if you have creditable coverage, and an easily adaptable notice template is available here.

Integrated approach to benefits administration streamlines access for employers and employees

Companies will showcase solutions at HR Technology Conference in Chicago, Oct. 4-7

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (Oct. 3, 2016) – benefitexpress and Optum today announced a new integrated approach for employers to help employees better understand and manage their benefits and health care services.

Gracefully handling the most delicate conversation since the birds and the bees.

Schaumburg, IL -- benefitexpress, the leading middle market, cloud-based platform for employee benefits and health exchange services has announced their presence at the HR Technology Conference in Chicago, IL from October 4-7. At booth 1054, they will reveal major enhancements following their acquisition of Sacramento-based benefitsCONNECT this summer.

Learn how the Medicare Secondary Payer Rules impact an employer’s health and welfare plans. This covers which employers are subject, what employers can do to comply, and the penalties that can be imposed for noncompliance.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

Background

Previously, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) only audited doctors and hospitals for HIPAA compliance. In March of 2016; however, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced the launch of phase 2 of the audit program - auditing all businesses which handle Protected Health Information (PHI).

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released their proposed updates for the 2018 marketplace on August 29th. Their proposal - accompanied by a fact sheet - brings an abundance of suggested updates to the healthcare marketplace. The main points of the HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2018 include:

Many offices now use some kind of intra-office electronic messaging, whether it’s Slack, Skype, or a company-specific program. While a great productivity tool, digitizing Protected Health Information (PHI) adds a whole new challenge regarding data security. 

Accomplished background emphasizes benefitexpress’ commitment to industry leading benefits administration.

With the HHS conducting HIPAA Privacy Audits, review a checklist of requirements an employer must adopt to survive an audit.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

In a landmark decision on August 23rd, the National Labor Relations Board ruled in favor of recognizing graduate students at private colleges and universities - “who perform services at a university in connection with their studies” - as statutory employees, under section 2(3) of the National Labor Relations Act. This ruling covered a petition filed by the Graduate Workers of Columbia, a group seeking to represent graduate and undergraduate teaching and research assistants at Columbia University. The decision allows students who “perform work, at the direction of the university, for which they are compensated” to unionize.

Having personal devices for every employee can make your business more efficient, mobile, and productive. From a laptop down to an Apple Watch, employers are outfitting their employees with more technology than ever before. That’s a great step for business, but a mobile workforce can cause HIPAA violations without your employees even realizing what they’re doing.

It can be time-consuming to participate in a wellness program. Your employees may have to go to the gym, participate in a health screening, or sit through wellness trainings. While it is designed to help them get healthier, you still need to provide incentives to entice participation. Employees could respond well to a wide variety of special interest-based rewards; though, not all these rewards are doing the participants a favor.

We’ve discussed how adding a Health Risk Assessment can further increase the ROI of your wellness program. By using a health screening, you can help your employees target key health risks to address over the course of your wellness plan. However, activities like this make your wellness program a health-contingent wellness program, which means your plan is more regulated than other wellness programs. Health-contingent programs especially must meet 5 criteria to ensure they remain HIPAA compliant.

Besides an increase in employee engagement, the other main goal for wellness programs is to decrease employer healthcare spending. In order to achieve this, many employers require a Health Risk Assessment as a part of their wellness program.

This webinar reviews all of the requirements that an employer must follow to offer a valid wellness plan. In addition, it covers the new rules released by the EEOC for wellness programs under ADA and GINA.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

More and more businesses are starting wellness programs in conjunction with their companies’ benefit offerings. And why wouldn’t they? Corporate wellness programs have been linked to increased engagement, reduced absenteeism, and health spending savings. However, it’s unlikely that your workers will want to do more, well, work just because you ask them to. Incentivizing wellness program participation is essential for success.

Despite your best attempts to prepare, you’ve been made aware of a data breach. The nature of this event has you building up some anxiety with the uncertainty of what's to happen next. To get you started, here are some steps you'll need to take:

Insurance brokers and employers gain access to benefits administration and enrollment solutions for companies of all sizes

This webinar reviews what steps an employer must take after their IT systems are breached: both state and federal rules regarding employer data breach responses.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

Password sharing seems to be everywhere in the news recently, from office data leaks to speculating if Netflix will send us all to jail. The actual case that sparked all this debate is United States v. Nosal. Nosal used a former colleague’s password to access his former employer’s database after leaving his position at an executive search firm. The Court ruled that this was illegal under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

Back in May, the Department of Labor released new guidelines to update the Fair Labor Standards Act. The guidelines updated the minimum salary requirement for the white collar overtime exemption. However, it seems this won’t be the end of changes for FLSA. In November, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 passed. In the act, Congress directed various agencies to update their penalties to adjust for inflation.

In an increasingly cloud-based world, our data security needs to be stronger than ever. No matter how rigorous the preparation, 100% protection is not possible (and claiming otherwise will discredit your company). For a company's management of data, there are three fields of thought: those who have been hacked, those who will be hacked, and those who deny the possibility.

Determine Your Liability

Under the Affordable Care Act, employees may be eligible for premium tax credits or a cost-sharing reduction depending on the coverage available (or not available) through their employer. If their employer does not offer minimum essential coverage (MEC), then an employee can apply for the aforementioned credits and reductions. Employers that choose not to offer MEC must also consider their liability - as there is a provision regarding the employer shared responsibility to pay these credits and reductions.

Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act, employers are required to post EEOC notices. Employers must notify their employees of relevant legislation, such as nondiscrimination laws. The EEOC even states how these notices must be posted, displayed alongside other employment notices.

So, you understand who is covered under FLSA. You know how you want to handle each employee’s exempt status and have begun to implement changes. You’ve even had the conversation with each employee, explaining how the updates to FLSA are going to affect them. But now, you have to prepare for the aftermath of any policy change: the paperwork.

By this point, you know that the minimum salary for an employee to be considered overtime exempt will be increasing to $47,476 effective December 1. To be overtime exempt, employees must fit 3 criteria. The salary test is the only one that is being updated, but the other two tests bear reviewing, especially as the renewed discussion of overtime exemption makes employees more aware of their rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

This webinar reviews how the changes in FLSA regulations will affect businesses, including which employees are now exempt or nonexempt from overtime pay.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

Last week, in a surprising, bipartisan decision, the House of Representatives passed a notable expansion to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). The bills are on their way to the Senate, where they are expected to pass overwhelmingly. This expansion occurred across three separate acts. These acts combined multiple bills from Republicans and Democrats alike, and they have sweeping effects on Health Savings and Health Reimbursement Accounts.

benefitexpress, the leading middle market, cloud-based platform for employee benefits and health exchange services, recently completed their 2016 Spring/Summer webinar series. The slide presentations are now available on their website.

This webinar reviews the most current developments in Health & Welfare plans.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

benefitexpress, the leading middle market, cloud-based platform for employee benefits and health exchange services, has announced a new expansion to their ACA services. Although some providers approached this year's ACA reporting requirements as a practice run, benefitexpress' immersive approach successfully produced over 200,000 correct 1095-C forms and delivered them by the IRS-mandated deadline.

As the “talent war race” (a name developed by Tuition.io CEO Brendon McQueen) continues, HR news sites and blogs are being flooded with ideas for attracting and retaining top talent. Every third tweet is about some kind of Silicon Valley perk, each more flashy and expensive than the last.

When the EEOC released new regulations regarding wellness programs on May 17th, many employers were confused. The rules were aimed at providing more clear definitions for bringing corporate wellness programs into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Title I of the ADA prevents employers from discriminating against individuals due to a disability and requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities.

Our next webinar on June 28th will be going over legislative updates released since our last legislative webinar in December. Many companies are currently prepping for annual enrollment, so it’s the perfect time to review your plans and make sure they are ACA compliant! IRS Notice 2015-87 introduced additional guidelines for determining plan affordability under the Affordable Care Act. Employers have until the end of plan year beginning before December 16, 2015 to make their plans compliant.

Schaumburg, IL -- benefitexpress, the leading middle market, cloud-based platform for employee benefits and health exchange services, has announced a new webinar series that dives into the fundamentals of several key HR and benefits topics for employers including, but not limited to:

Adapted from this webinar, given by Larry Grudzien, Attorney at Law.

This webinar reviews which factors an employer should consider in self-insuring and full benefits. It discusses the legal, administrative, and employee issues.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

View the key 2017 Health Savings Account (HSA) limits, and compare them to the limits from 2016. The only change was a $50 increase to the Individual Annual HSA Contribution Limit.

By now, we're all well aware of the Affordable Care Act's effect on procedures within a company's Human Resources department. Most recently implemented were the two provisions tasked to Applicable Large Employers: Employer Shared Responsibility & Employer Information Reporting.

One of the trickiest aspects employers face in providing healthcare is managing employee and dependent eligibility. Surprised?

This webinar reviews all of the events that affect employees to change their elections under a cafeteria plan and when/how they apply. All 14 events are discussed.

This webinar is presented by Larry Grudzien, attorney at law, practicing exclusively in the field of employee benefits.

Continuing the commitment to client service, technology investment and growth.

Are you asking yourself, "What is the employer mandate?". Well... we've got you covered! Watch the video below for a review of the ACA employer mandate.

This webinar covers: the rules in how to determine full time status | large employer status | who is full-time to offer coverage | measurement periods | change in status | the effect on reporting.

The IRS has recently issued Revenue Procedure 2016-28, which provides the 2017 cost-of-living contribution and coverage adjustments for HSAs, as required under Code Section 223(g). The only HSA limit to increase for 2017 is the single family annual contribution limit.

This webinar reviews: the recent IRS guidance in HRA administration, when HRAs are free standing, what requirements must be met to be integrated, and HRA reimbursed Medicare premiums.

See which Series 1 code applies to a specific employee for Form 1095-C.

This webinar reviews the issues and problems with COBRA administration. The discussion includes eligibility payment notice requirement and Medicare.

Industry leader Michael Sternklar named CEO to help drive continued growth

This presentation reviews common questions regarding all aspects of administrating welfare plans. The discussion includes topics such as: COBRA | Medicare | Health FSAs | HRAs | ERISA.

Reporting under the PPACA (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) is a task that snowballs in its complexity the more you try to gain an overall understanding - which is why there has been extensive communication in the HR & insurance industries as it's been a group effort to comprehend the implications caused by the PPACA.

Foreword:

Two things employers need to determine before filling out any ACA forms are:

1. If the company is an Applicable Large Employer (ALE) Member
2. If the company is providing self-insured or fully-insured medical coverage

When it comes to benefit communication, sometimes there are challenges - forms and documents can be long and may not get your message across, presentations and slideshows can be a struggle to grab your audience's attention, and you can't always sit down with everyone in your company at the same time.

This presentation reviews how to complete Forms 1094-C and 1095-C for employers with self-insured coverage, in addition to: What codes to use in lines 14 and 16 of Form 1095-C | What boxes should be checked on line 22 of Form 1094-C | How Form 1094-C has to be completed if your employer is a member of a controlled group | Reporting for COBRA participants, retirees, and other non-employees for self-insured coverage

This webinar reviews how to complete Forms 1094-C and 1095-C for employers with insured coverage, in addition to: what codes to use in lines 14 and 16 of Form 1095-C | what boxes should be checked on line 22 of Form 1094-C | how Form 1094-C has to be completed if your employer is a member of a controlled group | reporting for COBRA participants, retirees, and other non-employee issues.

This webinar covers: compliance with employer mandate | insurance mandates | reporting | excise tax.

The implementation of technological efficiency is always on the rise - just take the advancement of mobile phones in the last 10 years. This technology has shifted the way that people digest information. Long, in-depth publications have their place, but if there's something that needs to be communicated on a yearly basis - such as benefits - then a one-time campaign will no longer cut it.

Sit back, relax, and learn about the top tips for surviving annual enrollment including: good communication with your employees | use surveys among your employees to see what worked and what didn't | analyze the benefit options that you offer | take a deep breath | make it fun.

This webinar covers: information that has to be collected | specific codes to use | pitfalls in completing the forms | changes to the final forms and instructions.

There's no way around it - communicating is hard. The best way around the once-in-a-while, confusing memo is to implement timely, relevant, and recurring practices to your HR communication plan.

Schaumburg, IL -- benefitexpress, the leading middle market, cloud-based platform for employee benefits and health exchange services, has released a new mobile app - My FSA Express^TM Mobile. With the new app, accessing your FSA account on the go just got a whole lot easier.

On December 28th, 2015 the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Notice 2016-4. This Notice extends the due dates for the 2015 information reporting requirements both furnishing to individuals and filing with the IRS for insurers, self-insuring employers, and certain other providers of minimum essential coverage under section 6055 of the Internal Revenue Code, and the information reporting requirements for applicable large employers under section 6056 of the Code.

This infographic explains what transit benefits are, lists the different types, and explains important 2015 limits.

On 12/18/15 the President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 into law. Included in this is a provision that establishes parity between the parking and transit portion of the commuter tax benefit. Separate pre-tax limits were imposed on commuter transit versus parking benefits. Effective retroactively to 1/1/2015, these limits will be the same.

This webinar covers the most up to date developments that effect health and welfare.

Schaumburg, IL -- benefitexpress, the leading middle market, cloud-based platform for employee benefits and health exchange services, is proud to announce the launch of their new custom video service. This new service provides the opportunity for clients to add valuable, exclusive videos that can be placed anywhere on their unique My Benefit Express^TM (MBE) site.

This webinar reviews: which factors the IRS uses to determine common law employee status | how does this affect compliance with ACA | what penalties may apply.

This infographic takes data collected from the 2015 Aflac WorkForces Report showing enrollee feelings towards annual enrollment.

It's no coincidence that flu season and open enrollment season overlap. Annual enrollment shares some of the same toxic traits as influenza and is equally contagious across the workplace. It doesn't matter how much you prepare - the fact that there's additional work, no matter how much, makes this time of year stressful for human resources everyone.

While some employees can breeze through the enrollment process by choosing the same options they qualified for in the previous year, other employees may need more guidance. Enroll with Cal was developed to assist with the stressful decision-making process.

Schaumburg, IL -- benefitexpress, the leading middle market, cloud-based platform for employee benefits and health exchange services, has announced the launch of their redesigned My COBRA Express^TM site, www.myonlinecobra.com. The new site presents its helpful information, links, and forms in a clean, modern design.

This webinar covers: what coverages are subject to the tax | how the excise tax is determined | what adjustments will be available in determining the tax | who collects the tax.

benefitexpress doesn't just care about your benefits, we care about you! With other benefits administration companies you have to settle. It's either awesome technology and sub-par service or awesome service and sub-par technology. But there's no settling here. At benefitexpress, you get the whole package!

This presentation covers how Medicare affects employer health coverage in: Providing opt out amounts | Paying for Medicare for active employees | Electing COBRA.

IRS Announces Key Plan Limitations for 2016

This announcement is a summary of the issuance of the 10/15 Social Security Administration rp-15-53 and the 10/21 IRS News Release IR-2015-118. It covers cost of living adjustments applicable to dollar limitations for qualified retirement plans, and other limits for tax year 2016.

Schaumburg, IL -- benefitexpress, the leading middle market, cloud-based platform for employee benefits and health exchange services, recently conducted an interview with SuperbCrew - a tech news site covering innovative technology companies. SuperbCrew recently interviewed Monica Hinchey, the Vice President of Client Relations and Business Alliance Manager for benefitexpress asking about several of benefitexpress' solutions and future plans regarding their system. To read the entire interview you can visit http://www.superbcrew.com/benefitexpress-cloud-based-platform-for-employee-benefits-and-health-exchange-services/.

This webinar reviews: what information must be protected, what policies and procedures need to be in place, what disclosures have to be given to employees, what agreements have to be in place for business associates, and what breach procedures have to be followed.

This webinar covers a basic review of the requirements under ERISA, including: what is an ERISA benefit, what documentation requirements have to be met, what disclosure requirements have to be met, what reporting requirements need to be met, what is a fiduciary, and what are other requirements.

About Client

The client is a suburban transit system focusing on accessibility and creating a faster network.
Employee Size: Approximately 5,000 employees

Learn about the latest developments in wellness programs. A review of EOCC's legal action against wellness programs will be covered and steps to avoid legal action will be discussed.

This presentation reviews: Allowable election changes | Carryover requirements | COBRA issues | HRAs and FSAs - how do they interact?

You want to make a difference, but sometimes it seems that all you have time to do is answer questions from employees and your boss, along with endless piles of paperwork. Looks like you need a friend. benefitexpress is HR's best friend!

About Client

The client is a private University and medical center offering a full-range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees.
Employee Size: Approximately 24,000 employees

Let's face it. Enrollment is just another unsought aspect of our professional lives - living on a list populated by towing services, tax season, funerals, and the like. It's no wonder that enrollees become upset year after year and even less a surprise that they look for solace in the realm of HR.

This presentation reviews: Required forms and policies | Required procedures | Step by step guidelines on how to comply | Notice requirements

Confused by Health Saving Accounts (HSA) and Healthcare Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)? You aren't the only one. At first glance, they appear to be very similar, they both help with healthcare expenses and are tax free, but there are some vast differences between the two such as eligibility, contribution limits, and rollover, among others.

Learn how your benefits administrator can aid in the management of your Wellness plan. Also, learn about the important components of Wellness plans and some of the important things to think about when it comes to Wellness.

Take a tour of our benefit admin solution, My Benefit Express^TM. In this video, you'll see the features and functionalities of the system.

Cost is one of the major factors in selecting an online benefits enrollment system. HR should be able to budget the monthly and annual expense for online enrollment services.

So you're either looking into opening a health savings account (HSA) or maybe you already have jumped into one... and now are realizing you may not know exactly what you got into. It happens. We get excited about something that has a new, shiny glimmer of being better than what we have and then unknowingly block out some pretty hefty factors of the decision making process.

This infographic explains how your money travels through a Health Savings Account (HSA).

Easily view all of your benefit plans with the touch of a button with My Benefit Express^TM Mobile. You can now instantly view any of your benefit plans or vendor contact information, send a text to receive your FSA balance, watch informational benefits videos, and much more!

Schaumburg, IL -- Benefit Express Services, LLC, the leading middle market, cloud-based platform for employee benefits and health exchange services, with a focus on flexibility, has announced the launch of their redesigned corporate website, www.benefitexpressonline.com. The site presents benefitexpress' new, clean, and more modern brand and logo.

See who won the 2015 benefitexpress Mario Kart Tournament!

"What even IS a health plan?"

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are a popular option of a Consumer-Driven Health Plan. Created by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-bill/1), an HSA is a tax-advantaged savings account that can be used for qualified health expenses.

A list describing the top 10 Annual Enrollment pitfalls you want to avoid.

About Client

The client is a force in patient care, research, the education of health professionals in a variety of disciplines, and advocacy. benefitexpress' work with the client involved crafting a Total Compensation Statement and an HR / Benefits Informational website for 1,200 employees in the downtown Chicago area.

Learn what hurdles employers are facing with management of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Schaumburg, IL -- Benefit Express Services, LLC, a leader in providing benefits administration services for large, medium, and small organizations, has released Enroll with Cal, the enrollment mentor employees have been waiting for. While some employees can breeze through the enrollment process by choosing the same options they qualified for in the previous year, other employees may need more guidance. Enroll with Cal was developed to assist employees with what can be a stressful decision-making process.

Learn more about Sections 6055 and 6056, and decipher which forms are necessary for IRS reporting under the Affordable Care Act.

Schaumburg, IL -- Benefit Express Services, LLC, a leader in providing benefits administration for large, medium, and small organizations, has released new Affordable Care Act (ACA) services as part of their suite of Employee Benefit Administration services.

Check out all that benefitexpress' culture and workplace has to offer from food days to Fun Committee events!

The IRS has just issued Revenue Procedure 2015-30, which provides the 2016 cost-of-living contribution and coverage adjustments for HSAs, as required under Code Section 223(g). The family annual contribution limits and the annual out-of-pocket limits have all been increased for 2016.

General Terms

Fully Insured

When a company pays one price per employee/family per month to have a benefit, they are fully insured. There is no further risk with high claims.

View footage of the 2015 benefitexpress Super Smash Bros. Tournament!

Included in this infographic are the basic differences between HMO and PPO health plans. For a more detailed look, watch the video below:

Schaumburg, IL -- Benefit Express Services, LLC a leader in providing benefits administration for large, medium, and small organizations, has released a new mobile app, My Benefit Express^TM Mobile. This new app will be available on Apple and Android platforms, in March, through the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

In this infographic you will learn everything about COBRA from what is it to which benefits must be provided in COBRA coverage?

See who won the 2014 benefitexpress Mario Kart Tournament!