As a small business, searching for the best way to provide medical coverage to your employees can be tricky. Many employers choose to offer group health insurance, which can mean a lower cost premium than individual plans, often with the exact same coverage and benefits.  How can you tell if your business qualifies for participation… Continue reading Minimum Participation Requirements for Health Insurance

If you’re considering starting an employee resource group, you’re a part of the kind of organization that values diversity and wants to make the workplace better for its employees. Making your team members feel included, validated, and cared for are priorities for you. You’re off to a great start, and we’re here to help. Read… Continue reading How to Start an Employee Resource Group

You know that developing a comprehensive benefits package is central to the retention and recruitment of your organization’s talented workforce. Choosing a health insurance plan is one of the most important considerations you’ll weigh when designing compensation plans. Knowing the difference between self insured and fully insured health plans can help arm with you the… Continue reading Self Insured vs Fully Insured Health Plans

A common question that human resource professionals all over the country are asking is: “can my company offer different benefits to different employees?”   In this article, we’ll delve into some specifics, but the short answer is, “yes, but…”. First things first: there are no federal laws currently in place that require employers to provide… Continue reading Can Employers Offer Different Benefits to Different Employees?

If you’re considering the differences between short-term disability and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), you’re a part of the kind of organization that genuinely cares about doing the right thing for your employees. While both of these benefits step in to help employees in times of illness or injury, there are many fundamental… Continue reading Short Term Disability and FMLA: What is the Difference?

Your business takes great care in selecting the best health benefits for its employees. You’re your annual open enrollment period rolls around, there are some basics you’ll need to know in order to make everything run as smoothly as possible. Read on for the essential information about passive enrollment that all human resources professionals and… Continue reading What Does Passive Enrollment Mean?

Offering an FSA, or flexible spending account, as part of your benefits packages can be uniquely beneficial for both you and your employees. When implemented correctly, FSAs can help both the company and the insured save money on health care costs and pay less in taxes. How can you decide if this particular health care… Continue reading How to Set Up an FSA (Flexible Spending Account): A Guide for Small Businesses

What is an HRA, Generally?   HRA stands for “Health Reimbursement Arrangement.” An HRA isn’t traditional health insurance coverage; rather, it is a kind of health spending account that an employer can choose to provide to their employees. Funds in an HRA can pay for anything deemed a “qualified expense,” including medical, pharmacy, dental, and… Continue reading The Six Different Types of HRAs

When considering your organization’s health coverage offerings, it’s important to understand association health plans, or “AHPs.” Fundamentally, association health plans are a type of group medical insurance.  An association health plan can provide small businesses and their employees with significant savings, much like “large group” medical coverage provides to larger firms.   “Group insurance” means… Continue reading What is an Association Health Plan?

Your 1099 employees, also known as “independent contractors,” are important to getting things done at your company while staying within budget. Besides the money your company saves on Medicare and social security taxes, oftentimes, it’s easier to outsource a project to an experienced freelancer than it is to hire, train, and provide benefits for more… Continue reading How to Pay 1099 Contractors: A 1099 Employee Paperwork Checklist