Blog Archives - Page 25 of 40 - Fairmount Benefits

Moving from Employee Wellness to Employee Well-Being | PA Employee Benefits

April 28, 2016

The terms “wellness” and “well-being” are often used interchangeably; however, they mean very different things when applied to workplace health promotion. Traditionally speaking, employee “wellness” programs have primarily focused on just physical health. Whereas employee “well-being” programs emphasize emotional, mental, social, and financial health in addition to physical health. With the addition of millennials in … Continued

Taxation of Identity Protection Services | Pennsylvania Employee Benefits

April 26, 2016

According to the IRS, identity theft has been the number one consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission for 15 consecutive years. The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that 17.6 million people were victims of identity theft in 2014. Organizations at every level are trying to protect employee and customer personal information from computer hacking … Continued

What the DOL Wants During an Audit | Pennsylvania Employee Benefits

April 21, 2016

No two Department of Labor (DOL) audits are the same, yet there are typical questions asked and documents requested. See our recent blog on the Seven Common Mistakes That Could Trigger a DOL Audit. If you are audited, it’s recommended that questions received be sorted and color-coded based on what the question references (for example, … Continued

Seven Common Mistakes That Could Trigger a DOL Audit | PA Employee Benefits

April 19, 2016

Not many things incite more fear than receiving a notice that you’re about to have an audit, especially from the Department of Labor (DOL). The DOL is a cabinet-level department of the U.S. federal government responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour standards, unemployment insurance benefits, re-employment services, and some economic statistics. It is headed … Continued

Don’t Neglect Written Polices and Procedures | Pennsylvania Employee Benefits

April 14, 2016

I have worked with my fair share of companies, both large and small, from companies that are just starting out to those that have been well established for 30 or more years. It has been my experience that most companies, no matter how long they have been in business, don’t establish written policies and procedures … Continued

Top Five Best and Worst States for Group Health Plans | PA Employee Benefits

April 12, 2016

Health insurance premium renewal rates increased an average of 6.2 percent for all plans in 2015, up from the previous year’s 5.6 percent increase, according to UBA’s Health Plan Survey. Small businesses with fewer than 25 employees, which account for five million U.S. employers, were hit the hardest—see our breaking news with the details. When … Continued

Small Businesses See Big Hikes in Health Plan Costs | Pennsylvania Employee Benefits

April 8, 2016

New Survey Data Reveals Health Plan Costs, Options by State and Industry Health insurance premium renewal rates increased an average of 6.2 percent for all plans in 2015, up from the previous year’s 5.6 percent increase, according to new survey data released from United Benefit Advisors (UBA), the nation’s leading independent employee benefits advisory organization. … Continued

IRS Reporting Tip: Check the Right Boxes on Your Cover Sheet | PA Employee Benefits

April 6, 2016

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), individuals are required to have health insurance while applicable large employers (ALEs) are required to offer health benefits to their full-time employees. In order for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to verify that (1) individuals have the required minimum essential coverage, (2) individuals who request premium … Continued

What Is COBRA, and Does It Apply to My Business? | PA Employee Benefits

March 30, 2016

In the earlier days of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), a common question among employers and benefit advisors was whether there would still be a need for COBRA, the Federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985. Many people speculated that COBRA would be a thing of the past. This was a … Continued

2017 Benefit and Payment Parameters Rule and HIP FAQ | Pennsylvania Employee Benefits

March 28, 2016

The 2017 Benefit and Payment Parameters (BPP) rule, an annual rule that sets policies relating to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), has been released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The 2017 rule contains numerous updates, including the annual open enrollment periods for the individual market, rating areas for small … Continued

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