Help Employees Maximize Tax Savings with HSA Expense Tracking
The article urges HR leaders to educate employees on health‑savings‑account (HSA) expense tracking as a core tax‑saving strategy. It highlights that employees can reimburse themselves years later, avoid a 20% penalty, and capitalize on the triple tax advantage of HSAs. The piece also points out overlooked benefits such as prior‑year contributions up to the April 15 filing deadline and the ability for anyone to fund an employee’s HSA. Clear guidance and tools can turn HSAs into a powerful financial‑wellness perk.
Cutting Employee Compensation to Invest in AI Could Backfire
A recent ResumeBuilder survey shows that more than half of organizations plan to cut employee compensation to fund AI initiatives, with 92% ranking AI investment above employee satisfaction. While executives chase generative‑AI capabilities, 54% intend salary, raise, benefit or equity...
Millions Lose Track of Their Retirement Savings. This Plan Wants to Change That
Retirement Clearinghouse proposes an automated clearinghouse to make 401(k) accounts portable across job changes. The system would automatically locate, verify, and transfer retirement balances, eliminating the need for employee‑initiated rollovers. By preventing cash‑outs, the model could preserve up to $2 trillion...
What Becoming 'AI Numb' Means for Workforce Change
Executives are experiencing "AI numbness"—a fatigue from hype and pressure to adopt AI without clear outcomes. Research shows 32% of firms that cut staff for AI cost savings later rehired those workers when savings fell short. Leaders often push for...
At Phillips 66, a Benefit Leader's Cancer Diagnosis Is a Catalyst for Change
Jessica Domann, senior benefits adviser at Phillips 66, turned her personal battle with triple‑negative breast cancer into a catalyst for redesigning the company’s health‑benefit ecosystem. Over 2023‑2024 she navigated chemo, surgery and immunotherapy while exposing gaps in benefit navigation, prompting the...
New Grads Put Job Security over Pay as AI and Economy Raise Concerns
Monster’s 2026 State of the Graduate Report shows a clear shift among recent college graduates toward job security over salary. While 68% still list pay as the top factor, 67% would accept lower wages for a role that promises long‑term...
Brokers Poised to End the Healthcare Heist
Louis C. Bernardi argues that the U.S. health‑benefits system persists because it exploits human aversion to change, not because it is efficient. Brokers and consultants, conditioned by renewal cycles and carrier‑centric products, often reinforce this inertia, allowing employers to accept...
Breaking 'the Autoimmune Career Ceiling': How Chronic Illness Care Supports Workers
Chronic autoimmune conditions are creating an "autoimmune career ceiling" that limits professional growth for many women. A WellTheory report finds 70% of diagnosed working women feel their disease curtails career potential, with 39% cutting hours and 11% leaving the workforce...
Building a Benefits Dream Team: Choosing the Right Ancillary Partner
Choosing the right ancillary‑benefits carrier has become a strategic lever for employers seeking to boost retention. Diana Steinhoff of Renaissance Benefits stresses that carriers must offer easy‑to‑understand, high‑value options such as supplemental medical, dental, vision, fertility and behavioral health while...
Beyond Engagement: Why Benefits Leaders Must Focus on Enablement
Employee engagement has stalled, with Gallup reporting a global rate of just 21% in 2024, prompting benefits leaders to rethink traditional morale‑boosting tactics. The article argues that true improvement comes from employee enablement—providing tools, skills, and autonomy across financial, developmental,...
ICE at Work: For Fearful Employees, Anonymity and Resource Access Are Key to Safety
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions have sparked a workplace safety crisis, with a 2025 EMCI survey showing 37% of U.S. workers feeling less secure. In the first seven months of the second Trump administration, ICE conducted at least 40...
A New Partnership Is Making Homeownership an Employee Benefit
Foyer, a dedicated home‑ownership savings app, has teamed with Nayya’s AI‑driven benefits platform to launch a workplace perk that helps employees save for a first‑home down payment, improve credit, and navigate the buying process. The offering functions like a 401(k)...
When AI Meets EQ: The Next Frontier of Digital Health
Artificial intelligence now underpins 85% of digital health initiatives, promising scalable personalization for nutrition, stress management, and chronic care. However, AI’s inability to interpret context and its 30‑50% hallucination rates highlight the need for human emotional intelligence (EQ) to validate...
Trump's Obesity Drug Plan for Medicare Would Cost Insurers Billions
President Donald Trump’s proposal to add GLP‑1 obesity drugs to Medicare would impose billions of dollars in costs on private insurers during the first year. The administration claims negotiated drug‑price cuts will offset expenses, but a Vanderbilt‑led analysis estimates only...
Benefit Leaders, Consider These 6 Old-School Perks
Benefit leaders are urged to replace trendy amenities with proven, old‑school perks that drive long‑term retention. Data from an ADP 2025 report shows only 17 % of employees feel their firms invest in skill development, while flexibility and clear career paths...
Score Big: The ROI of Workplace Rec Sports Teams
Workplace recreational sports teams are emerging as a low‑cost strategy to break down hierarchical barriers and boost employee engagement. Companies can launch a softball or basketball league for under $2,000 annually, covering league fees, uniforms and basic equipment. The shared...
Neurodiverse Employees Are Submitting More Accommodation Claims at Work
Neurodiverse employees are filing far more accommodation requests, with ADA‑related claims soaring 650% over the past eight years. Employers often wait for formal disclosures, treating subtle needs as performance problems, which can trigger discipline and legal exposure. Experts urge proactive,...
Why ICHRA Is No Longer a Fringe Option
Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRA) are shedding their niche label as large enterprises adopt them to tackle soaring health‑care costs, fragmented workforces, and employee demand for personalized benefits. By converting open‑ended premiums into a fixed employer contribution, ICHRAs give...
At This Credit Union, Menopause Care Gets Personal with Progyny
Progyny has broadened its portfolio at Baxter Credit Union (BCU) by adding a dedicated menopause and mid‑life benefit. The program gives employees access to menopause specialists, personalized coaching, and educational resources. BCU, with roughly 800 staff across 30 locations, rolled...
Better Interviews with Bots? How Zapier's AI Screening Process Is Improving Recruiting
Zapier faced a flood of applications in 2025, many of which were low‑quality or fraudulent, straining its recruiting team. The company adopted Ezra, a voice‑AI platform that conducts 30‑minute video interviews, transcribes and scores candidate responses, and flags follow‑up questions....
A New Approach to Data Helped This HR Leader Boost Healthcare Benefits
Amy Kickham, newly appointed chief human resources officer at Southern Glazer’s, has turned the company’s 24,000‑strong workforce into a data‑driven talent engine. By converting survey feedback into actionable dashboards, she identified a shortfall in career development and launched Southern Glazers University, an...
How Employees Are Spending Their HSA Dollars, From Amazon to GLP-1s
The 2025 Lively HSA Spend Report shows Amazon becoming a leading HSA merchant, with spending up 123% year‑over‑year. Growth is also evident in GLP‑1 drug purchases, where Lilly’s spend jumped 5,610% and Hims & Hers rose 134%. Mental‑health platforms such as BetterHelp...
Signs Your Work Environment Is Toxic and How to Improve It
Workplace toxicity manifests through rising burnout, absenteeism, and disengagement, ultimately driving higher turnover. HR leaders can detect these patterns by monitoring absenteeism rates, engagement scores, and employee feedback on workflow inefficiencies. Implementing mental‑health programs, encouraging open dialogue with leadership, and...
Hardship Withdrawals Hit Record High, Underscoring Retirement Risks
Vanguard reports a record 6% of 401(k) participants took hardship withdrawals in 2025, with a median payout of $1,900 and many making multiple taps. This marks the sixth consecutive year of growth in early‑retirement cashouts, signaling widening financial strain among...
ICHRAs, Local Health Networks Empower Employees to Access Better Care
Employers are rapidly moving from traditional defined‑benefit health plans to defined‑contribution models, chiefly through Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRA). Mercer projects average employer healthcare spending to hit $18,500 per employee by 2026, making cost predictability a priority. Employees cite...
At ADT, 'Security' Now Extends to Employees' Financial Health
ADT has partnered with financial‑wellness provider Addition Wealth to offer its 13,000 U.S. employees an AI‑driven coaching platform. The service, launched in January 2025, adds budgeting, retirement and tax‑filing guidance to ADT’s existing benefits suite. Engagement has risen steadily as...
Despite Driving Most Disability Claims, MSK Is Solvable
Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions remain the top driver of disability claims in the U.S., costing employers billions in lost productivity and medical expenses. The article argues that most of this spend is preventable through early, accessible care rather than reactive, high‑cost...
Employees Are Living with Cancer but Their Benefits Are Failing Them
Cancer is affecting an increasing share of the workforce, with 74% of employers reporting more cases and global incidence projected to rise 77% by 2050. Existing employee benefit plans often fall short, leaving patients to shoulder up to $20,000 annually...
Benefits Shark Tank Winners Drive Digital Value
Benefits Shark Tank awarded $25,000 each to Radial and Hibiscus Health, spotlighting interventional psychiatry and AI‑driven cardiometabolic screening as emerging employer‑benefit solutions. Radial offers FDA‑cleared brain‑disorder therapies such as TMS and esketamine, while Hibiscus provides a 30‑second facial scan that...
Make Benefits Easy to Use with Smart Systems Integration
Guardian reports that 65% of organizations now rank systems integration as a top priority for employee benefits. By linking benefit platforms to HR and payroll systems through APIs, companies can deliver personalized, context‑driven resources such as caregiving or wellness options...
Employees Can Use Their HSA for Their International Medical Tourism Expenses
Health savings accounts (HSAs) are being positioned as a strategic benefit for employers, allowing employees to pay for qualified international medical tourism expenses tax‑free. The article outlines how HSAs retain their triple‑tax advantage—deductible contributions, tax‑free growth, and tax‑free withdrawals—while supporting...
It Takes a Village — but as Parenting Support Fades, Employers Are Asked to Step In
The traditional “village” that once supported working parents is eroding, leaving 81% of parents with fewer informal caregivers. Child‑care costs now range from $6,552 to $15,600 per child annually, driving stress and turnover risk for employers. Bright Horizons reports that...
How to Prevent Altitude Sickness in Benefits Design
Clients pour millions into competitive benefits, yet 61% of employees say offerings miss the mark and high‑value utilization rarely exceeds 30%. The article labels this disconnect "altitude sickness," a cognitive bias where C‑suite priorities ignore frontline security, growth and significance...
Benefits Lessons to Learn From a Brutal Flu Season
The 2024‑2025 flu season has been unusually severe, with the CDC reporting 78 million cases, over a million hospitalizations and 67 000 deaths. Antiviral prescriptions are up 24% compared with the previous year, and Evernorth’s MD Live saw a 400% surge in flu‑related...
ICE at Work: Increased Mental Health Benefits Are Critical Amidst Raids
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids have surged, with 68,289 people in custody and 39,694 new bookings in January 2026, heightening anxiety among U.S. workers. A recent EMCI Wireless survey shows nearly 40% of employees feel less safe at work...
4 Strategies for Reducing Burnout in Government Teams
Burnout is now a systemic risk in public‑sector agencies, with Gallup reporting 35 % of government managers and 23 % of frontline staff feeling chronically exhausted. The crisis threatens employee retention, service quality, and policy execution. Traditional fixes that focus solely on...
Perfect Storm or Long Overdue Reckoning?
A wave of regulatory reforms—including CAA 2021, CAA 2026, Department of Labor PBM disclosure proposals, and FTC enforcement—are reshaping employer‑sponsored health plans. The changes expand ERISA disclosure requirements to any service provider influencing plan costs, forcing PBMs to reveal rebates,...
The Hidden Aftermath of Natural Disasters: A Rise in Mental Health Leaves
New research from ComPsych shows that extreme weather events trigger delayed but sustained spikes in employee mental‑health leave. In the six months after Hurricane Harvey, Texas and Louisiana employers saw a 59% increase, climbing to 77% after 18 months, far...
The Case for Pregnancy Loss Support at Work
Pregnancy loss affects nearly one million U.S. pregnancies each year, yet most employers lack dedicated support policies. Research shows grief‑related absenteeism and presenteeism cost U.S. companies over $75 billion annually, with turnover expenses potentially doubling salaries. Surveys reveal eight in ten employees...
Screen Time Surges for Desk Workers, Straining Eyes and Productivity
The third annual Workplace Vision Health Report reveals desk workers now log an average 99.2 hours of screen time per week, up from 97 hours last year. Seventy‑one percent say screen‑related eye strain is hurting their performance, equating to roughly...
Alarm over Rising Fuel Costs Adds to Employee Financial Stress
Fuel prices have surged, adding significant commuting costs and broader financial pressure for U.S. workers. A Morgan Stanley at Work 2025 survey shows 84 % of employees—and 95 % of Gen Z—expect employers to provide stronger financial support. Benefit leaders are urged to...
2026 Excellence in Benefits Awards Nominations Are Now Open
Employee Benefit News has opened nominations for its 2026 Excellence in Benefits Awards, seeking to recognize benefit managers and HR leaders who delivered innovative wellness solutions in 2025. Candidates must submit their nominations by April 30, with winners announced on May 18...
CVS Health Joins International Movement to Become Menopause Accredited
CVS Health has become the first U.S. company to receive a menopause‑friendly accreditation from consultancy Midovia. The program adds manager training, peer support, enhanced benefits, and clinician education to address menopause‑related health and productivity issues for its largely female workforce....
As AI Boosts Collaboration, Employees Resist Office Mandates
Artificial intelligence tools are reshaping workplace collaboration, making remote interactions nearly as effective as in‑person meetings. A Byteiota survey shows 80% of employers have lost talent due to return‑to‑office (RTO) mandates, and 41% of workers would consider leaving if forced...
Nearly Half of U.S. Workers Say They're Workaholics, Survey Finds
Monster’s Workaholics Report finds nearly half of U.S. full‑time employees identify as workaholics, with 75% logging more than 40 hours weekly. The survey attributes workaholic tendencies to employer expectations (47%) and personal ambition (44%), while 11% work over 60 hours....
You've Built a Good PTO Policy. Help Workers Enjoy It
Employers are re‑examining paid‑time‑off (PTO) policies as data shows fewer workers fully disconnect during vacations—dropping from 47 % in 2023 to 37 % in 2025, according to Dayforce. Experts argue that leadership modeling, clear communication protocols, and tech tools like automated out‑of‑office...
A Financial Benefit that Matches Trump's $1K Investment in Kids
Acorns introduced an employer‑funded benefit that matches the U.S. Treasury’s $1,000 Trump Accounts newborn investment, giving participating employees a total of $2,000 per child. The program, slated for a July 2026 rollout, expands Acorns Early’s existing 1 % match up to $7,000...
My Journey From Corporate HR to Service Provider
A former corporate HR leader transitioned to a vendor role at Collective Health, using his experience to champion simpler, more transparent employee benefits. He highlights how clear communication and programs like sabbaticals drive employee satisfaction and retention. The shift provides...
A New Employee Benefit News Experience, Designed for Today's Leaders
Employee Benefit News unveiled a redesigned homepage and a new adviser-specific portal on March 10, 2026. The revamp consolidates breaking news, in‑depth analysis, research data, events, and expert perspectives into a single, visually engaging interface. Simplified navigation and clear pathways...
Can Increasing Women's Access to Specialists Decrease Insurance Costs?
Blair Health, a virtual women’s‑health platform, is tackling a $15 billion annual cost gap where female employees spend 18% more out‑of‑pocket than men. By offering specialist‑level care for a flat $200 per employee per year, the startup claims it can redirect...
