Human Capital Management Blog

Selecting the best health plan is no longer about picking the lowest copays and deductible. Sure that is the hope, but those added benefits come with a cost. Depending on your utilization, buying up to a richer plan may give some added peace of mind and cash-flow stability, but ultimately cost more than a plan with a higher deductible, lower premium, and more out-of-pocket expense. When it comes to selecting the best health plan for you and your family, meaning the plan that provides the greatest personal value at the lowest cost and risk, it helps to first quantify your liabilities. Here are six steps to help you assess you and your family's health expense liability and make an informed decision when selecting health coverage.

In his recent legal update to the Capital Region Human Resources Association, nationally acclaimed labor attorney, John Bagyi, shared a number of regulatory topics impacting employers across NY State. He saved the best for last: New York Paid Family Leave. Regarding the dynamic nature of the regulation, which goes into effect on January 1, 2018, Bagyi remarks, “There is a lot of inconsistent information still coming out…it’s going to be a bumpy road. This is one of those policies I would write in pencil.”

The new ACA affordability rate released by the IRS took a slight twist for 2018—it went down this year. For employers, this means that depending on the affordability safe harbor you are using, you may be contributing more toward employees than in previous years. Of course, in most cases we’re looking at a change in contribution of a few dollars per month. For example, an employer using the W2 safe harbor, when considering a $30,000 salaried employee, will have to pay an additional $3.25/month or $39 annually, should he or she be toeing the affordability line to stay compliant.

Quote, Select, Communicate, Enroll—a broad overview of the traditional process for delivering employer-sponsored health coverage. It worked in the past, but have shifting market conditions made this traditional purchasing model obsolete? It certainly hasn’t gotten easier for employers or employees, who, according to a recent study by Aetna, claim that picking health insurance is a greater challenge than parenting. That wasn’t always the case—something has changed. For today’s new market conditions, here are 3 things to avoid when designing your next health plan.

Short blog with a quick question and answer as we continue to provide NY Paid Fmaily Leave resources and information to employers. Let's get to it. There are several circumstances outlined in NY Paid Family Leave (PFL) legislation noting when the benefit is not payable to eligible employees. These include: Any time an employee is receiving full disability benefits under a claim for workers’ compensation, volunteer firefighters or volunteer ambulance workers’ benefits. That being said, if the employee is receiving partial disability payments, the amount of family leave benefits combined with the benefits under those laws may not exceed the employee’s average weekly wage (or state average weekly wage, whichever is lower). To an employee not employed or who is on administrative leave from his or her employment. To an employee currently receiving sick pay or paid time off from the employer; and For any day in which the claimant works at least part of the day during the same working hours as those for which family leave benefits are claimed. For more employer insights on navigating NY PFL regulations, read our blog, Employer Responsibilities for NY Paid Family Leave.

“How many?!” I said in shock. I was sitting at the table preparing to deliver a presentation to a group of School Business Officials and administrators at their 2017 Training Conference (NYSASBO), and my friend and moderator, Steve Zautner, Business Manager of North Colonie School District, hit me with the stat. “You heard me right,” Steve assured, “In the next 5 years, 50% of NY State’s School Board Officials are expected to retire.” Wow! Without a doubt, this mass exodus of talent and experience is going to have an impact on schools across the state. If this proves true, school boards will be left with three options:

We aim to keep our blog focused on healthcare compliance news and developing trends in health benefit products and HR technology, but once in a blue moon we like to step into the spotlight to share some of our own developments. In April of 2017, Benetech began statewide promotion of its Municipal Workforce Management Package. The HR tech package targets the needs of those towns, villages, and cities that still perform much of their personnel administration though antiquated paper-based and manual tracking processes.

The demands of Human Capital Management (HCM) are rapidly expanding the roles of HR professionals beyond the traditional areas of employee welfare and compliance. Strategic HR Partners are expected to leverage HCM strategies to impact organizations in key performance areas of productivity, employee engagement, and skills development. But every strategic development comes with an administrative requirement to track investment and success. Yikes! This could mean yet another spreadsheet, but who has time for that? This blog explores the benefits of training management software, and how this tool can help strategic HR professionals focus on employee development and avoid getting caught up in further administrative tracking?