Employers managing group health plans face a host of critical deadlines each year for reporting, disclosures and notices. Staying ahead of these requirements is vital to avoiding penalties and ensuring compliance.  Download the guide today and keep reading for a short recap.   Key deadlines for 2025  Annual reporting and disclosures: Compliance deadlines for group health plans vary depending on your plan year. For calendar year plans, deadlines include mandatory reporting and notices required under federal law.  Custom adjustments for non-calendar year plans: Employers with non-calendar year plans will need to adapt deadlines to align with their specific plan year schedules.  In addition to meeting regulatory deadlines, employers must provide essential group health plan notices to employees annually, ensuring compliance and fostering transparency.  Plan for success  With deadlines and requirements constantly evolving, staying organized and infor...

Managing HR compliance can be challenging, with numerous deadlines and dynamic tasks throughout the year. To help your business stay organized and avoid penalties, our 2025 HR compliance calendar offers a comprehensive roadmap for key employment-related deadlines.  Download your 2025 HR compliance calendar here  and keep reading for a brief overview. Why you need this calendar  Predictable deadlines: Stay on track with annual tasks like distributing W-2 forms and filing form 5500 for employee benefit plans.  Dynamic compliance tasks: Be prepared for event-driven requirements such as onboarding new hires or managing workplace injury reporting.  Month-by-month planning: Access a detailed summary of compliance deadlines and reminders to keep your HR processes running smoothly all year long.  Benefits of staying compliant  Prevent workplace disruptions caused by missed deadlines.  Avoid costly penalties for noncompliance.  Build a proactive HR st...

Welcome to the January 2025 edition of Benefits Buzz ! In this monthly issue, we dive into the latest topics related to employee benefits, wellness programs and ever-evolving workplace dynamics. Stay informed and gain insights that help you make the most of your benefits package.  This month's highlights  PCORI fee amount adjusted for 2025: The IRS recently issued Notice 2024-83 to increase the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee amount for plan years ending on or after Oct. 1, 2024, and before Oct. 1, 2025.   New mental health parity requirements take effect in 2025: In September, federal agencies released a final rule to strengthen the requirements of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA).   Download the full story  For an in-depth look at this month's topics, download the PDF below. Dive deeper into the advice and guidance that can help you leverage your benefits to their fullest potential. Don't miss out on valu...

The Great Resignation has ended, but its impact hasn’t.  In 2024, you could argue the response to “why employee retention is important” differs from before COVID-19 and “The Great Resignation.” This period led to a significant turnover rate, forcing businesses to rethink their employee retention strategies to enhance employee morale and engagement.  The Great Resignation , also known as “The Big Quit” and “The Great Reshuffle,” shifted the way organizations view their work culture, putting pressure on human resource departments to assist in the reimagination of internal and external efforts. The value of employee retention became a focal point for businesses aiming to maintain stability.  Though the phenomenon ended in 2023, with the quit rate returning to what it was around 2019, businesses across sectors haven’t forgotten the trends that emerged during the period, such as voluntary and quiet quitting — so popular that many organizations and human resource professionals ...

In the fast-paced world of human resources, staying updated on the latest regulations and compliance requirements is crucial. The end of the year is a particularly busy for HR professionals and benefits administrators.  The IRS annually adjusts employee benefit plan limits for inflation, so employers need to update their plans accordingly. This blog post will guide you through the employee benefit plan limits for 2025 and offer a comprehensive year-end checklist to ensure compliance and preparedness. We also provide two downloadable resources to support your work:   2025 Employee benefits plan limits reference sheet.   2024 Year-end compliance checklist.   Comparing 2024 and 2025 limits  It's helpful to compare the benefit plan limits for 2024 and 2025 to understand the changes and prepare for the upcoming year.  [Download the full employee benefit plan limits for 2025]   Chart of inflation-adjusted limits: This comprehensive chart compares the 20...

Telemedicine has made significant strides, reshaping how healthcare is delivered and making medical services more accessible. With the recent surge in its popularity, it's crucial to understand how implementing this benefit could impact your business and your employees' health savings accounts (HSAs). For HR professionals, employers and plan sponsors, knowing the intricacies of telemedicine’s influence on HSA eligibility is essential.  [Download the entire story] to access links and charts from the IRS on HSA eligibility requirements and HSA-compatible coverage types. For a summary, read on.  The intersection of telemedicine and HSA eligibility  Did you know that offering a telemedicine benefit could affect an employee's eligibility for HSA contributions? The IRS has yet to issue direct guidance on this topic; however, general rules governing HSA contributions can help inform your decisions. The structure of your telemedicine benefit could determine whether it is conside...

Vendor management can be a litigious environment where efficiency, transparency and risk mitigation are paramount. With the right advisor in your organization’s corner, you’ll feel more confident navigating vendors and managing their services, ensuring streamlined processes and strategic alignment.   In this blog post, we'll cover the basics: What vendor management in HR entails, why it's important, how it can transform businesses and some scenarios in a few business types. Level up your knowledge and find the right partners to thrive.  Understanding vendor management in HR  Vendor management in HR involves the systematic management of third-party suppliers who provide goods and services essential to HR operations. This includes managing contracts, ensuring compliance with service level agreements and optimizing vendor performance to align with a company's long-term business goals.  A robust vendor management strategy can provide organizations with a structured ...