What’s at Stake: Widespread furloughs could disrupt benefits administration and operational continuity across public-sector contractors. Expert Quote: “Leaders should provide clarity, compassion and contingency planning,” warns Jennifer Schielke. Forward Look: Prepare liquidity strategies and curated resource libraries for recurrent federal funding disruptions. Source: Bullets generated by AI with editorial review With the government shutdown well underway, it’s up […]
Hard-pressed employers might have something different to offer workers, or departing workers, in 2026: a suggestion that they buy short-term health insurance. The U.S. Labor Department joined with the U.S. Treasury Department and the U.S Department of Health and Human Services to put out a statement Thursday that blesses use of “short-term, limited-duration insurance” policies that […]
The average American will see a tax cut of $3,752 in 2026 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, according to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation. The legislation, which President Trump signed into law last month, represents the most significant changes to federal tax policy since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, according to the […]
Congressional passage of the recent tax legislation marks the most consequential expansion of health savings accounts since their inception over two decades ago. Provisions in the bill — such as one increasing HSA availability for people with bronze or catastrophic health plans and one that expands pre-deductible coverage — signal powerful support for a solution […]
Big U.S. employers expect median health care costs to rise 9% in 2026, according to new survey data from the Business Group on Health. That’s up from an 8% employer increase forecast for 2025, and it appears to be the biggest annual increase forecast that the employers have provided since 2010, when the Business Group on […]
Open enrollment is only a few months away, and benefit leaders may face new and unprecedented challenges — and it’s all to do with President Trump’s new act. In July, the Trump administration signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which focuses primarily on tax cuts and spending reform and affected funding to many public […]
With the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Congress has made permanent the safe harbor allowing high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) to cover telehealth and other remote services before the deductible is met. It may seem like a small technical change in a bill with other large implications for healthcare in the country, but it creates […]
Friction has always existed between employers and employees, but trust and contention are more pronounced now than ever. With return-to-office mandates being implemented while employees are asking for continued work-life balance and flexibility, HR often finds themselves caught in the middle. Needing to balance business priorities while advocating for employees, HR’s unique position can help address this contention. […]
Whether someone is a recent college graduate or funding their or a relative’s future learning, there are education-based employer offerings that can improve their financial and professional wellness. Upcoming changes to employer student-loan assistance and 529 education savings accounts under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) could give benefit leaders the opportunity to make their current plans […]
Employers should expect to see hikes to their healthcare costs as a result of upcoming cuts to Medicaid outlined in the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill, passed into law at the start of July. Preparing for the ripple effects now can help benefit leaders reduce the connected negative impact on their workforce. The law plans to cut $500 […]
