❗Report: Employee Leave Requests Rose in 2024, Mental Health Among Key Reasons❗
Employee leave requests increased for the third consecutive year in 2024, according to the 2025 State of Leave and Accommodations report from software firm AbsenceSoft.
Key Takeaways from the Congressional Report on HSAs (March)
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) released its most recent report, updated in 2025, describing health savings accounts (HSAs). The CRS serves as a bipartisan shared staff to congressional committees and members of Congress, outlining topics that Congress might wish to consider.
Protecting Employees’ Medical Information in the Workplace (March)
Employers obtain employees’ medical information for various reasons, such as verifying a reasonable accommodation request, certifying leave or confirming eligibility for disability benefits. At the federal level, there are several laws restricting when employers can ask for employees’ medical information and requiring employers to keep such information confidential. These laws include the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA), and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Executive Order Directs Federal Agencies to Improve Health Care Price Transparency (March)
On Feb. 25, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order (EO) titled
Making America Healthy Again by Empowering
Patients With Clear, Accurate, and Actionable Healthcare Pricing Information. By making more meaningful price information
available to patients, this EO aims to promote a more competitive, innovative, affordable and higher-quality health care system.
HR Brief – Newly Passed Legislation Modifies ACA Reporting Requirements HR Brief – (March)
At the end of 2024, Congress passed two new laws, the Paperwork Burden Reduction Act and the Employer Reporting Improvement Act. These laws eased the Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting requirements for employers and set new limits on the IRS’ assessment of “pay-or-play” penalties, among other changes.
Benefits Buzz – ERISA Fiduciary Breach Claims Dismissed in Prescription Drug Lawsuit (March)
On Jan. 24, 2025, a U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey dismissed two claims in a class-action lawsuit filed against Johnson & Johnson (J&J), which alleged that the company breached its fiduciary duties under ERISA by mismanaging its prescription drug benefits plan and costing the plan and its participants millions of dollars due to higher out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs and higher premiums, among other things.
The Power of Protein(March)
Protein is having a moment, and it’s for good reason. While some focus on it for muscle-building, others view it from a weightloss perspective. Regardless of personal goals, protein is a macronutrient essential for body function. It is made up of many building blocks called amino acids and is fundamental for good health.
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Client and Employee Resources
The more your employees understand your benefit plans the more they become educated, empowered consumers. The programs you provide will also gain an enhanced value.
As your strategic partners in employee benefits, we can provide multiple avenues of ongoing support, including:
- Employee Meetings (English and Spanish)
- Webcasts
- Payroll Stuffers
- Poster Campaigns
- Newsletters
Carrier Directories
E-Verify is a web-based system that allows enrolled employers to confirm the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States. Click the image below to begin.
