Voluntary benefits (also referred to as supplemental or worksite benefits) are gaining traction as a budget-sensitive strategy for enhancing total rewards. With options like critical illness, accident, hospital indemnity, life, disability, dental, vision, pet insurance, and ID theft coverage, these offerings allow employers to support diverse employee needs without significant financial outlay. Often structured to minimize employer involvement, they can be offered with limited administrative bu

Point solution programs are designed to cover health and wellbeing needs not covered by the group health plan and some might be considered a group health plan under ERISA, subject to COBRA, HIPAA, ACA, MHPAEA, and other laws.

This article includes our new "Observations" format, which combines compliance information with commentary and practical insights from our Benefits Compliance team. Self-insured group health plans have become increasingly popular among employers seeking greater control over their healthcare expenses and flexibility in designing benefits that suit their workforce. Self-insuring can lead to significant cost-savings but also brings certain administrative and regulatory responsibilities and increas

Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) can offer small businesses an attractive package: bundled HR, payroll, and benefits services, all tied together with the promise of simplicity. For very small or early-stage companies, this "one-stop shop" approach can seem like the easiest way to get up and running. But as businesses grow, many find that the realities of a PEO arrangement no longer work in their favor -- especially when it comes to cost, flexibility, and control. The Hidden Costs of a