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We shared this post on the Valhalla Business Advisors, LLC #LinkedIn page earlier today. I invite you to join our community and follow our #LinkedIn account, whether you are a current client, a possible future client, a friend, an advisor, or just a curious professional who thinks our highly differentiated and novel (#expert and #fiduciary) approach to benefits consulting and brokerage is interesting. We welcome you! *****MOST RECENT BLOGPOST ON OUTSOURCED LEAVE MANAGEMENT***** In our latest blog post, we delve into the complexities of leave management and the pivotal role of compliance in today's workplace. With the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and a diverse array of state leave laws complicating the HR landscape, organizations are increasingly turning to innovative solutions to navigate these challenges efficiently. We explore various strategies for managing leave, from internal management and software solutions to the strategic benefits of outsourcing. Highlighting the advantages of specialized expertise and comprehensive support, our post includes insightful case studies from FMLASource, demonstrating substantial benefits in reducing approved leave requests and FMLA hours, alongside significant HR time and legal risk mitigation. Valhalla Business Advisors is committed to guiding clients through these complex processes, offering independent advice and access to a wide range of solutions tailored to meet your organization's specific needs. Dive deeper into our discussion on Leave Management Strategies & Compliance Resources and discover how you can ensure legal compliance while enhancing support for your employees' well-being: https://lnkd.in/eQuJq2fY #LeaveManagement #FMLA #Compliance #HRConsulting #EmployeeBenefits #BusinessServices #ValhallaBusinessAdvisors

Blog Post:?How employers select (and why they retain) their employee benefits broker/consultant. In my 32+ years in the employee benefits industry, I have heard many responses to the “What is your process for selecting an employee benefits broker/consultant?” or better, “Tell me about your existing employee benefits broker/consultant; what would it take to consider a change?”.?Most employers are very honest in providing responses to these questions, and a few make sense – most do not. Some of the best responses to these questions are variations of these: We inherited the relationship when I took the position. Our broker/consultant is a (insert relative/friend/donor) of our (insert C-suite) We issued an RFP [pause for sigh] and our current broker/consultant scored .5 points higher than the others on some arbitrary scorecard (ok, they really didn’t say that, but you get the point) They told us they are the only broker/consultant that has access to this product/solution/service. They are cheaper [see my other Blog Post] We are “happy” with our current broker/consultant [Blog Post coming] They also do our payroll, administration, 401(k)etc. We made them become a customer of ours, so we can’t make a change. Our bank ‘suggested” that we also hire them as their broker. We don’t have the time/bandwidth to make a change. We/I have worked with (Insert name) for years at every company I (and they) have been at. We had to select/can’t fire (insert name) until (insert name) retires. All brokers and consultants are the same, they are like hairdressers. What I have never heard: We selected them because they sponsor (insert sports team here) Over the years, there have been some memorable broker selection processes used by employers.?There are two that come to mind that made me laugh.?The first was when one of the members of the team we were meeting with at a finalist meeting said he was going to watch us leave the parking lot to see what kind of cars we were driving.?The second was when scheduling a finalist meeting, they gave us some strange options (e.g., 3:52pm on a Friday before a long weekend).?They also insisted on an electronic presentation – no paper.?We took the worst meeting time option offered and 5 minutes into the meeting, the power “went out”.??We survived both. ? Imagine if your customers selected your product or service like this or had these responses to your salespeople’s questions.?It is somewhat unique to our industry – and it fascinates me. Selecting an employee benefits broker/consultant is an important decision, and a thoughtful – and fair process benefits all parties and is welcomed by most brokers and consultants. A great answer would be “We selected our broker/consultant which provides the best overall value to our organization, employees, and their families, through a combination of strategic and proactive advice, competent, kind, and caring teams, expert product and market knowledge, and fair, transparent compensation.”

Trying to improve your employee retention strategy? Maybe adding some voluntary benefits will help. Take a quick read to see which benefits employees are really looking for. #OESeason #Benefits #VoluntaryBenefits

HR administration QUERIES 1. Employee Benefits Queries: ??- Health Insurance: Employees may inquire about coverage details, enrollment periods, and procedures for adding dependents. ??- Other Benefits: Queries regarding vacation leave, sick leave, parental leave policies, and other company-provided benefits. ??How to Address: HR should maintain clear and accessible documentation on all benefits. Provide employees with a benefits handbook or online portal where they can find detailed information. HR should be available to answer specific questions and guide employees through the enrollment or claims process. 2. Payroll Queries: ??- Pay Structure: Employees might inquire about their salary components, deductions, and payment schedules. ??- Payroll Errors: Issues such as incorrect payments, missed bonuses, or discrepancies in paychecks. ??How to Address: HR should ensure payroll information is accurate and transparent. Maintain communication channels for employees to reach out with payroll queries. Quickly investigate and rectify any errors. Provide employees with access to pay stubs and explain payroll processes clearly during onboarding and as needed. ? 3. Policy and Procedure Queries: ??- Employee Handbook: Queries regarding company policies on attendance, conduct, dress code, and use of company resources. ??- Performance Management: Inquiries about performance evaluations, career development opportunities, and promotion criteria. ??How to Address: HR should regularly update and communicate company policies and procedures. Ensure employees have access to the employee handbook or intranet where policies are documented. 4. Leave and Time-Off Queries: ??- Vacation and PTO: Questions about accrual rates, usage policies, and requesting time off. ??- Sick Leave: Inquiries regarding eligibility, documentation requirements, and procedures for reporting sick leave. ??How to Address: HR should clearly outline leave policies in the employee handbook or policy documents. Maintain an accurate record of employees' leave balances and approvals. Provide employees with guidance on requesting leave and ensure compliance with legal requirements such as FMLA. Address specific situations with empathy and confidentiality. 5. Training and Development Queries: ??- Training Opportunities: Employees may inquire about available training programs, workshops, or certifications. ??- Career Development: Questions regarding career paths, opportunities for advancement, and skills development initiatives.? ??How to Address: HR should promote a culture of continuous learning and development. Communicate training opportunities through internal announcements, newsletters, or training calendars. Provide guidance on career development paths and encourage employees to discuss their goals during performance reviews. #HRAdminQueries

Managing all the complexities of benefits administration requires expertise, attention to detail, and a commitment to staying compliant with evolving regulations. KMA’s team of HR professionals can take on all of this and more, saving you time, reducing errors, and providing your employees with the support they need to take full advantage of the benefits available to them. Find out how KMA can ease your burden of benefits administration tasks and responsibilities. #benefitsadministration #employeebenefits #benefitssupport #kmaconsulting #hrconsulting #kmahr

Need help with your benefits administration? KMA can help!

You go to great lengths to educate and inform your employees about benefit offerings and the open enrollment process, but it's difficult to breakthrough all the noise and ensure employees understand their benefits. Here are 10 ideas to improve employee benefits communications.

Please join us for our next HR Section Meeting on February 27th as we welcome Andrew Malahowski, JD to talk to us about: “Employee Benefits – Where The Rules Come From, And What They Mean” We have all seen Schoolhouse Rocks! So, we know how a bill becomes a law.?But HR and benefits practitioners know that the actual rules that govern their employee benefit plans are complex and sometimes difficult to find.?We will explore some of the more popular benefits laws and explain how deep the rabbit hole goes when it comes down to actually interpreting and understanding them.?Specifically, we will cover employer shared responsibility rules and reporting, transparency reporting requirements, mental health parity, and other requirements that apply to group health plans.? Learning Objectives: (1)??Understand how the administrative agencies heavily impact the meaning and focus of various employee benefits rules. (2)??Learn how employee benefits practitioners interpret and advise employers and what principles govern employer decisions. (3)??Understand more specific rules in the areas of employer shared responsibility rules and reporting, transparency reporting requirements, mental health parity, and other requirements that apply to group health plans. Andrew Malahowski joined Gallagher’s Dallas, Texas office in 2014. Andrew was previously a partner with an employment and benefits law firm in Chicago, Illinois, where he represented both public and private sector employers in a broad range of employee benefits matters. Over a 20-year legal career, his counseling experience includes the design and administration of employee benefit plans, and he has counseled clients with respect to compliance obligations under ERISA, PPACA, COBRA, HIPAA, and various other employee benefits laws and regulations. As Compliance Counsel, he assists the many offices of Gallagher’s South Central Region with both day-to-day and strategic compliance questions related to health and welfare plans. He has also assisted clients with benefit plan audits and filings with the IRS and DOL. Andrew’s additional depth of experience from his prior law practice allows him to strategize with clients on other angles affecting their employee benefit plans, such as collective bargaining, worker classification, and the management of employee leaves of absence. This meeting occurs every 4th Tuesday of the month. Speakers discuss educational topics pertaining to HR issues. Only Members and their invited Guests are encouraged to attend these meetings.

ACA Compliance When Employees Move from Full-Time to Part-Time Mid-Year. Learn more from Verrill https://ow.ly/LOPY50QEOrG #employeebenefits #healthinsurance #healthcare #HR #employer #employeelaw #fulltime #parttime

Introducing my weekly blog on benefits, brokers, payroll companies, HRIS platforms, employers, employees and life. As founder of HR360, now part of Zywave, I have learned much about the important connection between group benefits brokers, payroll companies, HRIS platforms and their employer clients. With unemployment rates still at historic lows coupled with stubbornly high inflation, how can employers provide more personalized benefits to their employees to help increase retention without spending a fortune? One of the smartest and most economical ways to enhance benefit plans is to consider including voluntary or lifestyle benefits. There are many different lifestyle benefits to choose from, but it is vitally important to understand which ones are most relevant and have the broadest appeal to a company’s employee base.?One of the best ways to understand employee needs is by conducting employee surveys which feature a choice of different benefits such as identity theft, childcare assistance, wellness, mental health and employee discount programs. Employees can pay for the lifestyle benefits directly or with funding from the employer. How important is expanding the variety and scope of benefits offered to employees? The following is from Marsh McLennan’s 2024 Employee Health & Benefits Trends: 1 in 3 employees would forgo a pay increase in return for more benefits for themselves or their families 73% of employees say they’d be motivated to stay at their company if they had better health insurance options 82% of employees with 10 or more benefits say they are thriving, 58% of employees with 1-4 benefits say they are thriving 85% of Human Resources leaders believe personalized benefits are a must 42% of employers plan to offer personalized benefits The next step for group benefits brokers and employers should be to discuss potentially attractive and relevant voluntary/lifestyle benefits. No two companies are alike in terms of employee population size, demographics (particularly age), average income earned, industry etc. The key is to start the planning and a new, cost-effective voluntary benefits plan can come together surprisingly quickly. Please feel free to contact me if you have some interesting voluntary/lifestyle benefit experiences to share!