February 2023 BenefitBump Buzz

February is Black History Month and reminds us to expand our knowledge and honor the accomplishments of Black Americans. One of BenefitBump’s 2023 Commitments is to connect our participants to organizations supporting black moms. If you’re looking for a way to offer more support to black moms during black history month, this list is a great place to start with lactation support, mental wellness support, uplifting communities, and advocacy groups for improving black birth outcomes.?

??Compliance Happenings?

Two States are Joining Oregon and NYC as locations requiring employers to post salary information – Beginning January 1st, under California and Washington state's pay transparency laws, businesses and organizations with more than 15 employees must include a pay scale for any external job postings for non-employee applicants, including postings published by third parties.?

The California law also requires employers who have over 100 employees to submit an annual report to the California Civil Rights Department that includes their organization's pay data, the number of employees by race, ethnicity and sex for 10 specified job categories, and the mean hourly rates and summaries of earnings.?

For more information: Here are some of the major new laws that go into effect in 2023 - ABC News?

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26 States Have Expanded Access to 12 Months of Medicaid and CHIP Postpartum Coverage -?More than half of all states (and DC) implemented a postpartum coverage extension to ensure more residents receive care for up to one year postpartum. The policy change—made easier through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) —seeks to reduce deaths deemed largely preventable (up to 80%, according to one CDC analysis). Since Black and Hispanic people are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related conditions, this access addresses critical racial disparities in healthcare.??

For more information, visit States, health systems look to curb pregnancy-related deaths (healthcare-brew.com)?

??Top Stories – The Buzz You’ll be Hearing Around the Office?

Supportive and respectful policies in workplaces found to have a positive impact on children’s development - A recent longitudinal study found that children’s developmental outcomes were directly and significantly affected by their parents’ work lives. Workers who had more autonomy and more supportive supervisors and coworkers were in turn warmer and more engaged when interacting with their infants.? The study found better social skills and fewer behavior problems in these children years later, suggesting that an employee’s workplace experiences immediately before and during the transition into parenthood can have long-lasting effects on the development of their children.?

For more information, visit How a Parent’s Experience at Work Impacts Their Kids (hbr.org).?

Investment in DEI is down – Possible Implications on the Horizon – We’ve all heard about the recent tech layoffs that were spurred by recession concerns, and with these layoffs impacting a total of 40,000 employees, many are worried about the job market. But these fears do not align with official labor market statistics. Layoffs are actually abnormally low compared to historical standards of around 1% layoffs, meaning it will continue to be an employees’ market. Consequentially, recruitment and retention should still be top of mind for most employers.??

The layoffs sweeping the technology industry are wiping out diversity and inclusion departments, threatening company pledges to boost underrepresented groups in their ranks and leadership. Research shows that workers are more likely to leave a company if they fail to demonstrate an investment in DEI.??

For more information: DEI Investment is Down, Long Term Implications Looming — Benefit Bump?

??Praise for Family-Friendly Companies?

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Trailblazers - This month we recognize Caleres for being named as finalists for the 2022 National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Awards. The awards recognize boards that have improved their governance and created long-term value for stakeholders by implementing forward-thinking diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) practices. The 10-member Caleres Board of Directors is 60 percent women and 20 percent racially/ethnically diverse. “Our Board make-up did not happen by accident. It is the result of a concerted effort to ensure that it reflects the consumers we serve. The expertise and experience of our diverse Board make us a stronger, more strategic company,” said Diane Sullivan, chairman and CEO of Caleres. “We’re honored to be recognized as a finalist in the NACD Awards.”??

??Upcoming Events??

Buzz-Worthy Industry Events – We’re looking forward to attending the 2023 Business Group on Health Annual Conference in D.C. on April 26th and hearing about winning strategies that are innovative, impactful and inclusive. Let us know if you’ll be attending and we can schedule some time to meet up!?

Part 1 of BenefitBump’s Workshop Series: Accomplishing Key HR Goals - Join us on Tuesday, Feb. 28th at 11am CT for this 2-part workshop that will help consultants and HR teams with tangible solutions to accomplish common HR and total rewards goals. In concurrent breakout sessions, you’ll hear from Securian’s Amy Hennessey and Kindbody’s Sheri Keller, on the topics of supplemental health benefits and family building benefits. If you join us, you’ll walk away with a workbook full of solutions and next steps that apply directly to your organization's (or your client’s) goals and benefit strategy. Don’t miss this one, register today: BenefitBump Events — Benefit Bump.??