When are team-building activities appropriate in the workplace? What if your team felt more connected, engaged, and productive at work? The right team-building activities can make this happen. Although building stronger workplace connections would benefit everyone, do you have time?
In today’s world, these activities are crucial for fostering relationships and collaboration.
What if you could enhance your team-building efforts with automated solutions? Let’s explore how technology can strengthen your team dynamics. Here, the Chicago-based company Launchways explains how.
The Importance of Team Building Activities
Enhancing Communication
Team Building Activities are key to improving communication among team members. When employees work together, they break down barriers that prevent open discussions.
Take, for example, a tech company where the team was often siloed. Developers would focus on coding, while marketers handled their own tasks. After organizing a team-building day filled with fun challenges, HR noticed something. Communication significantly improved.
They began sharing ideas more freely. , and the collaboration between departments improved dramatically. Suddenly, developers began joining marketing discussions, and marketers offered product insights. This led to better collaboration and a stronger sense of connection.
Boosting Morale and Engagement
Another critical benefit of team-building activities is their ability to boost mental health. Employees who feel connected to their coworkers are generally happier and more engaged.
For example, outdoor team-building activities can be great for employee morale. Games, trust exercises, or even scavenger hunts lead to employee reinvigoration. This positive energy will carry into daily work. Soon, their productivity will begin to rise.
Encouraging Collaboration
Team Building Activities also encourage collaboration. They allow team members to see each other’s strengths in a fun setting. This can translate into better teamwork back at the office.
Team activities can also illuminate hidden talents. The most introverted employee might surprise everyone and lead a group discussion. That moment could further encourage them to participate more actively in meetings.
Types of Effective Team-Building Activities
In-Person Activities
In-person activities like retreats and workshops can be incredibly effective. They create a shared experience that helps bond employees. However, they can also be time-consuming and costly.
For example, planning a leadership retreat for a large organization takes time. Participants could engage in workshops and outdoor challenges, building relationships. This can lead to more effective collaboration in the following months.
Virtual Team Building Activities
With more teams working remotely, virtual team-building activities have gained importance. Options include online games, quizzes, and virtual workshops. These activities allow remote employees to connect, even when they can’t meet in person.
For example, a remote team could organize a virtual escape room challenge. This allows team members who have never met face-to-face to work together to solve puzzles. Data shows that even virtual connections can strengthen relationships.
Hybrid Activities
Hybrid activities mix in-person and virtual elements, making them flexible for all employees. These activities ensure everyone can participate, no matter where they are.
For instance, you could host a hybrid team-building day. While some employees gather in the office, others can join via video call. Everyone participates in the same activities, no matter where they are.
Leveraging Automated Solutions for Team Building
Streamlining Event Planning
Automated solutions make planning team-building activities easier. From scheduling to sending invitations, technology saves time and reduces stress.
Your company could use an automated platform to manage your events. The software could do the following tasks:
Track RSVPs
Send reminders
Collect feedback
They could make the entire process smoother and more enjoyable for everyone.
Facilitating Engagement Tracking
Tracking engagement is critical to measuring the success of team-building activities. Automated tools gather data on participation and feedback.
For example, surveys can be used to measure employee enjoyment. This helps you see what works and what doesn’t. You could get feedback after every event to tailor future activities for maximum impact.
Personalized Experiences
Automation can also create personalized experiences for team-building activities. Utilize software that tailors activities based on employee preferences. Then, you can ensure that everyone feels included.
For instance, a company might gather employee interests before planning activities. Then, it could host a mix of events, from competitive games to creative workshops, resulting in higher engagement.
Adapting to Changing Employee Needs
Recognizing Diverse Workforces
Today’s workforce is more diverse than ever. Recognizing these differences is crucial for effective team building. Automated solutions can help identify and address various employee needs.
By analyzing data from employee surveys, HR leaders can see which activities work best for different groups. This approach ensures that everyone feels valued and included in team-building efforts.
Flexibility in Activities
Employees’ preferences can change, so flexibility is essential. Automated tools let you modify activities based on real-time feedback.
For example, maybe employees prefer outdoor activities during certain seasons. You can quickly adjust your plans to meet their needs.
Key Points
Team Building Activities are essential for improving communication, boosting morale, and encouraging collaboration. Automated solutions streamline the process. They can track engagement and create personalized experiences for a diverse workforce.
Investing in team building isn’t just about fun—it strengthens your organization for the future. So, what are you waiting for? Learn more here, and start planning your next team-building activity and watch your team grow!
Do you think recognition and rewards programs are just for children? Imagine this: you’re an HR leader. You notice that employee turnover is rising, and team morale is dropping. No matter what you try, nothing seems to help.
What if you had a recognition and rewards program in place? You could use it to motivate your employees and make them feel valued for their hard work.
These programs aren’t just “nice-to-haves.” They’re essential for keeping employees engaged and helping your business thrive.
In this article, Launchways deconstructs why recognition and rewards programs are essential. We’ll explain how they align with your business goals and how automation can make them easy to manage.
What Is a Recognition and Rewards Program?
At its core, a recognition and rewards program is a structured way to acknowledge your employees for their contributions. This can be done in many ways, from giving a simple shout-out in a meeting to offering performance bonuses or extra time off. The sky’s the limit.
Why Do They Work?
Generally, employees are more engaged when they feel valued. Recognition boosts morale and encourages employees to keep up the good work. Rewards, whether they’re monetary or non-monetary, can make employees feel appreciated. That motivates them to continue contributing to the company’s success.
For example, companies with high-performing teams can become burned out. Recognizing top performers during weekly meetings, however, can spur productivity. Combine that with small rewards like gift cards or extra vacation days to significantly boost employee satisfaction.
Types of Recognition and Rewards Programs
Formal vs. Informal Programs
Recognition programs can be formal or informal. Formal programs are structured and typically company-wide. These include things such as “Employee of the Month” or performance bonuses. Informal programs are more spontaneous. They look more like a manager giving a personal thank you or recognizing someone’s work during a team meeting.
Monetary vs. Non-Monetary Rewards
Monetary rewards include bonuses, raises, or even stock options. Non-monetary rewards are only limited by your imagination but could include the following:
Extra vacation days
Flexible work hours
Public recognition
Different employees are motivated by different types of rewards. So, it’s vital to offer a variety.
How Automated Solutions Simplify Recognition and Rewards
Managing these programs manually can be overwhelming. This is where automated solutions come in. Let’s look at how automation can help streamline the process and ensure everyone is recognized.
Reducing Administrative Burden
If you’ve ever tried to manage an employee recognition program by hand, you know it can be time-consuming. It takes a lot of effort to track who’s been recognized, what rewards were given, and whether the program meets its goals.
Companies that struggle to keep track of employee recognition tend to be inconsistent. That can result in certain employees receiving more than their share. It also leads to overlooked employees and resentment.
Automated systems can handle this for you. They track employee performance, send out rewards, and even handle scheduling so you don’t have to.
Aligning Recognition and Rewards with Business Goals
For your program to be effective, it must align with your company’s goals. Recognition should be tied to behaviors and outcomes that drive business success.
Boosting Employee Engagement and Performance
A good recognition and rewards program will encourage behaviors that align with your company’s mission. Some typical examples are innovation, teamwork, and customer satisfaction.
If your goal is innovation, recognize employees who bring forward creative ideas. If teamwork is your focus, reward collaboration. When recognition is aligned with business objectives, employees are more likely to stay motivated. They’ll continue performing at a high level.
Recognition and Reward as a Retention Strategy
One of the biggest benefits of a recognition and rewards program is increased employee retention. When employees feel appreciated, they’re more likely to stick around.
Automated solutions make it easy to regularly recognize top performers. That can help create a culture of recognition. Appreciation builds loyalty. This is key to reducing turnover and building a loyal workforce.
Adapting to Changing Workforce Needs
As work environments evolve, especially with remote and hybrid teams, recognition needs to adapt. Let’s explore how to keep your program effective, regardless of where your employees work.
Flexible and Inclusive Rewards
Today’s workforce is more diverse than ever, and it’s important that your rewards reflect that. Automated systems can help you offer a wide variety of rewards that cater to different employee preferences. For example, you might offer remote workers digital rewards. You could offer in-office workers a different set of incentives.
Real-Time Feedback and Recognition
Employees today expect feedback and recognition in real-time. Automated systems allow managers to give immediate recognition for a job well done. Employees won’t need to wait for an annual performance review. This not only boosts morale but also keeps employees motivated on a day-to-day basis.
Steps to Implementing an Automated Recognition and Rewards Program
Ready to get started with an automated recognition and rewards program? Here’s a simple guide to making it happen.
1. Assess Your Current Program
Look at what’s working and what’s not. Are employees being recognized consistently? Do you need to offer more personalized rewards? This will help you identify where automation can help.
2. Choose the Right Solution
When selecting an automated platform, look for one that’s easy to use, customizable, and integrates with your existing systems. Some platforms also offer built-in analytics to help you track the success of your program.
3. Roll It Out and Scale
Once you’ve chosen your platform, launch the program with clear communication to your employees. Let them know how the program works and what they can expect. As your company grows, your automated system will make it easy to scale the program without adding extra workload.
Key Points
Recognition and Rewards Programs are vital to employee engagement and retention.
Automation simplifies the process, making it easy to manage, personalize, and track rewards.
Aligning recognition with business goals boosts performance and helps employees stay motivated.
The flexibility of automated systems ensures that programs can adapt to the changing needs of a diverse workforce.
By implementing automated recognition and rewards programs, HR leaders can ensure their teams are engaged, motivated, and aligned with company goals. Ready to learn more? Reach out to Launchways to explore the best solution for your company’s unique needs!
What if you could ask your employees how they really feel about their jobs and get honest, helpful feedback? Imagine you’re an HR leader, and your company is struggling with low morale and high turnover. You think it’s due to several issues, but without asking your employees directly, you don’t know where to start. Employee satisfaction surveys can be your solution. They offer clear insights into what’s working, what’s not, and where improvements are needed. With the right tools, these surveys can change how you manage and understand your workforce.
Let’s examine how employee satisfaction surveys can be a powerful tool for workforce insights. Launchways explains how automated tools can help you keep your team engaged, happy, and productive.
Why Employee Satisfaction Surveys Matter
Understanding Employee Needs
Employee satisfaction surveys are among the most effective ways to gather feedback directly from your team. They give employees a safe space to share their thoughts on everything from work-life balance to management styles.
Consider a company struggling with low productivity. After conducting a survey, they might discover that employees feel overwhelmed by their workload. Armed with this feedback, they could redistribute tasks and provide better support. That could lead to a noticeable improvement in both morale and output.
By regularly checking in with employees through surveys, you gain real-time insights. You can see their concerns, frustrations, and motivations. This can help you address issues before they escalate into bigger problems, like high turnover or burnout.
Boosting Retention and Engagement
We all know that engaged employees are more productive, but they’re also more likely to stick around. Employees who feel heard and valued are less likely to look for other jobs. Employee satisfaction surveys show your team that their opinions matter. This alone can boost loyalty and engagement.
For example, through a survey, you discover employees want more opportunities to grow. In response, you could start a mentorship program. This could improve job satisfaction and reduce turnover by as much as 49%.
How Automation Enhances Employee Satisfaction Surveys
Streamlining the Survey Process
Let’s face it: manually creating, distributing, and analyzing employee surveys can be time-consuming. This can be especially taxing for larger organizations.
That’s where automated tools come in handy. These tools help you create and send out surveys, track responses, and analyze results in real time.
With automation, you can distribute surveys at scale. Thus ensuring every employee has a chance to participate. This is particularly helpful if your team is spread across locations or working remotely. Plus, automated surveys often include built-in tools to help you see trends and insights without having to sift through data.
Real-Time Data Collection and Analysis
One of the biggest perks of automated surveys is getting real-time feedback. Instead of waiting weeks or months to gather responses, you can see how your employees feel right away. This allows you to act quickly and prevent issues from becoming larger problems.
A tech company, for example, might use automated surveys during a stressful product launch. The data they get could help them spot dips in morale early on and quickly provide extra support. This could help prevent employee burnout.
Developing an Effective Employee Satisfaction Survey
Crafting the Right Questions
The success of an employee satisfaction survey depends on the questions you ask. While there are many pre-made templates, it’s essential to tailor your survey to the specific needs of your workforce. Some key areas to cover include:
Work-life balance
Leadership and management effectiveness
Job satisfaction and career development
Team dynamics and collaboration
Compensation and benefits
Multiple-choice questions allow for easy analysis. Open-ended questions provide more detailed feedback. Be sure to include both.
Customization and Flexibility
Automation makes it easier to customize your employee satisfaction surveys. You might want surveys based on department, role, or even employee demographics. For example, you might want to ask managers about leadership development opportunities. Asking about training and onboarding experiences would be more appropriate for entry-level employees.
With automated tools, you can quickly adjust survey questions to fit the needs of different groups. That ensures you get relevant, actionable data from everyone in your organization.
Using Survey Insights to Drive Change
Turning Feedback into Action
Once you’ve gathered employee feedback, the next step is to act on it. Automated tools can help you analyze the data, identify trends, and prioritize areas for improvement.
For instance, maybe you notice that multiple employees are unhappy with their work-life balance. You might consider introducing more flexible work schedules or offering additional time off.
Perhaps, on the other hand, employees express frustration with the lack of transparency from leadership. You could start holding regular town hall meetings to provide updates. This improvement could lead to a noticeable boost in employee trust and engagement.
Continuous Feedback Loops
Employee satisfaction isn’t a one-time fix—it requires ongoing attention. That’s why it’s important to set up regular feedback loops. Instead of doing a survey once a year, consider quarterly or pulse surveys on specific topics.
Automated survey tools make it easy to schedule recurring surveys. This helps you stay on top of employee concerns and adjust as needed. That helps you keep your workforce engaged and satisfied over the long term.
Choosing the Right Automated Survey Tool
Integration with Existing HR Systems
When selecting an automated survey tool, look for one that integrates with your existing HR software. This allows you to streamline processes like payroll, performance tracking, and employee development. Seamless integration ensures that all of your workforce data is connected. This gives you a clearer picture of employee satisfaction and engagement across the board.
Key Features to Look For
In addition to integration, there are a few other key features to keep in mind when choosing a survey tool:
Customizability: The ability to tailor surveys for different teams or departments.
Data Security: Protect your employee information. Make sure the tool complies with data privacy regulations.
Reporting and Analytics: Easy-to-understand reports can highlight key trends and insights.
Selecting the right tool can make the survey process smoother and more effective. Ultimately, this will drive better results for your organization.
Key Points
Employee satisfaction surveys are a vital tool for gathering feedback.
Automation streamlines the survey process. This makes it easier to collect and analyze data in real time.
Tailor surveys to different employee groups to gather valuable, actionable feedback.
Use the insights from surveys to drive meaningful changes in your organization.
Schedule regular surveys to keep a pulse on employee satisfaction.
Choose an automated survey tool that integrates with your existing HR systems.
Implement employee satisfaction surveys as part of your HR strategy. You will gain valuable insights into your workforce and create a more engaged, productive, and satisfied team.
Contingent Workforce Management is more than a popular buzzphrase. In today’s fast-paced labor market, it’s becoming more critical for businesses to stay agile. Contingent workforce management helps you do that.
Imagine you’re an HR leader, and your company suddenly lands a massive project. You’re excited but realize your current staff isn’t big enough to handle the workload. What do you do? Without a plan for bringing in temporary or freelance workers, you could face delays and higher costs.
What if you had a plan to seamlessly bring in extra talent as needed? That’s the beauty of contingent workforce management. With a strategy to add workers, you can adjust your workforce size without disrupting your business. This flexibility helps you adapt quickly, which is crucial in today’s ever-changing labor market.
Chicago-based Launchways explores managing a contingent workforce effectively and why it’s so important. Read on!
Why Contingent Workforce Management is Essential
Contingent workforce management is key for companies that want to stay competitive. With the rise of the gig economy, more companies rely on a mix of full-time and contingent workers to meet their needs. This blend offers flexibility. It allows you to bring specialized skills for short-term projects without long-term contracts.
However, managing this diverse workforce presents challenges. For example, some companies depend heavily on freelance designers during busy seasons. Without a solid strategy, they often scramble to find the right talent at the last minute. This can lead to rushed projects, overworked employees, and inconsistent results.
It quickly becomes clear that contingent workforce management was necessary. It can be necessary to meet deadlines and maintain quality.
Aligning Contingent Workforce Management with Business Goals
For contingent workforce management to be effective, it must align with your company’s broader goals. This involves:
Understanding how contingent workers fit into your talent strategy
Ensuring their roles align with the company’s objectives
For instance, your business may focus on innovation. You might need to bring in specialized freelancers to work on short-term projects. Aligning contingent workforce strategies with business goals ensures you bring in the right talent at the right time.
Key Strategies for Effective Contingent Workforce Management
Developing a Contingent Workforce Plan
The first step in managing a contingent workforce is developing a comprehensive plan. It should outline your approach to hiring, managing, and integrating contingent workers. Here’s how to start:
Needs Assessment: Assess your organization’s needs. Identify roles suited for contingent workers. For example, a tech company might need freelance developers to handle coding tasks during product launches.
Budgeting: Establish a budget for contingent workforce expenses. Include compensation, benefits, and any onboarding or training costs. Having a clear budget ensures resources are allocated effectively.
Onboarding Process: Develop a streamlined onboarding process to integrate contingent workers quickly. Consider creating a quick-start guide for new freelancers. Include company values and project management tools. A simple guide can reduce the time it takes for new hires to get up to speed.
Integrating Contingent Workers into Your Culture
Contingent workers aren’t full-time employees. However, integrating them into your company culture ensures they feel valued and engaged. Here are some strategies:
Communication: Ensure contingent workers are included in team meetings. They should have access to the same communication channels as full-time employees. This helps them feel connected and aligned with company goals.
Mentorship and Support: Pair contingent workers with mentors. Team leaders can provide guidance and support. This promotes positive relationships with full-time staff and ensures contingent workers succeed.
Recognition: Recognize and celebrate the contributions of contingent workers. When managing a project, publicly acknowledge the freelance writers who played crucial roles. That simple recognition built loyalty and encouraged high performance.
The Role of Automation in Contingent Workforce Management
Streamlining Processes with Automated Solutions
Managing a contingent workforce manually can be overwhelming. This is especially true when dealing with large numbers of workers or complex projects. Automation can streamline several key processes, such as:
Recruitment and Onboarding: Use automated platforms. These can help you quickly identify, recruit, and onboard contingent workers. AI-driven tools sift through resumes to match candidates with your needs. That speeds up the hiring process.
Compliance Tracking: Compliance with labor laws can be tricky when managing a dispersed workforce. Automated tools track legal requirements, ensuring all contingent workers meet regulations.
Payroll and Compensation: Automated systems handle payroll complexities. These include paying contingent workers and managing pay rates, taxes, and benefits. This minimizes errors and ensures workers are paid on time.
Enhancing Workforce Visibility and Decision-Making
Automation improves workforce visibility and decision-making by:
Tracking Performance: Real-time performance tracking allows for data-driven decisions. For example, a project management tool can help monitor the progress of freelance developers. That can lead to better hiring decisions.
Forecasting Demand: Predictive analytics anticipate future workforce needs. Understanding project timelines and market conditions helps you avoid having too few or too many staff.
Centralizing Data: Have a centralized database of contingent workers. This makes matching the right workers to the right projects easier, increasing efficiency.
Adapting to the Changing Needs of the Workforce
Embracing Flexibility and Agility
Flexibility and agility are key for contingent workforce management in today’s labor market. You need to be able to adapt to project demands, market conditions, and workforce availability. Here’s how:
Flexible Contracts: Offer flexible contracts. They allow you to scale your workforce up or down as needed. For example, a retail company might hire temporary workers on short-term contracts during the holiday season.
Remote Work Options: Offering remote work broadens your talent pool and helps attract top talent.
Leveraging Feedback for Continuous Improvement
Continuous feedback from both contingent and full-time workers is crucial. It helps you refine your strategy. Here’s how:
Surveys and Check-ins: Regularly survey workers to gather feedback on their experience. Then, use this to enhance processes. For instance, an end-of-contract survey provides insights into areas for improvement.
Performance Reviews: Conduct performance reviews for contingent workers. Assess their contributions to guide future hiring.
Conclusion: Key Points
Contingent Workforce Management is essential for maintaining flexibility in a dynamic labor market. Here are the key takeaways:
Develop a Contingent Workforce Plan: Outline your strategy for hiring and managing contingent workers. Keep your workforce responsive to changing needs.
Integrate Workers into Your Culture: Foster communication, mentorship, and recognition.
Leverage Automation: Streamline processes and improve visibility with automated tools.
Embrace Flexibility: Adapt to changing needs with flexible contracts and remote options.
Continuous Improvement: Gather feedback and conduct performance reviews to refine your strategy.
By following these strategies, you can effectively manage your contingent workforce. This ensures your organization remains agile, competitive, and prepared for challenges.
As a business leader you work hard to take care of your employees. When it comes to employee health benefits, it’s important that you stay on top of ever-changing compliance requirements. Failing to do so can be detrimental to your business. Whether you are a growing startup, an established small business, or a scaling medium-sized corporation, in order to stay compliant, you need a systematic approach.
While these regulations are essential for assuring the fair treatment of employees, they can also be dense and intimidating if you have no prior experience navigating them. That’s why we’ve created this resource guide, to offer you a comprehensive look at employee benefits and the compliance requirements that come with them. With this resource, you can feel confident that you are taking care of your employee’s healthcare needs and while fulfilling your business’ legal obligations.
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) is a federal law that sets minimum standards for most voluntarily established retirement and health plans in private industry to provide protection for individuals in these plans.
ERISA – General Guidelines
ERISA imposes a variety of compliance obligations on the sponsors and administrators of group health plans. For example, it establishes strict fiduciary duty standards for individuals that operate and manage employee benefit plans and requires that plans create and follow claims and appeals procedures. ERISA applies to employee welfare benefit plans, including group health plans, unless specifically exempted such as Church and government plans. There are no exceptions for small employers.
ERISA requires plan administrators to provide the following notices/disclosures:
SPD – Plan administrator must automatically provide an SPD to participants within 90 days of becoming covered by the plan. An updated SPD must be provided at least every five years if changes have been made to the information contained in the SPD. Otherwise, an updated SPD must be provided at least every 10 years.
Summary of Material Modifications (SMM) – Plan administrator must provide an SMM automatically to participants within 210 days after the end of the plan year in which the change was adopted. If benefits or services are materially reduced, participants generally must be provided with the SMM within 60 days from adoption.
Plan Documents – The plan administrator must provide copies of plan documents no later than 30 days after a written request.
ERISA – Form 5500 Requirements
Form 5500 is used to ensure that employee benefit plans are operated and managed according to ERISA’s requirements. The filing requirements vary according to the type of ERISA plan. Unless an extension applies, Form 5500 must be filed by the last day of the seventh month following the end of the plan year (that is, July 31 of the following year for calendar year plans.
The Form 5500 requirement applies to plan administrators of ERISA plans unless an exception applies. Small health plans (those with fewer than 100 participants) that are fully-insured, unfunded, or a combination of fully-insured and unfunded, are exempt from the Form 5500 filing requirement.
Affordable Care Act (ACA)
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a federal law that provides numerous rights and protections that make health coverage fairer and easier to understand, along with subsidies to make it more affordable.
ACA – General Guidelines
The ACA makes many changes to health coverage requirements, such as extending coverage for young adults up to age 26, prohibiting rescissions of health coverage (except in cases of fraud or intentional misrepresentation), eliminating pre-existing condition exclusions, prohibiting lifetime and annual dollar limits on essential health benefits, and requiring coverage for preventive care without cost-sharing. These health coverage reforms have staggered effective dates, with many key provisions taking effect for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2014.
The ACA applies to health plans and health insurance issuers, with narrow exceptions for certain types of plans (for example, retiree medical plans) and there are no exceptions for small employers.
ACA requires plan administrators to provide the following notices/disclosures:
Statement of Grandfathered Status – Plan administrator or issuer was required to provide the first statement before the first plan year beginning on or after Sept. 23, 2010. The statement must continue to be provided on a periodic basis with participant materials describing plan benefits. This requirement only applies to grandfathered plans.
Notice of Rescission – Plan administrator or issuer must provide a notice of rescission to affected participants at least 30 days before the rescission occurs.
Notice of Patient Protections and Selection of Providers – Plan administrator or issuer must provide a notice of patient protections/selection of providers whenever the summary plan description (SPD) or similar description of benefits is provided to a participant. These provisions relate to the choice of a health care professional and benefits for emergency services. The first notice should have been provided no later than the first day of the plan year beginning on or after Sept. 23, 2010. This requirement does not apply to grandfathered plans.
Uniform Summary of Benefits and Coverage – Plan administrator or issuer must provide the uniform summary of benefits and coverage (SBC) to participants and beneficiaries at certain times, including upon application for coverage and at renewal. Plan administrators and issuers must also provide a 60-day advance notice of material changes to the summary that take place mid-plan year. Plans and issuers were required to begin providing the SBC to participants and beneficiaries who enroll or re-enroll in plan coverage during an open enrollment period beginning with the first open enrollment period that started on or after Sept. 23, 2012. For participants and beneficiaries who enroll in plan coverage other than through an open enrollment period, the SBC requirement became effective for the first plan year that started on or after Sept. 23, 2012.
ACA – Employer Penalties and Related Reporting
Applicable large employers (those with at least 50 full-time employees, including equivalents) that do not offer health coverage will be subject to a penalty if any of their full-time employees receives a subsidy toward a health plan offered through an Exchange. The monthly penalty will be equal to the number of full-time employees (minus 30), multiplied by 1/12 of $2,000 for any applicable month. Applicable large employers that do offer coverage may be subject to penalties if the coverage is not “affordable” or does not provide “minimum value” and at least one full-time employee obtains a subsidy under an Exchange. The monthly penalty for each full-time employee who receives an Exchange credit will be 1/12 of $3,000 for any applicable month. However, the total penalty for an employer would be limited to the total number of full-time employees (minus 30), multiplied by 1/12 of $2,000 for any applicable month. A special transition rule applies to the penalty calculation for 2015 that allows employers with 100 or more full-time employees (including equivalents) to subtract 80 employees (rather than 30) from their full-time employee count.
The ACA imposes penalties on employers with at least 50 full-time (and full-time equivalent) employees if they do not offer health coverage to their employees or if they offer health coverage to their employees that is not “affordable” or does not provide “minimum value” and certain other requirements are met. Employers that are subject to the employer penalty rules are called “applicable large employers” (or ALEs).
General Notices
HIPAA Privacy and Security
The HIPAA Privacy Rule governs the use and disclosure of an individual’s Protected Health Information (PHI). The HIPAA Security Rule creates standards with respect to the protection of electronic PHI.
The HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules require the following notices/disclosures:
Notice of Privacy Practices – Plans and issuers must provide a Notice of Privacy Practices when a participant enrolls, upon request and within 60 days of a material revision. At least once every three years, participants must be notified about the notice’s availability.
Notice of Breach of Unsecured PHI – Covered entities and their business associates must provide notification following a breach of unsecured PHI without unreasonable delay and in no case later than 60 days following.
CHIPRA
States may offer eligible low-income children and their families a premium assistance subsidy to help pay for employer-sponsored coverage. If an employer’s group health plan covers residents in a state that provides a premium subsidy, the employer must send an annual notice about the available assistance to all employees residing in the state.
CHIPRA requires the following notices/disclosures:
Annual Employer CHIP Notice – A model notice is available from the DOL
Medicare Part D
Employer-sponsored health plans offering prescription drug coverage to individuals who are eligible for coverage under Medicare Part D must comply with requirements on disclosure of creditable coverage and coordination of benefits
Medicare Part D requires the following notices/disclosures:
Disclosure Notices for Creditable or Non-Creditable Coverage – A disclosure notice must be provided to Medicare Part D eligible individuals who are covered by, or apply for, prescription drug coverage under the employer’s health plan. The purpose of the notice is to disclose the status (creditable or non-creditable) of the group health plan’s prescription drug coverage. It must be provided at certain times, including before the Medicare Part D Annual Coordinated Election Period (October 15 through December 7 of each year).
Disclosure to CMS – On an annual basis (within 60 days after the beginning of the plan year) and upon any change that affects the plan’s creditable coverage status, employers must disclose to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) whether the plan’s coverage is creditable.
Michelle’s Law
Michelle’s law ensures that dependent students who take a medically necessary leave of absence do not lose health insurance coverage. (Note: The health care reform law expanded coverage requirements for dependents by requiring plans to provide coverage up to age 26, regardless of student status.)
Plan administrators and issuers must include a Notice of Michelle’s Law with any notice regarding a requirement for certification of student status.
NMHPA
Under the Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection Act (NMHPA), group health plans may not restrict mothers’ and newborns’ benefits for hospital stays to less than 48 hours following a vaginal delivery and 96 hours following a delivery by cesarean section.
The plan’s SPD must include a statement describing the NMHPA’s protections for mothers and newborns.
WHCRA
The Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA) requires health plans that provide medical and surgical benefits for a mastectomy to also cover: (1) all stages of reconstruction of the breast on which a mastectomy has been performed; (2) surgery and reconstruction of the other breast to produce a symmetrical appearance; and (3) prostheses and physical complications of mastectomy, including lymphedemas.
Plans must provide a notice describing rights under WHCRA upon enrollment and on an annual basis after enrollment.
Your Benefits Compliance Checklist:
ERISA – General Guidelines
ERISA – Form 5500 Requirements
ACA – General Guidelines
ACA – Employer Penalties and Related Reporting
HIPAA Privacy and Security
CHIPRA
Medicare Part D
Michelle’s Law
Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection Act (NMHPA)
Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA)
Conclusion
There’s a lot to know when it comes to employee benefits compliance. At Launchways, we understand and are here to help as your benefits experts. We have the expertise to ensure that your benefits compliance needs are taken care of, so you can have the peace of mind your business is always in compliance. No matter the size of your business, if you offer your employees any form of health insurance benefits, you must feel confident that you are compliant in your offerings. Talk to a Launchways team member today about our benefits administration solution.
Interested in more information on benefits compliance?
Get The Complete Benefits Compliance Overview!
This guide includes:
How to determine your plan year
Full calendar-style checklist of every compliance deadline your business must meet
In-depth details on how to fulfill each compliance requirement
