Dear Valued Clients and Associates,
Back to School is finally here so how about a little math problem for you all….
Did you know the average group health insurance broker commission is around 4% of your annual premium? That means, on a $500k plan, the broker receives around $20,000 in commission. What is your broker doing to earn their commission?
PF Compass offers free claims adjudication for you and your employees. We also provide free COBRA and HRA administration. Looking for Bene Admin technology? We provide it for FREE, along with HR tools. Let us earn your loyalty, give me a call today!
Don’t forget, we are offering 3 free hours of HR Consulting/ DOL Audit for all NEW clients joining PF Compass (new plan, renewal or off renewal BOR) from 10/1/18-1/31/19. To receive this offer you must click the Contact Us Now button at the bottom of this page or call me at 732-258-1032.
Here is your October 2018 Newsletter with a combination of HR and Health related news. I hope you enjoy!
Introducing A Wellness Program In To The Workplace
Medical claims have a direct effect on the cost of healthcare. Wellness can be an effective business strategy and, more importantly, benefit your employees. Visit our PF Compass Blog to read more on Wellness from Maggie Johnson.
Medicare Part D Notices Due Before Oct. 15
Each year, Medicare Part D requires group health plan sponsors to disclose to individuals who are eligible for Medicare Part D and to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) whether the health plan’s prescription drug coverage is creditable. Plan sponsors must provide the annual disclosure notice to Medicare-eligible individuals before October 15—the start date of the annual enrollment period for Medicare Part D. CMS has provided model disclosure notices for employers to use.
Employers should confirm whether their health plans’ prescription drug coverage is creditable or non-creditable and prepare to send their Medicare Part D disclosure notices before October 15. To make the process easier, employers often include Medicare Part D notices in open enrollment packets they send out prior to October 15.
New York City Mandates “Cooperative Dialogue” Starting October 15
New York City employers with four or more employees will soon be required to engage in and document a “cooperative dialogue” with a person who may be entitled to a workplace accommodation. To learn more click here.
Open Enrollment is Around the Corner
Each year, once the dust of open enrollment settles, employers always ask, “What could we have done better?” The usual answer: employee communication.
HR is in a unique position to talk about open enrollment because of their relation to employees and their extensive benefits knowledge. With this in mind, consider having HR distribute open enrollment communication through a multichannel approach. Reminder emails, text blasts, short explanatory videos, and posters in the break room are all great methods for reaching employees. Offering meaningful resources and reminders can boost employee engagement and retention, and improve workers’ long-term health and wellness.
Speak with PF Compass to learn more about your communication options.
New Jersey Paid Sick Leave Effective Oct 29
New Jersey has now become the tenth state to enact a statewide mandatory paid sick leave law effective Oct 29. Once effective, it will require New Jersey employers of all sizes to provide up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year to covered employees. To learn more, click here.
Workplace Bullying: More Common Than You’d Think
National Bullying Prevention Month is recognized every October. What many people don’t realize is that workplace bullying affects more than 35 percent of adult Americans.
What is Workplace Bullying?
Generally, workplace bullying is defined as the use of intimidation through power, influence, tone, or language to affect a person negatively. Often, bullying is intentional, but sometimes the bully is not aware of their hurtful actions or words. Workplace bullying affects safety, productivity, trust, and the workplace culture.
What is Workplace Bullying?
Some common signs of workplace bullying include:
- Ignoring, isolating, or excluding an employee
- Reprimanding or humiliating an employee publicly
- Name-calling or insulting an employee
New York State Mandates Anti-Harassment Policy & Training Starting Oct 9
Starting Oct. 9, employers in New York are required to adopt a sexual harassment prevention policy and conduct annual training. To learn more click here.
Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Despite decades of attention in the media and courts, sexual harassment remains a significant and costly problem in today’s business environment. Learn how to prevent sexual harassment in your workplace by watching the video below.
I am constantly looking for ways to improve this newsletter, comments and suggestions are welcome. Thank you!
All the best to your success,
Brandi Bowers | Benefits Consultant
PF Compass Employer Guidance & Benefit Solutions
461 Somerset St. North Plainfield NJ 07060
Tel (732) 258-1032
Source Credits: HR 360, Inc., www.ny.gov, SHRM.org
