Is your benefits committee up to par? Here’s how to be sure

Mindy Zatto, FSA, EA, FCA, CPPT and Robin Powell Thought Leadership

To defend themselves against ERISA violations, plan sponsors need to understand their fiduciary obligations. As the parties generally responsible for plan oversight, benefits committees play a central role in minimizing compliance risk.

Governance basics every plan sponsor should know

Mindy Zatto, FSA, EA, FCA, MAAA, MSPPA and Leslie Olds, FSA, EA, FCA, MAAA Thought Leadership

How do plan sponsors operate and administer employee benefit plans in a manner that is both effective and compliant with applicable regulatory and fiduciary obligations?

Why you should encourage ‘mini’ retirement plan audits

Robin Powell Thought Leadership

“Audit” is practically a four-letter word for plan sponsors, advisers and administrators. But an audit doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

What happens when you squeeze a vendor too tight

Andy Adams and Jay Schmitt, ASA Thought Leadership

When a plan sponsor (or search specialist working on the plan sponsor’s behalf) squeezes a vendor too tight, the resulting contract may come with an attractive price tag, but it will set plan sponsors up for a downstream nightmare of quality and service issues that negatively impact both plans and their participants.

(Webinar) Financial wellbeing: practical considerations and insights for employers

Jay Schmitt, ASA Thought Leadership

Program length: 60 minutes Register and view now (available through March 2021) Interest in financial wellbeing programs hit a fever pitch after the pandemic-related events of 2020 exposed weaknesses in employees’ preparation and readiness for volatile economic circumstances. Industry research confirms that financial wellbeing has become a topic of considerable interest to employees and a top priority for many organizations. Evaluating potential …

Now is the time for employers to educate themselves on how AI can benefit HR

Jay Schmitt, ASA Thought Leadership

Employers are increasingly exploring artificial intelligence as a means of solving their HR challenges. But a host of challenges — from a general lack of consensus about what “AI” even means to systems integrations issues — have slowed industry adoption. Now is a good time for employers to educate themselves on what AI means and how it can benefit the HR function.

Pandemic sharpens focus on employee financial wellness

Leslie Olds, FSA, EA, FCA, MAAA Thought Leadership

COVID-19 has made financial wellness a hot topic in 2020 as employees seek to become more financially resilient. Here are some initial steps plan sponsors can take to gauge how well employees are using their existing benefits and determine whether additional financial wellness benefits are called for.

‘Free’ plan implementation can come with big costs

Andy Adams Thought Leadership

“Free implementation” has become a ubiquitous element of benefit plan administration proposals. The appeal to plan sponsors is understandable, but rest assured, with free implementation, you get what you pay for. Understanding the true cost of implementation will help plan sponsors evaluate potential benefit administrators and initiate the implementation process with eyes wide open and a more realistic budget.