Employee Engagement in a Post-COVID Workplace | Chicago Benefits Team

“When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” – Simon Sinek The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us many things. First, it has taught us that empathy and kindness goes a long way. We’ve learned that as individuals, communities, and as a nation, that we can do … Continued

Be the Boss You Want to See in the World | Chicago Employee Benefits Advisors

An article in the Harvard Business Review suggests that the traits that make someone become a leader aren’t always the ones that make someone an effective leader. Instead, efficacy can be traced to ethicality. Here are a few tips to be an ethical leader. Humility tops charismaA little charisma goes a long way. Too much … Continued

Are You Ready for Election Day? | Chicago Benefit Advisors

Election Day is next Tuesday, November 6. Do you know what provisions, if any, you must make to accommodate your employees’ rights to vote? Time off for voting is not a federal requirement; however, 30 states have voting leave laws impacting the workplace. These state laws vary significantly. Not all leave is required to be … Continued

Making a Remote Team Work | Chicago Benefits Advisors

In a tight labor market, a candidate’s potential commute can make a job more or less attractive. HumanResources reports that a quarter of employees surveyed had left a job because of the commute. When looking at just Millennials, the number jumps to one third. Employees can be choosy, selecting a job that offers more of … Continued

Looking Backward to Plan Forward | Chicago Insurance Agency

As you look through enrollment options for 2019, remember to look back on 2018. Check out your spending on procedures and prescriptions, and which providers are in your network.

Easy-to-Use Tax Withholding Calculator | Chicago Benefits

Employers, have you reminded your employees to check that they are having the right amount of tax withheld from their paychecks? It’s a good idea for everyone to check their payroll withholding every year, but it is particularly important this year due to the big changes Congress made to the federal tax rules for 2018. … Continued

Ask the Experts: Service Dogs and the ADA | Chicago Employee Benefits

Question: We have a new employee in our call center who has a service dog. She came to her interview and trained without the dog, but is now asking if she can bring her dog to work. Do we have to accommodate her request? Answer: The first step will be to determine whether the dog … Continued

Final Rule on Short-Term Limited-Duration Insurance | Chicago

On August 1, 2018, the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of Labor (collectively, the Departments) released a final rule that amends the definition of short-term, limited-duration insurance. HHS also released a fact sheet on the final rule. According to the Departments, the final rule will provide … Continued

Affordable Care Act Update | Chicago Benefit Advisors

Recently, the President signed a bill repealing the Affordable Care Act’s Individual Mandate (the tax penalty imposed on individuals who are not enrolled in health insurance). While some are praising this action, there are others who are concerned with its aftermath. So how does this affect you and why should you pay attention to this … Continued

Solving Problems – While Increasing Employee Satisfaction | Chicago Benefits Advisors

“Design thinking” is a fairly common term. Even if the phrase is new to you, it’s reasonably easy to intuit how it works: design thinking is a process for creative problem solving, utilizing creative tools like empathy and experimentation, often with a strong visual component. The term dates from 1968 and was first used in … Continued