As Marketplace health plan premiums rise and subsidies shift, employers are seeing more requests from employees (and their spouses) to drop Marketplace coverage and enroll in an employer-sponsored health plan mid-year. While this may feel straightforward, Marketplace rules and employer plan rules do not always work the same way.
In our January issue, we outlined the major compliance themes shaping 2026. This month, we build on that foundation with a deeper look at the annual updates, effective dates, and action steps employers need as the new year begins.
Over the past two months, several major surveys — including the 2025 SHRM Employee Benefits Survey, the ADP TotalSource Employee Benefits Survey, and the 2025 National Benefits Survey — have painted a clear picture: employees are demanding more meaningful, more personalized, and more supportive benefits than ever before. Employers, facing a tight labor market and rising competition for talent, are responding by reshaping their benefits strategies around five core themes.
Health benefit costs are projected to rise nearly 9% in 2026, putting significant pressure on employers to balance affordability with employee satisfaction. Against this backdrop, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a transformative tool in the benefits space.
Whether you’re building a new home addition, adding a feature like a swimming pool, redoing a bathroom or upgrading an electrical system, understanding and addressing possible renovation risks is critical.
Your property schedule is one of the most important—and often overlooked—documents in your insurance program. While it may look like a simple list of buildings, values, and locations, this schedule plays a critical role in how your coverage responds when a loss occurs.
Running a business comes with significant risk. Everyday interactions, such as serving customers, visiting clients or running marketing campaigns, can expose businesses to potential liability. A customer could slip on a wet floor, a contractor could accidentally damage a client’s property, or a marketing campaign could unintentionally harm the reputation of a competitor. Just one single liability incident can trigger an expensive lawsuit and have far-reaching consequences. Beyond potential settlement costs, legal defense costs—even if claims are found to be baseless—can quickly escalate into tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Furthermore, litigation can disrupt operations and undermine customer and stakeholder trust.
Forklifts play an important role in moving materials safely and efficiently in many workplaces. However, even a simple task like getting on or off a forklift can lead to serious injuries if not done correctly.
As 2025 closes, several pressing compliance issues will shape your responsibilities in 2026. Updated PCORI fees, Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting obligations, state-level mandates, and new federal requirements such as gag clause attestations are all on the horizon.
School construction and renovation projects are essential for maintaining safe, functional, and modern learning environments. Whether a district is expanding due to enrollment growth, upgrading aging facilities, or making safety improvements, construction activity introduces a level of risk that goes well beyond the worksite itself. When projects occur on active campuses, those risks extend to students, staff, contractors, and district operations.
