What’s considered a disability? 10 causes every HR leader should know

When most people consider disability, they picture something catastrophic happening—an injury on the ski slope, or a speeding car hurtling into theirs—and, for the most part assume it can never happen to them. That’s why human resources experts often find it challenging to convince their employees of the importance of disability insurance even though you…

Paid and Unpaid Leave: What You Need to Know (And How You Can Be Protected Without It)

Benefit packages can be confusing to understand, and – it’s sad but true – many times are forgotten the minute the onboarding paperwork is signed. Unfortunately that leaves many employees not fully understanding their benefits package, and one area of frequent confusion is what their “paid” and “unpaid” leave options are. Not being clear on what you can…

Working from Home Unexpectedly? Tips to Help You Thrive in Today’s Unusual Circumstances

Who can work in a time like this, you may ask. Anxiety levels are through the roof; kids might be underfoot; and every day brings new, often unsettling information to process. While most workplaces are understanding of the stress employees are feeling, the good news for people who have jobs where they can work from…

Seven Ways Employers Can Create Flexible Work Options

Competition for Talent Informs Trend in Flexibility as Benefit Option HR departments know all too well the fierce competition for top talent being waged today. And as you develop appealing compensation offers and benefits packages, there is one peak benefit that employees are clamoring for—and that’s flexibility. If you are still clinging to a fixed work…

Are You Prepared to Live Income Free? A Young Cancer Patient’s Hindsight Advice

Say what you will about social media. It can be a highlight reel that evokes thoughts of “how is she possibly in Bora Bora again” or “does he ever work?” It can also reconnect you with people you haven’t seen in a decade, without even stepping foot in the same room as them. I hadn’t…

Let’s Not Overlook the Income Protection and Financial Wellness Needs of Low-and Moderate-Income Households

Is income-protection a “luxury good” like designer clothing, fine wine, or—dare I go there?—a Peloton? A look at Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Employee Benefits Survey data on availability of employer-paid short- and long-term disability insurance benefits suggests you wouldn’t be totally off-base if you answered “yes” to that question.   For both STD and…

Emerging 2020 Leave Trends: What You Should Know*

By Peter Fabiankovic, Corporate Counsel, U.S. Insurance Law, MetLife   Workplace leave and absence management is top-of-mind for employers and employees, as it provides an important element of financial stability. Several studies bear this out, including MetLife’s 17th annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study, where more than 90 percent of employees said short-term disability insurance…