Over the years I’ve worked with a range of companies in various industries and I’ve found that managing the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a common challenge. The FMLA provision was implemented in 1993 as a means to allow eligible employees to have job protection while taking care of medical needs for themselves or eligible family members. The concept of FMLA was great, in the sense that employees could take off the time they needed to get well, return to work, and not worry about being fired or terminated while out. However, over time, there have been lots of concerns regarding loopholes that are being taken advantage of by employees.

There are many different types of insurance plans in existence today. Most employers are more familiar with a POS, a PPO, an HMO and HRA. HSAs however, are increasing in popularity as we move towards a culture of consumer driven health care. The type of plan with the most growth since inception and still the most confusing to use is the HSA plan.

While many organizations face financial cutbacks and a reduction in workforce, the staff that remains in place is being asked to do tasks that are not only outside of their job scope, but often times outside of their comfort zone. Add to that, the summer months are now exiting and Fall is making an entrance, along with its shorter days and longer nights, and the feeling that there are not enough hours in the day is a sentiment that is being expressed by many. Therefore, being asked to squeeze in just one more thing, is enough to drive some off the deep end. So, when flyers are posted and emails are sent out asking for volunteers for charitable causes, undoubtedly some ask out loud: “Who has time for that?” While others ask: “Where can I sign up?” Ask yourself, which one are YOU?

As the overall economy continues to improve, employers are looking for additional methods to reduce costs while also finding ways to add value to the organization. As an HR Business Partner who works with various clients across multiple industries, I find many organizations do not have an employee benefit strategy. Instead, organizations tend to review and modify their existing benefit plan designs or employee contributions and call it a day. This is only a short term fix to a long term issue.

Are you concerned about your employees' physical and mental health? Of course you are! Have you created a wellness program? Maybe not quite yet. I know, starting a new program can be challenging and seem like a lot of work initially. There's the chance that the program can fizzle if you don't stick to it, you may not have buy-in, and more importantly where on earth do you find the time to get started? But I'm here to help you on this one, so let's talk about it...