Study: Employees in the Dark About Their Healthcare Plans

Employco USA

Group employment expert explains new study and how it costs employers big-time

Insurance ConfusionA recent study found that 25 percent of employees do not understand the basics of their healthcare plan, while 32 percent are further confused by their plan’s additional benefits. And, 67 percent say that they are given little to no advanced preparation when it comes to choosing new plans.

“These findings line up with what I have heard from many of my prospects, especially in recent months,” says Rob Wilson, group health employment expert and President of Employco USA. “With President Trump’s new alterations to the Affordable Care Act, many people are confused about their coverage and their requirements for coverage. For example, some people think that President Trump removed the penalty for Americans who do not have insurance, however, this relief actually does not come into effect until 2019, so people can still face financial punishment if they are not covered.”

Wilson says that employees are not the only ones who suffer when they are in the dark about healthcare coverage. “Employers will suffer as well if their employees make uninformed healthcare decisions,” says Wilson. “This includes employees who choose the wrong healthcare plan, employees who neglect to appropriately use their benefits, employees who erroneously have adult children on their healthcare plan, etc.”

For the group employment expert, education is one of the most important steps when it comes to making sure that a company’s healthcare costs are as trimmed and streamlined as possible.

“It’s important to have representatives from your chosen health insurance provider come to your office on a regular basis in order to talk to new employees as well as refresh the minds of older employees, especially as so many changes are afoot in this industry,” says Wilson. “I would also advise employers to regularly send out emails with information about their plans, but more importantly, also snail mail. An informative packet in the mail which an employee can hold in their hands and share with their family to help discuss options and compare benefits will be invaluable.”

For more on this topic, please contact Rob Wilson at rwilson@thewilsoncompanies.com.

The Military Money Movement Podcast

Employco USA

Rob was recently a guest on the MilMoney Movement Podcast, covering: “What You Need to Know About Lunch Break Laws and Unfair Bosses.”

“In today’s episode 13 of the MilMoney Movement Podcast, Lacey Langford and Hank Coleman are talking with Rob Wilson, the president of The Wilson Companies and a human resources guru. Wilson Companies is a human resource outsourcing company that helps businesses that do not have an HR department. Rob shares with us a topic that happens to many in the military community, but it’s not talked about a lot, lunchtime judgment. Do you feel like your boss doesn’t think you work as hard if you take lunch? Or, are you a boss that bases your impression of an employee’s work ethic on their lunchtime habits…”

Read more and follow the link to listen below:

MilMoney Podcast

Employco USA Hires an HR Coordinator

Employco USA

A human resource and employment solutions firm, Employco USA is pleased to announce the growing expansion of its staff.

Employco’s newest team member:

Rebecca CejaRebecca Ceja, HR Coordinator – a large portion of her responsibilities include providing 2 days of onsite human resources support for one of Employco’s clients at their headquarters in Itasca, Illinois. The other 3 days per week will be at Employco’s office in Westmont, Illinois, providing offsite support as well as HR responsibilities for several other Employco clients.

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” -Steve Jobs, “I loved the first impression of Employco’s culture and with being dedicated to helping others with their HR needs, it is safe to say I found my dream job.” -Rebecca Ceja

For more on this topic, please contact Rob Wilson at rwilson@thewilsoncompanies.com.

Why Blue Cross is Slashing the Cost of Premiums Across the United States

Employco USA

Group employment expert explains what employers and employees need to know about the future pricing of the group health plan

Slashing PremiumsBlue Cross Blue Shield is proposing premium cuts in many states across America for 2019, with some states seeing as much as a 5% decrease or more. However, there could be more to this story than meets the eye.

“Blue Cross is cutting prices now because they over-estimated how much they needed to hike their premiums last year,” explains Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and group employment expert. “They set the rates too high, which is understandable as there was so much uncertainty over the fate of the Affordable Care Act and how President Trump would alter Obamacare. But, now that we have a clearer picture of the fate of the Affordable Care Act, Blue Cross can go back to rectify their initial over-estimation.”

Wilson says that, regardless of the cause, a decrease in premiums is nearly unheard of, and a hopeful sign of things to come.

“Blue Cross has not reduced the cost of their premiums in years,” says Wilson. “For example, in Illinois, my home state, premiums have been going up every year, in some cases even jumping up by 17 percent such as in 2015. So, for people of Illinois to finally see price decreases is simply unprecedented.”

Wilson says even the states in which Blue Cross Blue Shield is proposing premium increases don’t have to fear. “Not every state is going to see a decrease in Blue Cross Blue Shield premiums in 2019, and some may even see an increase, but this increase will be very slight.”

For more on this topic, please contact Rob Wilson at rwilson@thewilsoncompanies.com.

What Employers Need to Know About Fall Internships

Employco USA

H.R. expert explains how companies should approach hiring student interns

With fall approaching and school commencing, many college students will be considering a fall internship. However, companies who are considering hiring student interns need to be careful about how they proceed with this arrangement.

Internships“Interns can no longer be used as free labor,” says Rob Wilson, human resources expert and President of Employco USA, an employment solutions firm. “It is crucial that the intern can be shown to benefit as much from the arrangement as the company itself.”

Wilson explains that companies who are considering interns should consider not only how these workers would benefit them, but how the experience itself can benefit the intern. “Students will need to be able to prove that their time with your firm is educational and applicable to their chosen major,” says the H.R. expert.

Furthermore, says Wilson, companies will need to budget for these interns.

“The days of free internships are pretty much over,” says Wilson. “There is a very thin margin of internships where it is still okay for a worker to receive no financial compensation, but we advise all of our clients to pay their interns. It’s a good business practice and one that will be beneficial for you in the long run.”

Wilson also says that hiring interns will bring a fresh perspective and a new outlook to companies.

“When you bring the next generation into your workplace, you are going to enjoy the benefit of their unique outlook and fresh take on issues in your industry,” says Wilson. “Student interns should be a win-win for both you and them, provided you take the needed steps to make sure the program is run effectively and managed well.”

For more on this topic, you can listen to Employco USA’s HR Podcast entitled, “Company Internship Programs.”

Internship Programs

Contact us with any questions you may have, we’re here to help: hr@employco.com

Podcast: Company Internship Programs

Employco USA

Rob, Scott, and Jason discuss company internship programs along with special guests Griffen and Pat – who both just completed their own internships over the summer. They touch on the do’s and don’ts, along with: goals, valuable feedback, and the significant benefits involved for both the intern as well as the employer.

Internship Programs

Contact us with any questions you may have, we’re here to help: hr@employco.com

Jim Fannin Show: Create a Winning Corporate Culture

Employco USA

Rob was recently a guest on Jim Fannin’s weekly podcast, The Jim Fannin Show:

“In this Jim Fannin Show episode, Rob Wilson of Employco USA shares his insight and experience of creating and fostering a winning corporate culture. Rob and I discuss decisive plans of action to help you win at work in hiring, onboarding, benefits, performance reviews and yes, even firing. Each of these processes contributes to the collection of corporate thoughts that govern the overall culture and success of your organization.”

Read more and follow the link to listen below:

Jim Fannin

Study Reveals Why Some Salaries Should Be Secret…but Some Shouldn’t

Employco USA

H.R. expert explains new research and how employers should apply it to their workplace

SalariesA new study has found something interesting: When employees know how much their boss makes, they work harder as a result. But, other evidence has shown that when employees know how much their colleagues make…they work less hard.

What can explain this difference? And, what does it mean for employers?

“Salary transparency is a complicated issue,” says human resources expert Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA, a employment-solutions firm with locations across the country. “The truth is that there won’t be a one-size-fits-all approach that works for every company, but there are a few basic things that every employer should know.”

First, Wilson says that as this study shows, employees actually like to know that their boss is doing well financially. “If the top tier people are struggling financially, that can make employees insecure and unmotivated,” says Wilson. “Employees want to feel like they are being led by someone who is doing well for himself or herself. This is both aspirational and comforting, as they know that the company is in good hands and has a solid future.”

However, Wilson says that salary transparency among coworkers can become problematic.

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How Employers Can Keep Healthcare Costs Down

Employco USA

Group healthcare expert reveals how employers can save big on healthcare plans in 2019

Healthcare CostsAccording to the most recent data, premium healthcare plans for individuals in 2019 will increase by 15 percent in many states across America. As the Affordable Care Act continues to be in flux, employers are very concerned about how they can help keep healthcare costs down.

With insurance renewals approaching later this year, Rob Wilson, human resources expert and President of Employco USA, offers some tips that can help employers save on healthcare costs while also keeping employees happy and healthy:

  • Move to consumer-directed health plans. “Instead of traditional PPOs, high deductible health plans might be a smarter choice for you. With these plans, employees pay for preventive care visits, which in turn teaches them to watch prices and become better spenders. It empowers employees and gives them more ownership over their own health choices and costs.”
  • Consider surcharges for smokers. “Now, with HIPAA and the ADA, there are some concerns regarding employers regulating an employees’ decision to smoke or not to smoke. However, what you can do is encourage smokers to attend smoking cessation classes. If smokers attend these groups, you can offer them the premium discount even if they are not able to stop smoking.”
  • Implement spousal surcharges. “Many companies are now charging their employees a spousal surcharge. With this cost-saving measure, employees will have to indicate if their spouse has access to healthcare at their job. If they do have access to healthcare elsewhere, but your employee still wants them to be on your plan, they might have to pay a small amount of more than employees who aren’t making this same choice.”
  • Shift the claim cost to employees. “Some employers are reducing costs by shifting the claim for cost to employees,” says Wilson. “For example, instead of offering a PPO with a $30 dollar co-pay, you might shift that to $40 or $45 employees.”
  • Encourage virtual office visits. “e-Medicine is becoming a growing trend, and for good reason. It can help keep costs down while helping to decrease the amount of time doctor’s visits can take. It’s a win-win for employers: Your employees are able to see their doctor and get back to work in less time and with less cost.”
  • Shift part of the premium cost to employees. “For example, instead of playing 75 percent of the premium, in 2019, you might ask your employees to pay 73 percent. It is a small but meaningful reduction, and one that will not to be too costly for your workers,” says Wilson.
  • Encourage health initiatives. “Workplace wellness programs aren’t just going to reduce your overall health costs, they are going to ensure that your employees are healthy, happy and productive. So, whether you want to have an on-site fitness center, or hand out Fit bits or incentivize healthy eating and fitness programs, anything you can do to get your employees moving and eating more mindfully will have massive paybacks for you.”
  • Make sure employees know their benefits. “It is common for many employers and insurance providers to send out information about the employees’ health plans via email, but people’s inboxes are so packed with junk that they might not open these messages,” says Wilson. “It might be a smart idea to rely on snail-mail when it comes to keeping employees informed and on top of their health care spending. To this end, on a quarterly or bi-annual basis, you might want to send out packet with tips and package benefits to employees’ home address, or leave it on their desk.”

For more on this topic, please contact Rob Wilson at rwilson@thewilsoncompanies.com.

Companies Commit to Hire Workers with Autism, but is the Workplace Autism-Friendly?

Employco USA

Employment expert explains what adaptations employers should make for employees with autism

Companies like SAP and Microsoft have recently made a committed effort to start hiring employees who fall on the autism spectrum. This is timely, as more people than ever are being diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Although varying in degree, individuals with ASD can require several modifications to the workplace. However, 80 percent of people with autism struggle to find employment, likely because employers are not well-versed in this condition and how to manage it in the workplace.

DeskRob Wilson, President of Employco USA says, “It’s important to become educated about these conditions and to realize that some people genuinely do need to have modifications made to their workplaces to be successful at their duties. Just as we do not hesitate to make handicap-accessible restrooms, we should similarly be willing to work with those who have developmental disorders.”

Wilson says that hiring staff with ASD can be incredibly beneficial for your company. “Experts theorize that if great thinkers like Einstein and Newton were alive today, they would be diagnosed with ASD.  No wonder corporations like Microsoft and Walgreens are going out of their way to seek job candidates with autism. These firms realize that autism has amazingly powerful advantages: People with autism tend to be highly intelligent and highly focused workers, along with loyal employees,” he says.

Here, Wilson outlines steps that companies should take to make their workplaces ASD-friendly:

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