Look Backward to Plan Forward | Fort Worth Benefits Agency

We have entered Open Enrollment season and that means you and everyone in your office are probably reading through enrollment guides and trying to decipher it all. As you begin your research into which plan to choose or even how much to contribute to your Health Savings Account (HSA), consider evaluating how you used your … Continued

Healthcare Tax Repeal | Texas Employee Benefits Firm

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

Ask the Experts: Overtime Pay Calculations with Nondiscretionary Bonuses | Fort Worth Benefits Firm

Question: How do we handle overtime pay calculations for hourly employees when they receive nondiscretionary bonuses? Answer: A nondiscretionary bonus is a bonus based on an employee meeting criteria such as production, sales, quality, efficiency, or other performance standards. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires that overtime pay be calculated based on an hourly employee’s … Continued

Do You Have Mixed Emotions about Open Enrollment? | Texas Benefits

It’s typical to have mixed feelings about the annual benefits open enrollment period. Dread for the additional administrative workload and potential benefits cost increases… Anticipation of newer, more attractive, and easier to administer plans… It makes for a fall season that causes many HR professionals and benefits brokers to drown their misery in pumpkin spice lattes. … Continued

Healthcare Tax Repeal | Texas Employee Benefit Firm

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

New Federal Contract Compliance Directives | Fort Worth Employee Benefits

On August 24, 2018, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) announced the following three directives: Guidance for Contractor Compensation Practices: Directive 2018-05 clarifies the OFCCP’s approach to conducting compensation evaluations, supports compliance and compensation self-analyses by contractors, and improves compensation analysis consistency and efficiency during compliance evaluations. Contractor Recognition Programs: Directive … Continued

SCOTUS 2018 Roundup and 2019 Preview | TX Employee Benefits

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) heard several cases with employment implications during their 2018 session, including the following four cases we covered in detail. (Click the case names to read the full articles.) Encino Motorcars, LLC v. Navarro: Encino shifted the burden of proof in Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime exemption … Continued

3 Memos and 3 Categories | Texas Employee Benefits

NLRB Provides Insight on How it Will Address Employer Policies On July 13, 2018, the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or Board) released three advice memos providing guidance to employers about how the NLRB will evaluate handbook policies and work rules under the new Boeing standard established in December 2017. These … Continued

Federal Employment Law Update – August 2018 | TX Benefits Firm

FMLA Forms Expiration Date Extended The Department of Labor’s model Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) notices and certification forms were originally due to expire on May 31, 2018, but were extended twice, and now expire on August 31, 2018. Once approved by the Federal Office of Management and Budget, the new FMLA forms will be valid … Continued

Wearable Technology | Texas Employee Benefit Advisors

Don’t lie–we ALL love gadgets. From the obscure (but hilariously reviewed on Amazon) Hutzler 571 Banana Slicer to the latest iteration of the Apple empire. Gadgets and technology can make our lives easier, make processes faster, and even help us get healthier. Businesses are now using the popularity of wearable technology to encourage employee wellness … Continued