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Compensation & Benefits

New year brings new employment laws

11/24/2025
It’s that time of year—2025 will soon appear in the rearview mirror, and when the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, new state laws will go into effect. Here’s a summary of some of those laws that may impact your operations.

Health-care costs continue upward climb

11/24/2025
The 2026 Global Medical Trends survey from WTW, a risk and people advisory firm, shows little relief ahead for employer-sponsored health care in the U.S.

Meaningful ways to support remote workers’ wellness without micromanaging

11/24/2025
When remote teams log off for the day, their wellness still deserves intentional support—without drifting into oversight that feels intrusive. Successful HR leaders create environments where empathy, structure and autonomy work together. The following strategies show how to strengthen remote-worker wellness while avoiding the traps of micromanagement.

Don’t let FMLA leave requirements dampen the holiday spirit

11/19/2025
Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 fall on Thursdays this holiday season. Thursday holidays usually pressure employers into giving the following Friday off. After all, no employer wants to play the Grinch this holiday season. Thursday holidays, however, don’t eliminate all of the FMLA leave considerations you must address.

Weight-loss drug price cuts may reshape employer health-care costs

11/17/2025
The Trump administration’s newly announced deals with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk could mark a turning point in the battle over surging drug prices—particularly for employers struggling with skyrocketing costs tied to obesity and related conditions.

NYC joins cities expanding paid and unpaid leave

11/17/2025
Continuing a recent trend among cities and states, the New York City Council amended its Earned Safe and Sick Time Act in late October to provide workers with new time-off benefits. This includes 32 hours of unpaid safe and sick time for eligible employees for an expanded number of reasons.

New York raises unemployment insurance benefits more than 70 percent

11/03/2025
Earlier this month, New York state raised the maximum weekly unemployment insurance benefit by nearly 73%, from $504 to $869 per week. Twenty-seven percent of claimants will now receive the new maximum, while another 28% will see an increase in their weekly payments.

Family coverage costs climb as small firms feel the squeeze

11/03/2025
Health coverage is growing costlier for employers and workers alike—and for small businesses, the gap keeps widening.

Is it time to mandate time off before year end?

11/03/2025
Stressed-out employees may need time off to relax and return to work refreshed and more productive. But if supervisors send the message that taking a break isn’t appreciated, job insecurity will rise.

White House and DOL outline fertility benefit options

10/27/2025
Action from the Department of Labor, the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Health and Human Services is designed to make it easier for employers to provide infertile employees with fertility coverage outside their regular health insurance coverage.