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5 Tips to Beat the Heat | Maryland Employee Benefits

There’s no denying that summer has arrived. In fact, the news has been abuzz with Alaska’s heat wave in July that sent temperatures soaring between 20 and 30 degrees above average. When you are caught in the middle of a heat wave, it may seem like there’s nothing you can do to keep cool. But, … Continued

Top 5 Learning Metrics to Watch | MD Benefits Team

How much job training equates to time wasted:  About 20%, according to one LinkedIn study.  That’s the percentage of learners who never apply their training to their job.  That same study says 67% of learners apply the lessons learned, but in the end, revert to previous habits.  Another study found 45% of training content is … Continued

Volunteering Time Off | Maryland Benefits Consultants

Volunteering Time Off, or VTO, has become a buzz topic for many companies as of late. It involves encouraging employees to take time off from their job to plug in to their community and the nonprofits that support it. Let’s delve in deeper to understand what VTO looks like. Typical VTO policies allot for 8 … Continued

REMINDER: HEALTH PLAN PCORI FEES ARE DUE JULY 31 | Maryland Benefits Team

Employers that self-insured any group health plans in 2018, including health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), are responsible for determining whether the annual PCORI fee applies to their plan. If so, use Form 720 to calculate, report, and pay the fee by July 31, 2019. PCORI stands for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. Federal law imposes a small annual fee on most … Continued

Ask the Experts: Overtime and Paid Time Off | MD Benefits Advisors

Question: Should we include holidays, PTO, vacation, or other leave taken during the workweek in calculating overtime premium pay under FLSA rules? Answer: No. Because holiday, PTO, and vacation hours are not actually hours worked they do not count towards overtime pay. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), an employer who requires or permits an employee … Continued

Identity Theft | Maryland Benefits Agency

Recently, the “Happiest Place on Earth” wasn’t living up to its name for many families. For almost a full year, malicious software had been installed on point-of-sale systems at several Earl Enterprises restaurants. This software then captured debit and credit card numbers, expiration dates, and cardholder names of users purchasing food at these venues. Identity … Continued

Gig Economy 101 | MD Employee Benefits Consultants

By now you’ve heard of the term “gig economy” but you may not know what it means. Is it describing the economy of musicians as they work gigs? Does it mean something about computers and the measurement of space allotted for their programs? Does it have something to do with fishing? Well, not exactly. But, … Continued

3 Ways to Improve Psychological Safety | Maryland Employee Benefits

Employees who feel a sense of psychological safety at work are more likely to be engaged, productive and generating the innovative ideas needed to move an organization forward—but promoting that type of environment requires significant commitment on the part of the employer, a process that can be supported by HR leaders. At a session at last month’s Health … Continued

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