In this issue:

• 3 Benefits of Fantasy Football
• 40% of Employees Would Quit Current Job for Comparable Insurance
• EEOC Issues New Pregnancy Discrimination Guidelines
• Most Account Holders Fail Basic HSA Quiz
• Did You Know?

40% of Employees Would Quit Current Job for Comparable Insurance

According to a survey by the Securian Financial Group, four in ten employees would leave their jobs if they could purchase health insurance on the open market that is comparable to their existing coverage and out-of-pocket expenses.

These results align with a Congressional Budget Office estimate that, because of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, employees may “choose to supply less labor” – equal to two million jobs – between 2017 and 2024.

Most respondents (91%) said they like the work they do in their current jobs, and 83% are satisfied or somewhat satisfied with their existing health insurance. Even so, many of them would consider trying something different.

More than half (56%) say they have considered leaving their jobs to do something more personal or meaningful but haven’t because they need the health insurance they currently purchase in the workplace. Another 43% said they have turned down job offers because the health insurance benefits didn’t meet their needs and nearly one-half of married respondents (46%) refused job offers because of unacceptable health insurance coverage, compared to about one-third (34%) of single people.

The survey summary cites key indicators for employers and HR professionals to monitor moving forward:

• How will employers modify their benefit packages, and how will that affect workers’ decision to quit or stay on the job?
• Where will the average price points for health insurance for various households emerge on the cost scale under the ACA?
• Will workers pursue their dreams of self-employment, creating new jobs to offset some of the estimated two-million full-time employees who may leave the workforce by 2024?

If you have questions or need to discuss your current benefits offering, contact Chris Rutzebeck, Benefits Consultant, directly at 443-321-7738 or chris@hri-online.com.

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EEOC Issues New Pregnancy Discrimination Guidelines

In July 2014, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued new enforcement guidelines on pregnancy discrimination. This guidance, which was not published for public comment prior to its release, updates and replaces the commission’s 1983 guidance. The guidance focuses on one of the priorities outlined in the EEOC’s Strategic Enforcement Plan – addressing the interaction between the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended in 2008. The biggest change in the guidance is an interpretation of the PDA that would require employers to provide reasonable accommodation to employees who have work restrictions because of pregnancy even if the employee does not qualify as disabled or is not regarded as disabled under the ADA.

Although HRi continues to monitor and review the guidance, we wanted to provide you with initial information on what is included in the updated guidance:

• Coverage under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act including current pregnancy, past pregnancy, potential or intended pregnancy, medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, and how to interpret “persons similar in their ability or inability to work.”
• Equal access to benefits including light duty, leave, healthcare, and various other benefits. The EEOC included a statement that “Employers can violate Title VII by providing health insurance that excludes coverage of prescription contraceptives, whether the contraceptives are prescribed for birth control or for medical purposes.” This provision may need to be clarified in light of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Hobby Lobby case.
• Requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), reasonable break time for nursing mothers under the ACA, and other requirements affecting pregnant workers.
• EEOC’s recommended best practices for avoiding unlawful discrimination against pregnant workers.

For more information, click here. If you have questions or concerns about how these new guidelines may affect your organization and workforce, please contact Jena Judd, HR Business Partner, directly at 443-321-7708 or jenajudd@hri-online.com.

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Most Account Holders Fail Basic HSA Quiz

High-deductible health plans (HDHPs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) have been in the market for over a decade now – yet consumers, including current account holders, do not fully understand them. Only 30% of current HSA holders aced a basic HSA proficiency quiz by answering all nine questions correctly. According to the 2014 Consumer and Employer Healthcare Benefits Survey, the results point to a significant consumer education gap and a need for enhanced decision-support resources to help consumers better manage their ever-growing responsibility for healthcare purchases and funding.

Particularly for HSAs, a lack of understanding of the full account value proposition may be hindering adoption, as more than 40% exhibited a lack of understanding of the ability to save beyond the plan year or invest their HSA funds.

Survey findings also revealed that:

• 65% of employers communicate about health benefit enrollment only during the open enrollment period.
• Nearly 60% rely only on plan summary documents and enrollment forms to communicate benefit plan/account options.
• Only a third offer interactive tools such as plan comparison calculators.

Curious to know what the questions and correct answers were? They are listed below.

• Contributions that I make to an HSA are tax-free. A: Correct
• I can leverage my HSA savings to cover future healthcare expenses in retirement. A: Correct
• I gain access to my full annual HSA election amount on the first day of the plan year. A: False (only the amount contributed to date is available for reimbursement)
• If my balance reaches a certain amount, I can invest my HSA contributions. A: Correct
• I can contribute to an HSA regardless of which health plan type I’m enrolled in. A: False (an HSA must be linked to a high-deductible health plan)
• I can change my annual election amount at any time that I want: true
• I can have a healthcare FSA and an HSA at the same time. A: False (participants may not contribute to an HSA if they also have a medical FSA; however, a limited-scope FSA covering dental and vision care is allowed)
• If I don’t use my funds by the end of the year, I lose them. A: False (participants do not forfeit or lose any unused funds)
• My employer owns my HSA. A: False (unlike a health reimbursement arrangement, an HSA is owned by the participant)

If you would like more information on Health Savings Accounts and to explore further how your employees may benefit from one, please contact Chris Rutzebeck, Benefits Consultant, directly at 443-321-7738 or chris@hri-online.com.