What We’re Reading this May | Virginia Benefit Advisors

At ThinkHR, knowledge makes us tick. We are always on the lookout for the latest workplace and human resources news, trends, research, and law. Here are some of the stories that caught our eye this month. A Blow to #MeToo? In a 5-4 ruling,  the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declared that employers can force workers into arbitration, … Continued

Health Plan PCORI Fees Are Due July 31 | Virginia Employee Benefits

Do you offer coverage to your employees through a self-insured group health plan? Do you sponsor a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)? If so, do you know whether your plan or HRA is subject to the annual Patient-Centered Research Outcomes Institute (PCORI) fee? This article answers frequently-asked questions about the PCORI fee, which plans are affected, … Continued

Tips to a Successful Annual Exam | Virginia Benefit Brokers

Have you ever heard the proverb “Knowledge is power?” It means that knowledge is more powerful than just physical strength and with knowledge people can produce powerful results. This applies to your annual medical physical as well! The #1 goal of your annual exam is to GAIN KNOWLEDGE. Annual exams offer you and your doctor … Continued

Federal Employment Law Update – May 2018 | VA Benefit Consultants

EEO-1 Filing Deadline Extended In late April 2018, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced the deadline for the EEO-1 Employer Information Report (EEO-1 Report) has been extended from March 31, 2018 to June 1, 2018. For the 2017 EEO-1 reporting cycle, the EEO-1 will collect data on the race, ethnicity, and sex of … Continued

5 Employee Handbook Mistakes to Avoid | Virginia Benefit Brokers

Gary Wheeler, partner at Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP, a well-respected national employment law firm and legal partner to ThinkHR, explains five mistakes he sees frequently in his clients’ employee handbooks. It’s too long, inconsistent, or redundant. Like with your house, when you live with an employee handbook for a while, you collect things … Continued

It’s Intern Season | VA Employee Benefits

Summer internships offer students opportunities to gain real-world experience and hands-on career development. Conversely, internship programs give employers access to highly motivated and educated young workers and give junior managers more experience training and supervising. There are benefits for everyone involved. However, there are some potential legal and administrative pitfalls that many employers overlook. One … Continued

EEO-1 Reporting Deadline Moved to June 1 | Virginia Employee Benefits

Here’s an update on EEO-1  reporting by Cara Crotty, partner with leading national labor and employment law firm (and ThinkHR strategic employment law partner) Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP. The new deadline is June 1, but only for this year. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced that it has extended the deadline to submit 2017 EEO-1 report data. … Continued

799,182 Reasons to Buy Life Insurance | Virginia Benefit Advisors

A generation ago, unexpected loss of a loved one could be seen as an isolated situation. But today, a quick search of GoFundMe delivers a difficult reality check. Simply type “funerals” into the search field, and behold—799,182 results (on this particular day). Almost 800,000 tales of the sudden loss of a loved one, compounded by … Continued