Health Benefits Still Top Draw For Many Employees

A new study by EBRI explores workers’ preferences for employer-sponsored benefits and what they anticipate for the future of workplace perks.

Employers offering generous benefits packages that provide flexibility of cost and choice continue to have an advantage over those that don’t, according to a new study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI).

When it comes to employee preferences, EBRI finds health benefits continue to stand as the most desired perk. The vast majority (87%) say employer-based health insurance is extremely important or very important. Seventy-seven percent say the same about retirement savings plans, and 72% agree this is true for dental and vision benefits.

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“Employers that offer a strong employee benefits package—especially health coverage—that balances costs and choice should find themselves with a competitive advantage over other companies when it comes to attracting and retaining desirable workers,” says Paul Fronstin, director of EBRI’s Health Research and Education Program and co-author of the new report. “They also will have more satisfied employees overall.”

However, the EBRI study suggests there is significant room for improvement in benefit offerings, as one-third of workers say they are only somewhat satisfied with their employer benefits. Another 20% report being not satisfied.

Many respondents say they want their employers to continue offering benefits packages. A flexible and reasonable health insurance plan seems especially appealing now that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare,” is facing an uncertain future. About two in five (42%) say they want their employers to continue paying for benefits as they have in the past. Only 20% feel they prefer turning toward a system where the employer provides employees with the money they would have spent on benefits, allowing the workers to decide what benefits products to buy and how to spend that money.

The full report, “Value of Workplace Benefits: Findings from the 2016 Health and Voluntary Workplace Benefits Survey,” can be found on EBRI.org.

House Passes Bill Encouraging Employee Stock Ownership

The Encouraging Employee Ownership Act would increase the cap on the amount of stock closely held companies can award employees before triggering certain SEC reporting requirements.

The House of Representatives passed the Encouraging Employee Ownership Act (H.R.1343) by a bipartisan vote of 331 to 87.

A press release from the office of Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-New York) says the legislation would reform the outdated Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Rule 701, which imposes a slew of complicated regulations on small businesses, especially newly formed start-ups. SEC Rule 701 exempts companies below a $5 million threshold to offer securities as part of employees’ compensation without having to comply with federal securities registration requirements. Companies over the threshold must provide additional disclosure, “creating a significant obstacle for companies that want to compensate their employees through equity or other securities such as stocks,” the release says.

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According to an update by the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO), the bill would increase to $20 million the current $5 million cap on the amount of stock closely held companies can award employees before triggering certain SEC reporting requirements. The amount would be indexed for inflation annually.

Congressman Zeldin says, “The Encouraging Employee Ownership Act of 2017 is bipartisan legislation that will help small businesses grow and expand, encouraging job creation and economic growth, by allowing companies to retain their employees through incentives.”

Text of the bill and actions related to the bill can be viewed here.

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