Blog | EAPs

Regulatory Agencies Propose Expansion of “Excepted Benefits”

Posted by: Linda Rowings Jan 13, 2014 8:49:00 AM

By Linda Rowings
Chief Compliance Officer
United Benefit Advisors

Topics: health care reform, EAPs, Employee Assistance Programs, ACA, HRAs, Group health plans, HIPAA, ERISA, Internal Revenue Code

Helping Employees During Their Darkest Hours

Posted by: Bill Olson May 23, 2013 12:37:00 PM

The tragic tornadoes that struck Oklahoma earlier this week remind us all again how important Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) are for the workplace. Yet, according to the preliminary UBA Ancillary Benefits Survey, of the 8,557 employers answering questions about employee assistance programs (EAPs), only 21.8 percent of employers offer EAPs. That percentage drops to 9.4 among small (fewer than 50 employees) and to 19.2 percent among midsize companies (fewer than 500 employees). Employers shouldn’t forget to incorporate these programs into their benefits plans.

Though sometimes stigmatized, these programs are so important, not only to help employees with personal crises such as divorce, substance abuse and financial/legal matters, but also when an organization is reeling from an employee death, tornado or hurricane recovery or even tragedies like those at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Topics: employee benefits, employee wellness, employee engagement, EAPs, Employee Assistance Programs