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Employee Benefits

Mar 03

SHRM Names Caregiving a Top Workplace Issue for 2026

By Employee Benefits
Why Employers Should Pay Attention Now In its Top Five Workplace Policy Issues for 2026, SHRM identified that caregiving is a top workplace issue, not just a personal challenge, but a measurable business issue.¹ With limited public care infrastructure and a growing multi-generational workforce, employers are increasingly absorbing the downstream impact of caregiving strain. The data reinforces why this issue can no longer be viewed as peripheral.
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Feb 26

How to Get Your Library Board to Say “Yes” Faster

By Employee Benefits
As a library leader, you are constantly working to improve services, support your staff, and secure the financial health of your organization. You develop thoughtful proposals for new benefits plans or critical compliance updates, only to see them stall in board meetings. The delay or rejection often has little to do with the merit of your ideas. Instead, it comes down to how the information is presented. Getting board approval is often the make-or-break step for moving your library forward. Even the most well-intentioned proposals can get lost in translation, leading to frustrating delays and missed opportunities. The key to…
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Feb 26

Build Your Library Benefits: First Independent Benefits Plan

By Employee Benefits
For a public library, achieving independence from municipal control is a monumental achievement. It marks the beginning of a new chapter, one filled with opportunity and autonomy. With this newfound freedom comes the critical responsibility of building an employee benefits program from the ground up. Developing robust library benefits is not just a task—it's a unique chance to design a plan that truly reflects your organization's values, supports your dedicated staff, and helps you attract top talent. Leaving a one-size-fits-all municipal plan allows you to move beyond standardized offerings that may not serve your employees well. This is your opportunity…
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Feb 26

A Plain-Language Guide to PA 152 Compliance for Michigan Libraries

By Employee Benefits
For many library leaders in Michigan, managing compliance with Public Act 152 can feel like a recurring source of stress and confusion. Formally known as the Publicly Funded Health Insurance Contribution Act, this law places limits on how much public employers, including libraries, can contribute toward their employees' health insurance premiums. While its purpose is to control costs across the public sector, its requirements can seem complex, and failure to comply can lead to penalties. Navigating these regulations shouldn't be an annual scramble. Understanding the core components of PA 152 allows your library to build a predictable, sustainable process for…
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Feb 26

The Path to Library Independence: Why Libraries Are Leaving Municipal Control

By Employee Benefits
Public libraries are vital community hubs, but many operate as part of their local municipality. While this relationship often provides a sense of stability, it can also present significant challenges. Library leaders frequently find themselves navigating budget restrictions, slow approval processes, inflexible employee benefits, and limited choices on vendors. These constraints can stifle innovation and hinder a library's ability to respond to the community's changing needs. In response, a growing number of libraries are exploring a transformative step: becoming standalone, independent entities. This transition empowers leadership to take full control of budget decisions, design HR policies and benefits packages that…
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Feb 19

8 Proven Employee Engagement Strategies

By Employee Benefits
An engaged workforce fuels company success, and implementing the right employee engagement strategies makes all the difference. When employees feel connected, productivity and loyalty rise. Yet, many organizations, especially those with dispersed teams, struggle to foster engagement. Disengaged employees can lower morale and negatively impact profitability. The High Cost of Disengagement Low engagement leads to poor motivation, reduced work quality, and higher turnover. The impact is real: companies that invest in effective employee engagement strategies often see income increase, while those with low engagement risk significant revenue drops. Prioritizing employee engagement is a smart business move. Actionable Employee Engagement Strategies:…
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Feb 11

Is Your Benefits Spend Hitting the Mark?

By Employee Benefits
As an HR leader or CFO, you spend a significant portion of your budget on employee benefits. The goal is twofold: attract and retain top talent while managing costs effectively. But how do you know if the benefits you offer are truly valued and used by your employees? The effectiveness of your employee benefits spend is a critical question. Offering a benefit that nobody uses is like broadcasting on a dead channel—it’s a financial drain with no return. Conducting a regular benefits cost-benefit analysis is no longer a "nice-to-have" administrative task; it's a strategic necessity. This process helps you identify…
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Feb 04

Manifest and Kapnick Insurance Announce First-of-Its-Kind Partnership for Employer Healthcare Solutions

By Employee Benefits, Kapnick News
MANIFEST AND KAPNICK INSURANCE PARTNER TO IMPROVE HEALTHCARE OPTIONS FOR MICHIGAN EMPLOYERS First-of-its-kind partnership will bring Manifest Provider Collective to progressive West Michigan employers leveraging Kapnick for benefit consulting services. Grand Rapids, Michigan – January 28, 2026 Manifest, a healthcare solutions design studio, today announced a new partnership with Kapnick Insurance, Michigan’s largest independent, family-owned benefits agency. Together, the organizations will make the Manifest Provider Collective available to employers that work with Kapnick for employee benefits and health plan consulting.
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Feb 04

What the Newest Set of ERISA Lawsuits Could Mean for Your Organization

By Employee Benefits, Legislative Updates
On December 23, 2025, Schlichter Bogard LLC filed its first healthcare ERISA cases against United Airlines, Labcorp, CHS, and Universal Services over voluntary benefits. This is the same firm with three unanimous Supreme Court victories, over $750 million in settlements, and an estimated $2.8 billion annual reduction in 401(k) fees. Each case generally alleges that the employers and their benefits brokers breached their ERISA fiduciary duties and caused the participants to pay excessive premiums due to failures in: engaging in a prudent process when selecting insurance offerings; monitoring the commissions received by the benefits brokers; and monitoring the loss ratios on…
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