Hypertension, more commonly referred to as high blood pressure, is a chronic medical condition in which the artery walls are exposed to constant, steady pressure causing the heart’s muscles to weaken. The disease effects 1 out of 3 Americans and is often one of the leading contributing causes of serious health problems, such as:

• Heart attack or stroke
• Kidney failure
• Increased risk for blood clots, diabetes and dementia

Despite the ease in which the condition can be diagnosed, more than half of people with the condition fail to receive proper, adequate treatment. The condition costs the U.S. economy an estimated $46 billion in health care, treatment costs and lost productivity—according to the American Heart Association. Fortunately, there are activities and programs that your business can institute to help promote heart health and wellness in your employees. Read More

Life is full of unexpected frustrations. Running late, spilling coffee on yourself or getting into an argument can start your day off on the wrong foot. The good news is that you can control your mood and prevent these obstacles from ruining your entire day.

The most important thing you can do is to focus on the positive. Studies show that when you’re positive, you have 23 percent fewer health-related effects from stress, you’re 31 percent more productive, you’re 40 percent more likely to receive a promotion and your creativity levels triple. Read More

The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires employers to pay all employees at least the minimum wage for all hours worked, and, one and one-half times the employee’s regular wage rate for any hours worked over 40 in a workweek. However, if an employee meets the requirements of one of the FLSA’s exemptions, the employee may not have to be paid minimum wage or for overtime (as they are considered “exempt” from this requirement). Read More

On April 12, 2016, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released new guidance on the percentages used to determine what is considered “affordable” health coverage.

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the affordability of an employer’s plan may be assessed for the employer shared responsibility penalty, the individual mandate and the premium tax credit. The affordability test varies for each provision.

For plan years beginning in 2017, the ACA’s affordability contribution percentages will be adjusted to the following percentages: Read More