Federal Changes to HRA, HSA, and FSA
The IRS has released the official guidance under Revenue Procedure 2026-24. The guidance establishes updated contribution limits, out-of-pocket thresholds, and plan qualification rules for the 2027 calendar year.
Compliance
What Employee Benefits Your Ohio Small Business Should Offer ?
If you’re trying to figure out what employee benefits a small business in Ohio should offer, you’re not alone. Don’t worry, you are not alone if you feel confused, there is a lot to business benefits. All the confusion is understandable. One article tells you that you’re legally required to offer health insurance, another says …
How to Calculate Contribution Rates for Health Insurance
Calculating contribution rates for health insurance is a foundational financial and strategic task for small business owners. Health insurance impacts both the company operational budget and employee satisfaction, which directly influences talent retention. Establishing these rates means determining how the premium costs are divided between the organization and the staff. Because premium structures and federal …
What Business Owners Need to Know About ACA Compliance in Ohio
If you are looking further ahead to 2027, the IRS has already signaled a rise to $3,780. When you multiply those figures across a mid-sized workforce, the cost of non-compliance quickly outpaces the cost of providing quality coverage. Our team of healthcare brokers at AUI is here to help. In this blog we are going to help you avoid these costly penalties and stay compliant with your coverage.
Navigating Health Insurance in 2026: Trends, Costs, and Rule Changes
Understanding health insurance is crucial in today’s world. As we approach 2026, we are expecting that the health insurance landscape will undergo significant changes.
IRS Employer Health Insurance Pay-or-Play Penalties to Rise 15.2% in 2026
The IRS has announced a significant increase in employer shared responsibility penalties for non-compliance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) starting in 2026. These penalties, often referred to as the “pay-or-play” penalties, are designed to enforce employer obligations to provide affordable health insurance coverage to their full-time employees. The adjustment represents a 15.2% increase from …
Employer-Provided Benefits for Spouses: What You Need to Know
As a small business, offering benefits to employees is a critical part of attracting and retaining talent. With great employees their spouses also come. However, the nuances of covering spouses under employer-sponsored benefits can be complex. Employers often wonder: When do I need to provide benefits to spouses? What if a spouse is already covered …
Understanding Health Insurance Penalties for Non-Compliance in Ohio
Ohio residents are often unaware of the potential health insurance penalties for failing to comply with the federal and state regulations. Regulations can change with the swipe of a pen and trying to figure out what applies to your small business should not be left up to a chance. We hate to see bad things …
Ohio Small Business Health Insurance Tax Credits: Everything Here’s What You Need to Know
For small business owners in Ohio, understanding the Small Business Health Insurance Tax Credit can significantly impact your ability to provide health insurance for your employees. This tax credit is designed to help small businesses afford the cost of health insurance premiums, making it easier for you to offer valuable benefits to your workforce. This …
Employers’ Deadline for Creditable Coverage Notices
Health insurance options are sometimes a lot for employers to tackle. One of the things that employers need to understand what creditable coverage notices are, and when to send them to eligible employees. When an employee reaches the age of sixty-five, they become eligible for Medicare coverage through Federal Government programs. Technically, employees can begin …
Form 1-9 Self-Audit Guidance
Conducting a Form I-9 self-audit is not required by law. However, many employers are conducting such audits. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices (OSC) have issued guidance for employers conducting Form I-9 audits. If conducting an I-9 audit is on your agenda for 2016, read …
Employee Tracking 101: Unpaid Internships
This blogpost is a supplement to our webinar on how to track employee hours. If you would like a copy of that presentation, please contact Alice Rhodes. Unpaid internships are popular across the country, providing benefits for companies and valuable experience for college students or recent graduates. However, due to guidelines released by the Department …
Employer Reporting 101: Measurement Methods
This blogpost is a supplement to our free webinar on how to track employee hours. For more information about this topic or to answer specific questions, please contact us to request an appointment or e-mail our webinar presenter Alice Rhodes at arhodes@auiinfo.com . So you have made the determination as an organization that you need to track …
Handbook 101: Sections
A well-designed employee handbook is an invaluable asset for a company to have. It can provide a communication gateway between management and employees concerning employer expectations, policies and company background. In addition, a handbook provides a consistent guide for individuals to follow, minimizing discrimination and favoritism claims. Beyond that, the document is evidence, in the …
Handbook 101: Common Legal Mistakes
Your employee handbook is an important document. Not only does it help employees understand company policies, promote solid company-employee communication and set a consistent standard of expectations, but it can also have serious legal ramifications. In many employment lawsuits, your handbook will be a key piece of evidence that can either protect your company or …
Handbook 101: Designing Your Employee Handbook
Setting your organization up for a successful 2016 begins with making sure your HR house is in order. That is why we are tackling an important issue this month on our blog: the employee handbook. An employee handbook is an easy way to transmit important information to employees in a comprehensive manner. Employee handbooks provide …
Handbook 101: Effective Communication for Employers
One of the most important items for a business is often the most overlooked. Many employer headaches can be avoided by maintaining an employee handbook. Employee handbooks explain the relationship and responsibilities of employee and employer and provide clear communication on a variety of employment topics. A well-written employee handbook establishes guides for the workplace …
Conducting an HR Audit
An HR audit is an objective, systematic review of a company’s HR policies, procedures, strategic direction, structure, resources, and ultimately, its contribution to the organization. Such an audit offers the opportunity to protect the company, establish best practices and identify areas for improvement, and can help evaluate whether specific practice areas are adequate, legal and/or …
