4 Times Star Wars Taught Us About Benefits
May the Fourth be with you! Like Star Wars, pre-tax benefits have been around for a while. In fact, the first Star Wars film was released in 1977, mere months before the first pre-tax plan arose in the form of cafeteria plans. But that’s not where the similarities between Star Wars and benefits end. These […]
Employee benefits card evaluation – 5 things to look for
There are a lot of things you should take into consideration when evaluating a third-party administrator (TPA) to partner with. There are obvious things like service, technology, and expertise. But what about their employee benefits card? We’re here to tell you that not all employee benefits cards are created equal. When comparing your options, here […]
How does a decision support tool work?
Here’s a scary statistic for you: according to the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, 80% of employers struggle to get employees to read benefits enrollment materials during Open Enrollment. Can you really blame the employees though? A lot of the time these materials are long, boring, and filled with a bunch of jargon they […]
Quick Reference Guide to Acronyms used in Benefits
If you are feeling like you need a special decoder ring to understand your benefits, you are not likely alone. But we have just what you need. We’ll break down common (and not so common) acronyms used in benefits. To make it (hopefully) a little easier, we will tackle it through four groups: Rules and […]
What will commuting in 2021 look like?
As the year comes to a close, employees and employers alike might be left wondering what to expect from commuting in 2021. Will the remote work trend continue? What will the effect be on mass transit systems and parking services, which have already seen major hits in metropolitan areas? Let’s review the biggest change COVID-19 […]
2021 contribution limits out for FSA, commuter
The IRS released the 2021 contribution limits for Mass Transit, Parking, Medical FSA and Adoption Assistance in Revenue Procedure 2020-45. The limits are effective for plan years that begin on or after January 1, 2021. There were no changes to contribution limits for the commuter accounts or medical flexible spending account. Details below. 2021 Contribution […]
4 Strategies to Strengthen Your Benefits Programs
The job market can be a blessing or a curse for human resource professionals. With low unemployment rates comes a highly competitive job market where every bell and whistle can be the determining factor to be the employer of choice. Inc.com gives us 7 Ways to Improve Employee Satisfaction, which can certainly improve the employee […]
Commuter Benefit Trends: What does “back to work” look like?
The daily commute has gotten quite the face-lift in 2020. At the peak of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, the MTA Subway in New York reported ridership levels were down 93% compared to the same period in 2019. As of August 31, 2020, ridership for the subway remains down 68-75% and buses are down 19-41%. Meanwhile, the […]
Transit Benefit Guidance in Uncertain Times
While the last several months were fraught with uncertainty and changes, we also saw several clarifications for pre-tax benefits, including Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefits. What modified transit benefit guidance was released? The IRS released potential changes to a provision within the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). The provision under review is the piece of […]
Your 4-step back to work guide for commuting
People going back to work after COVID-19 are facing new challenges, including how to maintain social distancing protocols during notoriously busy commutes. Here are four ways employers can help create a safer commute that balances flexibility with safety. Help participants transfer from mass transit to parking benefits As employees begin to come back to work, […]
What will commuting after COVID-19 look like?
Many have started the process of commuting after COVID-19, leaving employees and employers alike wondering how the transition will unfold. During the change, certain trends have emerged including a focus on reducing contact with shared items. Minimize contact with shared public surfaces While the CDC has identified that surfaces pose less of a threat in […]
Your BRI notifications cheat sheet
It’s important to keep track of what’s happening with your accounts– that’s why we created BRI notifications. You Pick and Choose We’ve been perfecting our notification system since 2013, so you can trust its reliability. It even made it onto our list of the Top 25 Ways to Save with Pre-tax Benefits. How it works: […]
Do you need to make benefit changes because of COVID-19?
COVID-19 has caused upheaval in many ways. This includes employees’ work benefits, particularly pre-tax accounts. For employees with an HSA, Dependent Care FSA, and/or commuter plan, there may be the opportunity to make changes to their accounts. Here are the main updates employees should know about. UPDATE: See our blogs IRS releases new relief affecting […]
Commuter FAQs for those new to the workforce
It’s an exciting time in your life! You just graduated college and managed to land a job right in the heart of Boston, Massachusetts at what you consider your ‘dream’ company. On the first day of your new job, you meet with members of the HR team who begin to walk you though the benefits […]
Skip the wait– use your BRI account online
Your BRI online account can be used for more than checking your balance. (Although it’s great for that, too). You can also sign up for ways to get your reimbursements faster, skip calling in about your card, and get answers to FAQs. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Here are the top five ways […]
5 reasons you should follow BRI on LinkedIn
We know you work hard every day to bring the best benefits to your employees. Here are five things that can help you do that and more when you follow BRI on LinkedIn. 1. Learn about new tools for your employees Lack of employee understanding is one of the greatest barriers to increasing adoption. When […]
5 benefits trends to watch in 2020
There are many benefits trends that we expect to take hold in 2020. Review what they are to ensure that your company is ready for 2020 and beyond. Increased use of AI while keeping the “human” in Human Resources. This goes beyond improving agility and responsiveness on websites. That’s so last decade. This is about […]
The Beniversal Card Guide for Newbies
New year, new participant, new card. Now what? If you’re a Beniversal Card newbie, you’re in the right spot. Let’s go over the basics of what to expect, shall we? Activate your card. First things first: If you’re a new participant and just got your card, activate it now. All of your plans are conveniently […]
Top 5 Questions of a Newly Enrolled Benefits Participant
It is a new year and for many, that means new benefits. Therefore, here are the top 5 questions of a newly enrolled participant. 5. How do I submit reimbursements? Reimbursements can be submitted through the BRiMobile app, through BRiWeb Secure Participant Login or by mailing a claim form. 4. How do I activate my […]
Top Blogs of the Decade
As we close out the decade, we look back at the most educational, news breaking blogs for a 2019 review. From tax reform to how-to articles, here are the top 10 blogs from Benefit Resource: Check Your Balance To quote Jerry McGuire, “Show me the money!” If you want to see your balance fast and […]
Penalties take effect for DC Transit Ordinance
Washington DC introduced a transit benefit ordinance in January 2016. This ordinance was released under The Sustainable DC Act of 2014. However, on November 14, 2019, employers became at risk to pay penalties. Final rules were released in August outlining the rules, communication requirements and penalties. What do those rules say? Download the comprehensive DC […]
Are you ready for Gen Z in the workforce?
There is about to be a new influx of workers: Gen Z. The ones after Millennials. The group born after 1997. What do you need to know about Gen Z when it comes to benefits? They are digital natives and live online Their decisions are driven by social justice over cultural fit How does this […]
2020 Pre-Tax Limits Announced
The IRS released the 2020 pre-tax limits for Mass Transit, Parking, Medical FSA and Adoption Assistance in Revenue Procedure 2019-44. The limits are effective for plan years that begin on/or after January 1, 2020. 2020 Mass Transit and Parking Limits Maximum Election: $270 / month (up from $265 / month in 2019) 2020 Medical FSA […]
3 Ways to Survive Your Company’s Benefits Enrollment
I just got my first email from our company about our upcoming Open Enrollment sessions, and I have to tell you, I wasn’t as excited as I thought I’d be. It was a little disappointing. But it made me think: What are the things I want to hear before Open Enrollment? In a perfect world, probably […]
