Whitney Howard

California's new fertility mandate is raising critical questions for benefits leaders everywhere. In our recent webinar with Brian Gilmore, Lead Benefits Counsel at Newfront, and Megan Burns, Benefits Solutions Consultant at Benepass, we broke down what this regulatory shift means for employers in California and beyond, and how to build a comprehensive family-forming benefits strategy that works for your organization. 🎥 Watch this clip to see how Benepass helps employers adapt with flexible fertility, adoption, and surrogacy solutions, then catch the full recording for legal insights and strategic options: https://hubs.li/Q03PMVLB0 #EmployeeBenefits #FertilityBenefits #HRCompliance #FamilyForming #BenefitsStrategy

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3 hiring myths costing Sacramento companies great talent: ❌ Myth 1: Post it and they'll come. ❌ Myth 2: AI sourcing solves the supply problem. ❌ Myth 3: A good offer is enough. The truth? Passive talent requires employer branding, relationship-based recruiting, and a streamlined process. Here's what that looks like in practice. 👇 https://lnkd.in/g9gqqYUt

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Attention California Employers: Big changes may be coming to workers’ compensation insurance. The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau has proposed an average 11.2% increase in pure premium rates for 2025, raising projected costs from $1.40 to $1.56 per $100 of payroll. This adjustment reflects increasing claims activity and updated actuarial forecasts. What does this mean for California employers? Higher workers’ compensation insurance expenses could be on the horizon. As rates rise, Garnet’s group captives offer a proactive solution. They provide greater stability, cost control, and transparency–– exactly what employers need in a rising rate environment. Want tailored risk management strategies to help offset rising costs? Our team is here to guide you. Reach out anytime for a no-obligation review of our captive programs, and help prepare for a smoother transition into 2026 and beyond. Connect with us: https://hubs.ly/Q03z3dsR0

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California’s benefits market isn’t for the faint of heart. Costs are climbing, and clients need answers fast. Employers rely on you to help them stay competitive. The right guidance can keep costs under control and protect the benefits employees care about most. Get the date, trends and insights you need to lead with confidence in this broker guide: https://lnkd.in/etfix4dX

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Are you confident your business is fully compliant with California’s evolving benefits laws? Discover which employee benefits are not optional in California—from workers’ compensation and payroll tax obligations to paid sick leave, PFL, SDI, and health mandate nuances. Get clarity, reduce risk, and safeguard your team. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gQep6y47 #EmployeeBenefits #HRStrategy #SmallBusinessTips #AEISInc #BenefitsPlanning #SmartHR

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2026 brings NEW audit thresholds for employee benefit plans in California. Did you know only participants with account balances count toward the 100-participant rule? Many finance and HR leaders in SoCal are rethinking their compliance strategies to stay ahead of costly penalties. Missed this update? You’re not alone. Read my latest blog for a practical guide on what’s changing and how to protect your business this year: https://lnkd.in/dfRNZUvn #EmployeeBenefitPlanAudits #SanDiegoAuditor #Compliance #EmployeeBenefitPlans #SanDiegoBusiness #AuditandAssurance #CPA

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Is your benefits tech helping, or causing headaches? Many HR teams end up doing manual work or scrambling during open enrollment — often because their benefits solution falls short where it matters most. 🚫Brokers may push a single platform that doesn’t flex to your needs 🚫 All-in-one HR systems frequently treat benefits as an afterthought ✅ The better path: a specialized tech partner who brings both great software and expert support With the right partner, HR can streamline processes, reduce errors, and focus on driving strategic initiatives. Check out Frank B. Mengert recent guest post in BenefitsPRO to learn more: https://lnkd.in/e7pjV4QS #OpenEnrollment #EmployeeBenefits #HR #HRtech #Healthcare #Insurance #HealthInsurance

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Most TA teams have solved the basics, but the best ones go deeper. If your hiring process still hits invisible roadblocks, you're not alone. The truth is, elite talent acquisition teams aren't just reacting to problems, they’re preventing them before they start. From friction mapping and predictive agility, to market intelligence and recruiter enablement, high-performing teams treat RPO recruiting and talent acquisition as strategic functions — not back-office tasks. In our latest blog, we break down: ✔️ What elite TA teams do differently ✔️ How to identify high-cost bottlenecks ✔️ Why recruitment process outsourcing companies are leading this shift ✔️ How to turn good hiring practices into great ones Not sure where to begin? Start with our TA Maturity Assessment and your shortcut to identifying hidden inefficiencies and unlocking smarter, faster hiring. Swipe the carousel for key insights, then head to the blog (link in comments) to dive in. #RPO #RPORecruitment #WhatIsRPO #RecruitmentProcessOutsourcing #ContingentEmployee #RPOHiring #TAMaturity #TalentStrategy #LevelUPHCS

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Running a business is hard enough without the added pressure of managing HR. Between staying compliant with California employment laws, handling payroll, navigating benefits, and making sure your team feels supported, something’s bound to fall through the cracks. But that’s not a sign of failure. It’s a sign your business is growing. https://lnkd.in/g9mfrryd

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Check out our latest blog post on ways employers can use their HCM platform to help prevent PAGA claims. This California law allows employees to file claims on behalf of themselves and their coworkers if an employer violates labor laws. Even small mistakes like missed meal breaks, unpaid overtime, or late paychecks can add up to costly penalties. Follow our page for more compliance updates and tips to better use your HCM platform. https://lnkd.in/eThnDS9T

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Verbena Training is pleased to introduce Employee Benefits LaunchPoint™, an eight-week foundational training program designed to help early-career employee benefits professionals ramp up with confidence. The industry is changing quickly, and new hires are entering a complex environment of increasing expectations with limited training time. Employee Benefits LaunchPoint™ was created to provide a clear, structured path for developing strong technical skills and practical insight from day one. Developed by a 20+year industry veteran, Employee Benefits LaunchPoint™ helps new professionals grow quickly while giving managers and experienced team members more capacity to focus on client strategy, retention, and relationships. Enrollment for the January 2026 cohort is now open.

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If your recruiting stack looks like duct tape… it’s costing you time and trust. Most teams juggle 5-7 disconnected tools to hire one person. Scout™ replaces that chaos with a single, end-to-end recruiting platform: sourcing, scoring, interviewing, communication, and reporting. Less friction. More clarity. Better outcomes. See what end-to-end recruiting actually looks like: https://bit.ly/4qJruJZ #RecruitingTechnology #EndToEndHiring #ScoutHR #HiringEfficiency #HRTech #CovenantConnectors

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Your TA team might be tracking the wrong metrics They’re reporting numbers that sound good in meetings But they're missing what actually drives hiring success Talent acquisition teams everywhere are facing this challenge today. Many proudly report impressive metrics like record-low time-to-fill numbers and meeting every hiring quota. Yet businesses often still struggle with: - High new hire turnover - Consistent budget overruns - Disengaged hiring managers The disconnect is clear. Most TA teams measure what's easy to report, not what actually matters. This isn't unusual. Talent acquisition departments frequently rely on traditional metrics that look strong in boardroom presentations but don’t always align with business outcomes. Time-to-fill sounds great until you realise you're filling roles quickly with the wrong people. The number of hires means nothing if those hires aren't performing. Cost-per-hire is meaningless if retention is terrible. The most successful organisations have shifted to measuring: ✅ New hire performance at 6 and 12 months ✅ Hiring manager satisfaction scores ✅ True cost of vacancy (not just recruitment costs) ✅ Quality of hire relative to top performers Because here’s what leaders need to consider: The metrics that make a TA team look good aren't necessarily the ones that make the business perform well. The real value of recruitment isn't in how fast you fill seats. It's in how effectively you build teams that drive business success.

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