Employer-Paid

The U.S. economy added just 148,000 jobs in September, suggesting that employers held back on hiring before a 16-day partial government shutdown began Oct. 1.

The dove of peace had barely lit on the halls of Congress this week when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., chased it away with down-the-party-lines National Labor Relations Board nomination gambit.

A white paper from Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Co. advises employers they need to look at their benefits plan from a holistic viewpoint if they want it to serve as a recruiting and retention tool.

A growing number of employers are levying a surcharge on the spouses of employees who sign up for health care coverage if they are eligible for them in their own workplace.

Although Mexican immigrants comprise just 4 percent of the U.S. population, they represent 13 percent of all uninsured people.

Average health care premium rate increase clocked in at 3.3 percent for large employers in 2013, compared to 4.9 percent in 2012 and 8.5 percent in 2011. The bad news? Next year wont be another record-setter.