Employer-Paid

Many small businesses have found a way to temporarily sidestep some of the headaches brought on by the new health care law.

With the job market remaining relatively soft, most companies arent feeling pressure to raise salaries by much more than the rate of inflation, Towers Watson says.

One-third of the employees interviewed dont engage in the enrollment process. Further, just 42 percent found the enrollment experience satisfying. Here's what HR managers can do about it.

MetLife finds that employees who are very satisfied with their benefits are nearly five times more likely to report that, because of their benefits, they worry less about unexpected health and financial issues.

The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits rose 15,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 309,000.

Much of the increase projected for next year is attributed to the new health care program. Without it, the estimated growth would be 4.5 percent.