The 2025 workplace flexibility debate reached new intensity when President Trump’s federal return-to-office mandate on his first day back in office sent shockwaves through both public and private sectors.

The American Benefits Council, America’s Health Insurance Plans and the Association of Federal Health Organizations joined ERIC in the brief.

For employers, advisors, and individuals alike, 2026 won't just be about reacting to these changes — it will be about mastering a new landscape of high-cost innovation and shifting federal support.

For self-funded plans, the path forward should be one that is proactive, rather than reactive.