Blog

  • How to Help Employees Communicate More Effectively | Virginia Benefits Team

    In an ideal world, communication would be easy. We’d immediately know exactly what to say or write. Emails, Slack messages, and reply threads would practically write themselves. And there’d be no confusion about what anyone meant, ever. Of course, communication never works that way. We stare at the computer screen trying to decide how to…

  • Ways Leadership Affects Culture and Culture Affects Leadership | VA Employee Benefits Agency

    There has been so much written on leadership in the last year, it’s hard to keep track of it all. Leaders should be storytellers, communicators, holistic, strategic, encouraging, creative, conservative, risk taking, ethical, competitive, inspiring and a whole host of other attributes. There are countless books currently available on the subject, and it would not…

  • 8 Small Steps Toward Financial Protection | Virginia Benefits Agents

    About half of all Americans make New Year’s resolutions. Along with exercising more and eating better, many people aim to get a better handle on their finances. If you’re in that camp, we’re here to help. Here are some surefire steps to create a more financially secure future for you and your loved ones. Create…

  • A Note on Requiring COVID-19 Vaccines | VA Employee Benefits Advisors

    With COVID-19 vaccinations underway and widespread availability in sight, many employers want to know whether they can require their employees to get the vaccine. While recent EEOC guidance implies that they expect many employers to require a vaccine, there are already several states where bills are being introduced to prevent employment discrimination against those who…

  • Exploring EAPs | VA Employee Benefits Agents

    Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) are company-sponsored programs that provide assistance to employees for a variety of personal issues that may be hindering or adversely affecting their work performance. Typically offered through third-party administrators, EAPs can provide their services online or via telephone and can sometimes be a part of the employee’s healthcare plan, however it…

  • Be Alert: Employers Are Seeing a Spike in Phishing Scams | Virginia Benefits Group

    Phishing emails are a type of scam designed to obtain information or prompt certain behavior from their targets. To that end, they typically appear to come from a person or entity we trust. In most cases, careful inspection will reveal cracks in the façade, little signs that the message is not what it purports to…

  • COVID-19 Fraud Protection | Virginia Employee Benefits Advisors

    The COVID-19 crisis has not only stolen the health and well-being of people all over the world, but now, it seems, it has opened the door to criminals who want to steal your money and your identity. Historically, when there are times of crisis, the crime rate increases. We see this with natural disasters when…

  • What to Know About Life Insurance for Diabetics | VA Benefits Firm

    Many people falsely believe that life insurance for diabetics doesn’t exist. In reality, there are quite a few life insurance options for the 34.2 million Americans who have diabetes. While diabetes remains a health challenge for many, it is still very possible to secure good life insurance as a diabetic. Here are some key things to know…

  • Compliance Requirements for a Remote Workforce | Virginia Employee Benefits Consultants

    According to Gallup, the number of days employees are working remotely has doubled during the pandemic. Some companies are even considering making a remote work arrangement permanent. While there are no laws that exclusively apply to remote workplaces, remote work does come with additional compliance risks. Below is our general guidance for employers. Logging Hours…

  • Haven Healthcare – An Employee Benefit Advisor’s Perspective

    by Bill Kite, Owner, D&S Agency We were excited when we first heard of the joint venture of Amazon, JP Morgan and Berkshire Hathaway with their combined employee population of 1.2 million to “disrupt” healthcare costs. That excitement was further enhanced knowing leaders such as Dimon, Buffett and Bezos, with their midas touch, could potentially…