Small business health insurance coverage at risk as costs rise, EBRI finds

Even as overall employer-based coverage increased in the U.S., small companies pulled back.

By Ginger Christ • Jan. 22, 2026

Trump’s ‘no tax on tips’ brings new W-2 era

In this transition year, employers should carefully document the methods they use to track tip payments, one tax professional said.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Jan. 22, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Inside the rapidly changing world of employee benefits

Healthcare costs are climbing and employee needs are changing. How can HR professionals adapt?

By HR Dive staff

Salary budgets to remain stable in 2026, WTW finds

Only 6% of companies said they plan to increase budgets, while 21% will reduce pay budgets from their initial projections, the report said.

By Ginger Christ • Jan. 21, 2026

How to keep health care costs predictable

Kaiser Permanente’s integrated care and coverage make health care costs more predictable.

Jan. 20, 2026

Employee who seemingly told work he would misuse FMLA leave still gets jury trial

The decision shows just how thoroughly a court may scrutinize an employer’s handling of intermittent Family and Medical Leave Act leave.

By Ryan Golden • Jan. 16, 2026

State paid family leave benefit changes in 2026

An Epstein Becker & Green attorney noted that navigating the logistics of multiple state leave plans can get tricky.

By Ginger Christ • Jan. 15, 2026

Front-line workers say pay and flexibility are top 2026 priorities

Nearly half of those surveyed said there were two separate cultures at their workplaces: one for front-line employees and one for everyone else.

By Lara Ewen • Jan. 13, 2026

Feds caution employers about bonuses, pay structures in overtime compliance

The U.S. Department of Labor also addressed exemptions for “learned professionals” and commission-earning employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

By Ryan Golden • Jan. 12, 2026

The unlimited PTO trap: Insights from the experts at Deel

Unlimited PTO promises freedom, but new data shows cultural norms create risks for global teams.

By Ellie Merryweather • Jan. 12, 2026

New DOL independent contractor rule arrives at Trump White House

The administration may decide to return to the “economic reality” standard it articulated in a final rule released at the tail end of the president’s first term in office.

By Ryan Golden • Jan. 9, 2026

This week in 5 numbers: Lonely workers say they miss more work

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including the number of companies who cite a lack of relevant experience among candidates as a major barrier to hiring.

By Ginger Christ • Jan. 8, 2026

Minimum wage increases hit 19 states in 2026

A number of states crossed the $15 per hour threshold long used as a rallying cry among worker advocates.

By Ryan Golden • Jan. 8, 2026

GameStop floats CEO pay entirely tied to performance

Ryan Cohen would have to reach sky-high goals to receive the lucrative compensation, a setup resembling Elon Musk’s at Tesla.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 8, 2026

How to keep health care costs predictable

Kaiser Permanente’s integrated care and coverage make health care costs more predictable.

Jan. 5, 2026

CFPB shifts on EWA policy, again

Certain employer-partnered earned wage access products aren’t subject to U.S. lending laws, the bureau said, formally discarding a 2024 Biden-era rule.

By Justin Bachman • Jan. 2, 2026

Nearly half of US workers say they’ll need $1M or more to retire, spurring stress

Workers’ retirement hopes generally surpass their savings, which leads to growing anxiety about the future, a report finds.

By Carolyn Crist • Dec. 22, 2025

5 benefits predictions for 2026

Rising costs will force employers to make changes to offerings and access, experts predict.

By Ginger Christ • Dec. 18, 2025

Only 1 in 4 employers clearly explain their reward program strategy, report finds

“Today’s reported common practices in reward strategy are not necessarily best practice for tomorrow’s challenges,” Korn Ferry says.

By Carolyn Crist • Dec. 17, 2025

Now hiring: What Deel’s data says about global compensation trends

How employers around the world compensate employees.

Dec. 15, 2025

DOL: Subcontractor made workers fork over wages in alleged kickback scheme

Regulators barred the employer from federal contract work for three years, citing the “willful” nature of the violations.

By Ryan Golden • Dec. 12, 2025

This week in 5 numbers: Workers say they’re losing control of their professional future

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including what might be the “largest age discrimination verdict ever recorded in the United States,” per attorneys.

By Ginger Christ • Dec. 11, 2025

2026 may mean an extra biweekly pay period. Here’s how HR can prepare.

The phenomenon occurs approximately every 11 to 12 years for affected employers, necessitating a 27th pay day.

By Ryan Golden • Dec. 11, 2025

Employers’ flat 2026 pay plans point to ‘disconnect,’ Mercer says

Organizations seek in-demand skills and market competitiveness, but most plan to spread pay increases evenly rather than keying in on certain employees, according to the firm.

By Ryan Golden • Dec. 10, 2025

NYC to move ahead with pay data reporting after mayor’s veto overridden

States and localities continue to advance pay equity legislation while federal action stalls.

By Ryan Golden • Dec. 5, 2025

The wage divide is growing — and AI may be the culprit

The data runs “contrary to narratives that AI is mostly impacting high-earning, white-collar jobs,” Revelio experts wrote.

By Ginger Christ • Dec. 4, 2025