How Much Do Employee Benefits Cost Per Employee in 2026? BLS, KFF and Mid-Market Benchmarks
Reading Time: 14 minutesEmployee benefits cost U.S. private employers an average of $14.07 per hour worked, or 30.0% of total compensation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ June 2026 Employer Costs for Employee Compensation release. For a full-time worker the figure is $17.03 per hour, about $35,400 a year at 2,080 hours. Health insurance is the largest […]
Employee Benefits Compliance Checklist 2026: ACA, ERISA, and Multi-State Rules for Mid-Market Employers
Reading Time: 10 minutesKey Compliance Obligations at a Glance ACA Employer Mandate — Applicable Large Employers (50+ FTEs) must offer affordable minimum essential coverage to 95%+ of full-time employees and file Forms 1094-C and 1095-C annually. ERISA Plan Documents — Every ERISA-covered benefit plan requires a Summary Plan Description (SPD) within 90 days of enrollment; material changes must […]
Employee Benefit Plan Audit: ERISA Requirements for 100+ Employee Companies (2026)
Reading Time: 9 minutesEmployee Benefit Plan Audit: What Mid-Market Employers Need to Know Key Takeaways for Plan Sponsors ERISA requires an annual independent audit for any benefit plan with 100 or more participants with account balances — this is mandatory, not optional, and penalties for non-compliance compound daily. The 2023 change to Form 5500 participant counting now counts […]
Employee Benefits Benchmarking 2026: How Mid-Market Employers Compare Plans and Costs
Reading Time: 10 minutesKey Takeaways for CFOs and HR Directors 53% of mid-market employers are actively reducing healthcare costs in 2026 — benchmarking data tells you whether your program is above or below the market before your carrier uses that information against you at renewal. Benchmarking covers more than premium cost — plan design, employer/employee premium split, benefit […]
Employee Benefits Broker for Mid-Market Companies: How to Evaluate and Switch (2026)
Reading Time: 12 minutesEmployee Benefits Broker for Mid-Market Companies: The Complete Guide Key Takeaways for HR Directors and CFOs A broker manages 25–40% of your payroll cost — the difference between a transactional broker and a strategic advisor shows up directly in your annual renewal. Mid-market companies (100–500 employees) are underserved by both large nationals focused on enterprise […]