Three insurance companies are hosting virtual benefit fairs. One is doing so for the first time, after previously hosting in-person events, and is leveraging Skype meetings as a platform. Another is using Microsoft Teams since it provides a lot of technology options. A third employer is communicating over a series of webinars on Welltok’s platform, using 1-2 page documents for support.

A technology employer is doing something similar through a virtual expo planned by its partner, Corporate Health Educators. The expo is a collection of videos on health-related topics complemented by one-on-one sessions with their benefits administrator to ask questions.

Even in advance of the pandemic, one employer in the pharmaceutical industry had eliminated on-site health fairs in favor of virtual office hours and chat options. Not only does this approach save money and resources on producing things like giveaways, it provides a more personalized experience to employees, since they can actively get their questions answered during the meetings.

One aerospace and defense employer sent two face masks with its open enrollment mailers.

A tech employer has spread out its benefits communications throughout the year by creating monthly digital newsletters (in conjunction with internal communication firm Davis and Company). These communications focus on what’s new, like Teladoc.

A transportation and shipping employer shared its phased approach in engaging employees on wellness platform ShareCare. In the first phase, employees will learn about their options and engage with the site. Employees will also be able to earn health account funding. The goal is to make benefit offerings as easy as possible so it’s one less thing for employees to worry about. The company will measure the platform’s success through utilization rates of the programs highlighted on the site.

One government/education/nonprofit employer focused on specialty drug costs has partnered with a new PBM, Navitus, that provides transparency surrounding administrative fees. The employer receives the rebate exactly how it is processed through the plan.

A health care employer shared that in 2021, its main change is partnering with ImpaxRX, a strategy carve-out of specialty medications to help employees receive necessary treatment.

One employer started covering virtual physical therapy at the beginning of the pandemic. Through

Another insurance employer is addressing MSK issues through ergonomics and prevention. For employees working remotely during the pandemic, those who complete an ergonomic assessment are eligible to request the equipment necessary for a well-supported working environment.

One transportation employer is implementing a mandatory second opinion programs for spinal surgery through Mayo Clinic. The employer will pay 100% of the costs of the surgery if the employee completes the second opinion. If they don’t get second opinion, the surgery will not be covered.

A pharmacy/biotech/medical products employer entered into a partnership with Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to give its employees expedited access to cancer care through a program called MSK Direct. There is no cost to the employer.

One employer on the transportation and shipping call shared that it is implementing a new cancer support benefit called Access Hope. The program focuses on the top 20% of complex cancers and is affiliated with City of Hope in California.

The program has three components: 1) Cancer support line service in which nurses address questions. 2) Expert advisory review in which physicians consult one another to improve the patient experience. 3) Accountable precision oncology service that helps employees get access to care no matter where they are. Expert physicians “speak in the ear” of local doctors.

One consumer goods employer is addressing high-risk pregnancies through a high-touch support program. During the first telephone visit, a nurse will assess the potential for the pregnancy to be high risk and explain how the program works. For low-risk pregnancies, there are only two visits; high-risk pregnancies require more touchpoints to ensure that American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) guidelines are being followed. The goal is to reduce short gestational pregnancies and avoid neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stays for the baby.

Similarly, high-risk pregnancies are also on the radar for another consumer goods employer. This employer is implementing Ovia in the first or second quarter of 2021. Previous maternity programs were with its former health plan; now that the company has moved its plan to a new carrier, it took a carve-out approach.

One aerospace and defense employer has a midyear open enrollment. Its biggest initiative this year was adding the infertility and maternity vendor Maven. The employer selected the program based on the variety of modules an employee can learn about – from NICU admissions, C-section rates and ER visits to postpartum depression and return to work. Maven will also administer its fertility benefit, which provides $35K to employees needing fertility services. Any costs above the $35K will be discounted when using the Maven network. Lastly, Maven also offers a “planning” module for employees considering starting a family.

Three health care employers shared their approaches for retaining employees: offering a student loan benefit. Through the company Ed Assist, eligible employees receive a monthly payment towards their principal balance of a student loan (employees still need to pay their normal payment). Full-time employees receive $150/month, and part-time employees get $75 monthly. About 17,000 employees received the benefit.

Another health care employer saw similar demand for its student loan programs, upward of 20%. The monthly stipend ranged from $100 to $200/month. Analysis of the program debunked the assumption that younger employees would be the core participants; in fact, some employees in their 60s received support.

A third employer is partnering with SoFi to provide a $50/month subsidy.

A pharma/biotech/medical product employer is adding an online mental health program to its well-being lineup. Learn to Live supports employees with depression, anxiety, stress and isolation through clinical assessments and personal coaching components. The company considered incentivizing participation and tying it to the well-being program but decided against it because that would require employees to disclose their participation.

One employer in the government, education and nonprofit sector has a comprehensive approach to supporting working parents, which is all visually displayed in an infographic that guides employees to the resources that best meets their needs. For instance, some employees may need childcare right at the worksite, while others may be looking for sitters to come into the home.

A company in the insurance industry shared its eight-part webinar series for parents facilitated by Peace at Home Parenting Solutions. Topics include: (1) Learning from Home: Make it a Successful Experience; (2) School in 2020: What are My Options and What’s Best for My Child?; (3) Opening Up and Back to School: Help Tweens and Teens Stay Safe; (4) Back to School with Joy and Optimism: Whatever It Looks Like (Ages 6 - 12); (5) Parents of Toddlers and Preschoolers: Frazzled About Choices?; (6) Back to School: Support Your Child with Special Needs; (7) Pandemic Pods: A Roadmap for Reducing Risk and Building Trust; and (8) Keeping Your Kids Healthy During COVID-19: From Pregnancy to College.

Given the demands of the retail industry, it’s no surprise that employers are focused on ways to support employees so they are able to report to work at stores that serve customers. One retailer reported offering backup childcare and access to Sitter City for longer-term childcare needs. This retailer is also planning to roll out Headspace to address resiliency and stress management among its staff.

A second employer found that employees were having a hard time navigating the childcare benefits that were available to them, so they created an online hub called Family Resources Center that organized programs by children’s ages.

With health care employees needing childcare in order to serve patients at hospitals and medical offices, four different employers shared their approaches to support employees:

• An endowment was created to provide financial support for employees needing childcare and eldercare. It pays $60/week for each child or elder. While only 120 employees have used it, the company will continue offering it for the foreseeable future.
• Another employer also subsidizes childcare/eldercare, up to $15/hour. The approval process happens at the individual worksite and is managed internally. The employer reported good utilization.
• Frontline workers were the focus of another health care employer; childcare support was initially offered. Now, flexibility and accommodations are the focus.
• Another health care employer provides access to backup care but doesn’t subsidize it. The employer does provide on-site care at a limited number of locations.

An employer in the pharma/biotech/medical devices industry provides access to an online tutoring platform, complete with live chat and videos. Through “Homework Connection,” employees can access 5 hours of free tutoring per month. Beyond that, employees can also get discounts on additional tutoring sessions. Backup care was also expanded, which covers adults as well. Additionally, the employer offers “College Coach” to assist families with college admissions, test preparation and financial planning.

A technology employer organized drive-thru clinics as a substitute for traditional on-site flu shots. Employees, spouses and children under 9 were eligible. The clinics were in high demand, with 3 days in October and a day in November fully booked. Mondays were the best days, since virtual learning doesn’t take place on that day in this area of the country.

One health care provider got creative in distributing vaccines: by creating “to go” kits to clinicians qualified to administer vaccine to bring back to their departments. That way, a nurse/clinician can give shots to everyone already working closely together, opposed to employees going to another area of the hospital for a shot and potentially cross contaminating their coworkers.

A retailer reported that its on-site pharmacy has stayed open and has been thriving. Employees feel more comfortable going there instead of to a pharmacy in the community. The retailer also hosted a drive-up flu shot clinic; employees were asked to stay in their car for 15 minutes afterward for liability reasons.

A manufacturer reported its decision to keep EAP on-site. The company’s vendor, Care Partners, created social distancing room right at the plant, where employees can meet with an EAP counselor. This meets the needs of those who are having trouble finding a behavioral health counselor, especially in rural areas.

An employer in consumer products group shared its comprehensive leave program specially designed for the pandemic:

• Pandemic pay/leave for 2 weeks.
• Personal leave of absence for up to 90 days, while continuing benefits at active employee rates. This can be used by employees with high-risk conditions or childcare lapses.
• PTO that can be temporarily borrowed up to the annual accrual before earning it.
• PTO cash out up to 5 days.
• PTO accrual up to 5 days over the maximum annual accrual.
• Communications campaign to encourage PTO use, including a raffle for employees to post a picture of their “staycation” on internal social media.

Two employers in the financial services industry shared their approaches to testing. The first employer works with One Medical on return-to-worksite for essential employees. At this point, employees are provided with testing resources in the doctor’s office and at home through mail-in kits. This employer is considering doing a rapid testing pilot of employees coming back on-site, but don’t feel comfortable with a test solution yet.

The second financial services employer is using PCR testing for cohorts returning to the office. By partnering with a local health care provider, employees are tested every 2 weeks; the test results are available within 24 hours. If an employee doesn’t get tested, his/her access badge is deactivated. The company has also provided test kits to the home through Let’s Get Checked.

Two transportation and shipping employers have focused their testing on COVID “hotspots.” For the first employer, Quest and Mayo brought antibody and PCR testing to select locations. Broadly, the percent positive was a little lower than the national average but generally followed the pattern of the country. Those who received a positive test result were provided support via a nurseline.

The other transportation employer hosted on-site PCR testing at specific hubs. Its focus was on identifying active infections where possible. The company isn’t getting as high a participation rate as anticipated.