One Huntington Quadrangle, Suite 4N10, Melville, NY 11747

Ph: (631) 465.0606 | Email: info@jmbrassillgroup.com

Volunteering Time Off, Part Two | New York Benefits Advisors

Right now our national unemployment rate is 3.7%–edging towards a 50-year low. With this low rate, companies are actually finding it increasingly harder to hire and retain great talent. One way to combat this issue is by increasing employee engagement through volunteering. In survey after survey, employees state that they want to work for companies … Continued

Urgent Care vs. Emergency Room | NY Benefits Consultants

Let’s say you are getting ready to make your favorite breakfast—avocado toast. You’ve toasted the bread, cut the avocado in half, and are ready to remove the dreaded pit. Of course, your knife slips and you end up slicing your hand—making you the latest victim of “avocado hand.” It seems you cannot stop the bleeding … Continued

Top 5 Learning Metrics to Watch | New York Benefits Agency

How much job training equates to time wasted:  About 20%, according to one LinkedIn study.  That’s the percentage of learners who never apply their training to their job.  That same study says 67% of learners apply the lessons learned, but in the end, revert to previous habits.  Another study found 45% of training content is … Continued

5 Tips to Beat the Heat | NY Benefits Team

There’s no denying that summer has arrived. In fact, the news has been abuzz with Alaska’s heat wave in July that sent temperatures soaring between 20 and 30 degrees above average. When you are caught in the middle of a heat wave, it may seem like there’s nothing you can do to keep cool. But, … Continued

10 Tips for Excellent Company Culture | New York Employee Benefits Advisors

When it comes to culture, companies have to walk the walk and talk the talk. HR professionals have all been there.  A potential new employee comes in for an interview.  Company representatives question the prospect and then ask if the candidate has any questions.  With surety, the first question uttered will be about the company’s … Continued

Volunteering Time Off, Part 1 | New York Benefits Advisors

Volunteering Time Off, or VTO, has become a buzz topic for many companies as of late. It involves encouraging employees to take time off from their job to plug in to their community and the nonprofits that support it. Let’s delve in deeper to understand what VTO looks like. Typical VTO policies allot for 8 … Continued

ASK THE EXPERTS: OVERTIME AND PAID TIME | NY Employee Benefits Team

Question: Should we include holidays, PTO, vacation, or other leave taken during the workweek in calculating overtime premium pay under FLSA rules? Answer: No. Because holiday, PTO, and vacation hours are not actually hours worked they do not count towards overtime pay. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), an employer who requires or permits an employee … Continued

FROM THE HOTLINE: HOLIDAY PAY FOR NEW EMPLOYEES | New York Benefits Consultants

Question:   Our handbook states you must work your first scheduled day before AND after the holiday to receive holiday pay.  However, what if the employee is scheduled to work the holiday and then calls out on the holiday?  Do we still need to pay them holiday pay even though they called out? Answer: There is nothing in … Continued

Millennials, legal industry workers more likely to be hungover at work | NY Benefits Team

On average, American workers miss two days of work per year due to being hungover, a survey of 1,000 full-time workers from Delphi Behavioral Health Group found. By industry, the sector most affected by hangovers is tech, with an average of 8 sick days used, while construction workers and legal industry workers used four, the survey … Continued

Identity Theft | New York Employee Benefits Advisors

Recently, the “Happiest Place on Earth” wasn’t living up to its name for many families. For almost a full year, malicious software had been installed on point-of-sale systems at several Earl Enterprises restaurants. This software then captured debit and credit card numbers, expiration dates, and cardholder names of users purchasing food at these venues. Identity … Continued