The Handbook of Employee Benefits: Health and Group Benefits 7/E, 7th Edition

CHAPTER 1The Environment of Employee Benefit Plans

Jerry S. Rosenbloom

In the United States, employee benefits are an extremely important part of an employee’s financial security. Once considered to be “fringe” benefits because of their relatively small magnitude, this cannot be said today of employee benefits, which may account for over 35 percent of an individual’s total compensation. In many firms, that percentage is even higher. Furthermore, many new types of employee benefits have come onto the scene in recent years as employers compete for a talented workforce, and benefits have become much more of a strategic consideration for many firms. Moreover, with the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on March 23, ...