Employee benefits publications are invaluable tools for today's employers and employees. Employee benefits refers to retirement plans, health and life insurance, disability plans, and vacation and leave options. Navigating the world of employee benefits can be daunting. It is important that employees understand the health benefits offered by their employer, preferably before they are in need of them, and this can often be accomplished by reading Employee Compensation and Benefits Publications.

Short-term disability, long-term disability, and retirement funds can also be difficult to understand. Fortunately, there is a wealth of employee benefits magazines, employee benefits books, and other publications to help you understand this important topic. Employee Compensation and Benefits Publications make it possible to gain a clear understanding of what is available.

1. Many studies indicate that employees often do not understand the scope of benefits that their employers offer or find employee benefits publications confusing. Also, employees tend to underestimate what the cost of a benefits package is to their employer.

2. Rising health care costs are causing some companies to reduce their benefits, and in some cases, also raise the cost of the benefits to employees. Current employee benefits articles explore this topic further.

3. Employees should not make assumptions about their benefits package, but seek resources to help them understand what their needs are, and what is available to them through their employer. There are many employee compensation publications available to help towards this.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Read employee benefits books

There are many excellent books available to increase understanding of employee benefits, for both employers and employees. Such books are available at bookstores and on the web, and help readers gain a clear understanding of the world of employee benefits and compensation.

I recommend: Employee Benefits, by Burton T. Beam, Jr., is excellent for defining the most commonly used terms in employee benefits in easy-to-understand language and includes helpful data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employee Benefits by Joseph T. Martocchio is a book concisely written and offers the reader a solid foundation in understanding benefits and offers contemporary examples from real-life workplaces. The Handbook of Employee Benefits, by Jerry S. Rosenbloom, is geared more towards the human resources professional and is a complete resource to help managers understand and select benefit plans. The guide Bankroll Your Future Retirement, by Ellen Hoffman, offers easy to understand advice on how to understand Medicare, Social Security and retirement benefits. It includes simple examples and checklists.

Read magazines about employee benefits

Another resource for information is an employee benefits publication in magazine form. These employee compensation magazines are often available both online and in print form.

I recommend: Benefits & Compensation International is an international magazine offering current and reliable information on employee benefit trends. Benefits Interface, Inc. serves as a gateway for human resources professionals to better manage their benefit plans. Employee Benefit Advisor offers the latest trends for benefit managers and professionals as well as for employees. Other valuable magazines include Employee Benefits Glossary of Terms and Employment Relations Today.

Consult other employee compensation and benefits publications

Employee compensation publications and websites offer a wealth of information to help employees and employers understand the often complex world of employee benefits.

I recommend: Employee Benefits Newsletter is written specifically for employees to help them understand benefits, and includes up-to-the-minute data and statistics in an easy to understand format. The U.S. Department of Labor website offers guidance and information on regulations to consumers, employees, and managers.BenefitNews.com offers a wide range of research papers and articles on the benefits industry.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  With the state of the current economy, rising health care costs, and falling home values, many employees worry that they will not have enough money for retirement. There are employee benefits journals, by subscription, on the Internet and available from your employer's human resources department that can answer many of your questions about how to make the most of the retirement packages available through your employer.
• •  If you have made changes to your work schedule or switch from full- to part-time status, be certain that you understand how this will affect your benefits coverage. Find out if your employer has publications on employee benefits to clarify your coverage.
• •  Meet with a supervisor or professional in your human resources department if the employee benefits publications available cannot answer your more specific questions. There may be benefits available to you, through your employer, that you are not even aware of, such as educational expense allowances, adoption assistance, and subsidized day care. Have your questions ready and take plenty of notes.