Benefits That Work

Benefits That Work

Designing, Administering, and Explaining Benefits and Leave

By Trade Stevens, M.S., SHRM-SCP, PHR

Open enrollment is coming. A leave request just landed. A broker is quoting a renewal you don't quite understand. And employees keep asking what their benefits actually mean.

Sound familiar?

I wrote Benefits That Work because I have negotiated and administered benefits at the executive level, and I know how confusing it feels when no one has ever explained it plainly.

This practical guide covers benefits strategy and budget, what is required versus optional, health plans in plain language, brokers, carriers and funding models, retirement, voluntary and wellbeing benefits, paid time off, FMLA and other protected leave, accommodation, open enrollment, compliance notices, and vendor oversight.

What's included?

·      73-page digital PDF ebook you can read on your computer, tablet, or other PDF-compatible device.

·      14 chapters organized in four parts.

·      Practical toolkit with 16 appendices, including: benefits strategy worksheet, benefits inventory and eligibility map, true cost per employee worksheet, broker and carrier questions, leave decision map, leave tracking log, accommodation log, open enrollment project plan, manager leave guide, compliance notice calendar, return-to-work checklist, and a twelve-month build plan.

This book is written for an HR generalist or solo HR professional who owns benefits, a new benefits manager, a small business owner, or a manager who fields leave questions, and it gives you a practical starting point.

You don't need to become a benefits attorney. You need to know the questions to ask, the rules to check, and how to explain it clearly.

I'm Trade Stevens, a senior HR executive with more than 18 years of CHRO-level experience across multiple sectors. I created this guide to share practical approaches to the challenges HR professionals and the people who work with them face every day.

Start running benefits and leave that people understand.

Please note: This ebook is an educational resource, not legal advice. Employment laws vary by location and change over time. Verify current requirements and consult qualified professionals when appropriate. Benefits and leave laws vary by location, change often, and depend on employer size and plan design.