Not even a repeal of the unpopular employer mandate would spur most companies to change their health benefits strategies.
Millions of newly uninsured could cause a spike in costs for health-care providers, who likely would pass the costs on to private payers.
Towers Watson says the lack of improvement at the end of 2015 reflects a rise in interest rates offset by weak stock markets.
To get Towers Watson shareholders to approve the deal, the companies raise the special cash dividend to $10 a share.
Mercer, perhaps a bellwether for growth in the private exchange space, will have 31% more active-employee exchange clients in 2016.
With employees knowing a company's median pay level, those both below and above may have a lot of new questions.
And three in 10 employers plan to give bonuses this year to employees who fail to meet performance expectations, says Towers Watson.
The professional-services firm and insurance broker will join in an $18 billion deal creating a company with more than $7 billion in revenue.
Investing in core technology is becoming the primary human resources service delivery priority, survey says.
Few firms remain that pay severance to executives only upon a change in control; a termination of employment is also now a standard requirement.
Investors press companies to use stock-ownership guidelines to motivate CEO and CFO performance.
Factors out of plan sponsors' control overwhelmed a strong 2014 for the markets, decimating funded status yet again.
