We are pleased to announce the Enhanced Beacon Benefit Communicators/Aon Worksite Solutions/Benetrax Software Program. We developed the program through feedback from many AAHSA members who face the challenges of finding ways to increase retention of quality employees and to deal with the rising cost of providing benefits. This program can help members on the Quality First journey with Human Resources Development in the critical areas of employee retention, employee morale, and employee recruitment — expected outcomes of Quality First.

Beacon Benefit Communicators has been an integral part of the AAHSA Shared Services program for two years. It is a full-service benefits communications and employee voluntary benefits company. Beacon currently works with several state associations providing the AAHSA Benefit and Communication Program. We are introducing this new, enhanced program on a national basis with a dedicated representative in your state. We have accomplished this through a partnership with Aon Worksite Solutions.

Aon Worksite Solutions: Aon Worksite Solutions is a premier national voluntary benefit company with operations in every state. Aon received the Torch Award from the BBB of Illinois for companies above 3,500 employees. The Torch award is given for Workplace Ethics. In addition, Aon Worksite Solutions has the ability to set up payroll deductions on a Self Billing basis, formulating an easy administration process. The ease and usefulness of this program relies on the Benetrax software that the Beacon representative leaves with the facility.

Benetrax: Benetrax allows Management to control and forecast Human Capital Analysis. At the punch of a button and within 30 seconds, a member can have a complete overview of its human capital expenditures. Members can check past, present, and future expenditures for the organization and break it down by employee and by year, month, pay period, and even by hour. There is no cost to AAHSA members for the software or the benefit statements.

These enhancements strengthen our core program with Beacon and the premise that we build it on. While the voluntary benefits are a key element of this program and the source of revenue, the explanation and communication of benefits is the lead component. Beacon representatives meet privately with each employee. They explain each employee's individual benefits and the actual "hidden-cost" to the facility. This gives the facility the recognition it deserves for its investment in benefits. For example, through the Beacon consultation and the software program, the employee sees that although their hourly pay is $10.00, they are actually earning $14.50 because of these "hidden" benefits from the facility. This makes it harder to move down the street for the $10.50 offered by an alternate employer. Then, to those employees whom have expressed interest, Beacon will offer the option to participate in two or three voluntary benefits programs. The facility's management selects the programs that Beacon will offer to the employees. Employees are limited to spending no more than one hour's pay per week on voluntary benefits.

If you would like additional information about this program, please call either Christopher Bernardine at 1-888-883-5380 or Chris Kurinsky at 1-847-953-8021.