In recent months, we’ve shared four comprehensive updates on our progress following the Ease acquisition (One, Two, Three, Four). Despite this, we recognize that some concerns persist among Ease customers. Misunderstandings have arisen partly from our communications and partly from misinformation spread by competitors. Today, I’d like to briefly clarify key issues to alleviate any worries and ensure you have the facts.
We have not set a deadline for discontinuing Ease. Although we aim to have brokers move their cases off Ease by December 2025, this does not equate to turning off the platform. Our team has no timeframe for when the Ease system will be shut off and we recognize the importance of making sure Ease customers have access to their historical digital paper trail in Ease.
Ease brokers can continue to turn on carrier, TPA and payroll integrations for their customers on the Ease platform. We have no plans to turn off existing integrations and the Ease implementation team will continue to help facilitate these integrations for brokers.
Brokers can continue to add new groups to Ease. Our goal is to have feature parity between Employee Navigator and Ease by August 15th. Even so, brokers will still be able to add groups to Ease after August 15th.
Brokers will be able to choose when each company is migrated from Ease to Employee Navigator. Brokers will be able to migrate at their own pace with different brokers taking different approaches.
Both Employee Navigator and Ease help companies facilitate payroll integrations. Ease, in particular, facilitates carrier integrations through their EC+ connections team. Recent contract negotiations with brokers have centered around the liability of Employee Navigator and Ease when “due care” has not been exercised by the broker or company. It is the responsibility of the broker and company to review all work completed by our staff. Similarly, when a company outsources payroll, there is a two-step audit process each pay period. First, the finance department processes the payroll, and then the payroll company provides a pre-processing payroll report. The company must audit this report before approving payroll. If the company fails to review the report and an employee is overpaid, the payroll company, who is paid $3-$6 per employee, cannot be held liable if HR did not exercise “due care.” Brokers must also diligently review work completed by Employee Navigator or Ease. Every month insurance carriers send invoices to companies which should be thoroughly reviewed. Given the brokerage staff’s involvement in setting up plans, rates and payroll amounts, their liability is even greater. Every ben admin firm has a release of liability in their agreements with brokers, and similarly, I recommend that brokers begin implementing customer agreements to address these matters.
The Employee Navigator users conference is sold out. We’ll be announcing some major features at the conference, I can’t wait to see everyone.
The joint Ease and Employee Navigator product teams are in execution mode and over the next few months there will be significant improvements to Employee Navigator. We are very excited to finally be implementing Ease’s features in Employee Navigator and know these changes will revolutionize how brokers operate while driving significant increases in revenue and retention.
