In recent years, working Americans are increasingly turning to voluntary benefits
to fill the gaps in their coverage needs. There are a variety of voluntary benefits
that can be offered. Employees can elect to purchase only those benefits that they
need. The premium for these voluntary benefits is paid for in full by the employees,
with no direct costs incurred by employers. However, because they are offered through
the workplace, they often feature convenient payroll deduction for premium payments
and can also be purchased through a flexible benefits plan that allow the employee
to pay for coverage with pretax dollars.