Access to Discount Legal Services Is Popular Employee Perk

Human resource professionals who are looking for strategies to help employees balance their personal and work life may be interested in a recent partnership between RewardsPlus, a web-based benefits firm, and LegalWise, a national legal services provider.

The two companies have formed a partnership, which will allow employees at companies enrolled in RewardsPlus' RealLife Benefits Program to have access to LegalWise's attorney services. The partnership will permit employees with access to the RealLife Benefits Program to purchase legal services online at work.

More employers are offering such online work/family benefits to employees as a way to ease stress and increase retention. In fact, some experts predict that more employers will offer online benefits offerings such as a way to complement existing benefit packages.

Legal services is one of RewardPlus' most popular benefits-along with auto insurance, homeowners insurance, pet insurance, financial planning services and home equity loans. "We know that many of our customers have a great need for affordable legal services," said Ken Barksdale, president of Baltimore-based RewardsPlus. "The need to find an attorney who can write a will or represent an individual at a mortgage closing, can take time from an employee's work schedule. Our partnership with LegalWise solves that problem and helps employees save their money too."

RewardsPlus' RealLife Benefits Program provides group discounts on name-brand auto, home and life insurance and other products. Employees generally save up to 25% on their purchases, which can be deducted in installments from their paychecks. Employers do not pay a fee to offer the RealLife Benefits Program.

LegalWise offers three plans with varying legal benefits. All plans include telephone consultation, document review, third party intervention, 24-hour legal emergency service and a free simple will. Employees select attorneys from a network of 16,000 lawyers at the time of service.

The partnership with RewardsPlus will enable LegalWise to broaden its reach, said David Schlaifer, president of LegalWise. "It is our opinion that benefits made available online to consumers is the wave of the future," he added.