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April 9, 2026

 

 

NEW HR Benefit for Participants in RAM's Health Insurance Cooperative

 

RAM announces a new partnership with Mineral, an HR and Compliance Platform designed to take the guess work out of HR and Compliance for small businesses.  This new benefit is an exclusive offering of the RAM Health Insurance Cooperative and is provided at no additional cost with purchase of a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Health Plan through the cooperative.

  • Non-cooperative members interested in learning more about RAM’s health insurance program, and its list of free additional benefits including the new Mineral offering, are advised to contact RAM Business Development Director, Joe Barnes at 978-478-7430 or via email at [email protected].   
  • Current cooperative members are advised to look for a Welcome Email from [email protected] inviting you to register and activate your business’s access to Mineral.  Any questions related to your Mineral access or features on the platform please reach out to [email protected].

 

Why use Mineral?

Running a business comes with a lot of "what-ifs." Mineral provides the answers and tools to keep operations running smoothly:

  • Expert HR Advice: Direct access to certified HR advisors for specific HR and Compliance questions.
  • Employee Handbook Builder: Build a handbook in minutes with built in law alerts across all states.
  • Compliance Library: State-specific templates, customizable forms, and law alerts.
  • Employee Training: A full catalog of online courses for employees (including harassment prevention and safety training)

Is your handbook a liability or an asset? If you are operating across state lines without a localized handbook—or don't have one at all—you are exposed to significant risk. Join the Mineral Team for a 30-minute webinar where they will demonstrate how to build and maintain a multi-state handbook in minutes. Plus, see how Mineral’s proactive alert system monitors federal and state law changes for you, pushing real-time updates directly to your inbox so you never fall out of compliance. 
 

NEW Child Care Benefit Offering from Kinder Care

 

Work-life integration isn’t always easy, but the Retailers Association of Massachusetts has your back!  RAM is pleased to announce that we have partnered with KinderCare to offer all association members exclusive access to discounted tuition rates on child care. The Tuition Benefit offers a 10% discount on tuition rates for full-time, part-time, or drop-in care at KinderCare Centers and Champions before- and after-school programs.   To learn more, please visit the RAM/KinderCare microsite where you can find collateral materials including FAQ’s, informational and new hire flyers, and vouchers for claiming the Tuition Benefits.  Members with questions may contact RAM at [email protected].  

 

Contact your Elected Officials:
Swipe Fee Reform 2026

 

While the MA Special Legislative Commission to Study the Future of Payments and Sales Transactions by Credit Card Commission begins their work; your local elected officials also need to hear from YOU.

The fight for Swipe Fee Reform has been ongoing in Washington, DC, for many years and RAM supports passage of the Credit Card Competition Act, but the battle is increasingly moving to the states.  There are solutions that the Commonwealth can explore and act on, such as:

  • Repeal the prohibition on surcharging/convenience fees – allow merchants to pass on the processing costs to the credit card purchaser (just like the state does at the DOR, RMV, etc.)
  • Eliminate interchange fees on sales taxes and tips – follow Illinois’ lead in eliminating the swipe fee penalty on merchants who collect taxes on behalf of the state or tips on behalf of their employees – both revenues that the merchant does not retain.
  • Establish a Chargeback Bill of Rights – both merchants and consumers deserve rights when facing or disputing a credit card chargeback.

And you might have other ideas!  While the Commission does their work we also want RAM members to contact their local Legislators and the Governor so they too are hearing from consumers and businesses just like you, about your experiences, history, interactions and challenges in this space. 

 

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