WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The National Retail Federation welcomed the House Budget Committee’s 19-17 approval today of Obamacare repeal-and-replace legislation, which sets the stage for a vote by the full House as soon as next week.

“This legislation contains many long-sought victories for retailers, most importantly the effective repeal of the employer mandate,” NRF Vice President for Health Care Policy Neil Trautwein said. “Health insurance reform was supposed to make coverage more affordable. Instead, Obamacare emphasized mandates that only drove up expenses for the employers who provide the vast majority of that coverage. Now we have a chance to get it right by moving our nation toward a more competition-driven health care market, and this bill takes a number of significant steps in that direction. Overall, this is a very good deal for retailers.”

Legislation approved this morning includes several provisions supported by NRF. It would effectively repeal the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate by reducing the penalty for non-compliance to zero; repeals the so-called Cadillac tax on high-value health plans until 2025; would lead to future insurance premium savings by repealing the health insurance tax, medical device tax and pharmaceutical tax; increases flexibility for health savings accounts; and takes a substantial first step toward Medicaid entitlement reform.

NRF is the world’s largest retail trade association, representing discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and Internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries. Retail is the nation’s largest private sector employer, supporting one in four U.S. jobs – 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.6 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nation’s economy.

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National Retail Federation

J. Craig Shearman, 855-NRF-PRESS

PRESS@NRF.com

Source: National Retail Federation

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Symetra Life Insurance Company announced that Fortune and Great Place to Work® have recognized the company as one of the 2026 Fortune Best Workplaces in Financial Services & Insurance™. This is Symetra’s fourth consecutive appearance on the list, coming in at No. 28 among organizations in the large workplaces category.

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Symetra is No. 28 among the top 50 organizations in the large company category on the 2026 Fortune Best Workplaces in Financial Services & Insurance list.

A global authority on workplace culture, Great Place to Work has been surveying employees around the world about their workplace experiences for 30 years. The 2026 Fortune Best Workplaces for Financial Services & Insurance list was selected by analyzing confidential survey responses from more than 1.3 million employees, representing the experiences of 7.3 million employees in the U.S. in 2025 and 2026. Of those responses, more than 194,000 responses were received from employees at Great Place To Work Certified companies in the financial services and insurance industry, and the 2026 rankings are based on that feedback.

“We are very proud to once again be recognized as a Fortune Best Workplace in Financial Services and Insurance based on feedback from our employees,” said Chief Human Resources Officer Anne-Marie Diouf. “Building a culture and environment that make Symetra a great place to work is a top priority. This recognition would not be possible without every employee being invested in our vision to create a world where more people have access to financial freedom. I am inspired by the commitment and collaboration they bring to Symetra, our customers and our partners, every day.”

Ninety percent of Symetra’s surveyed employees say it is a great place to work compared to 57 percent of employees at a typical U.S.-based company, while 96 percent said you are made to feel welcome when you join the company and 94 percent feel good about the ways the company contributes to the community.

Symetra’s recent workplace awards and recognition also include Fortune Best Workplaces for Women™ (2025, 2024, 2023, 2022), Fortune Best Workplaces for Parents™ (2025, 2024), and Fortune Best Workplaces for Millennials™ (2024). The company has been Great Place to Work certified since 2022. To learn more about working at Symetra, its remote-first environment and current opportunities, visit https://www.symetra.com/careers/.

About Symetra

Symetra Life Insurance Company is a subsidiary of Symetra Financial Corporation, a diversified financial services company based in Bellevue, Washington. In business since 1957, Symetra provides employee benefits, annuities and life insurance through a national network of benefit consultants, financial institutions, and independent financial professionals and insurance producers. For more information, visit www.symetra.com.

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Diana McSweeney

(425) 256-6167

diana.mcsweeney@symetra.com

Source: Symetra Life Insurance Company