The regulatory changes effectively codify the Trump administration’s use of paid administrative leave under last year’s deferred resignation program.

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Avante, the maker of an AI platform to help companies manage employee health care and other benefits, has landed a $30 million Series A round.

Frist Cressey Ventures led the round, with participation from Sorenson Capital, Hearst Ventures, Morgan Stanley Next Level Fund and existing investor Fuse. The new funding, announced Tuesday, brings Seattle-based Avante’s total raised to $40 million, following a $10 million seed round led by Fuse in 2024.

Benefits are one of employers’ biggest costs. Avante’s AI agents do work like comparing vendor contracts against actual claims, reviewing plan documents for errors and preparing for renewals. Employees can also use the platform to ask questions about their own coverage.

The startup plans to use the cash to expand internationally and develop more AI agents, building on a beta release of its “Ava Agents” last week.

Avante says it now has more than 70 customers, including Samsung Semiconductor, Real Chemistry, Zscaler and News Corp, and that bookings grew nearly fivefold over the past year. The platform reaches more than 385,000 employees and family members, according to the company.

Avante was founded in 2023 by CEO Rohan D’Souza; Carly Eckert, a physician and epidemiologist who serves as head of innovation and impact; and executive chairman Kabir Shahani, the co-CEO of Amperity.

D’Souza and Eckert previously worked as executives at health care automation company Olive AI, which shut down in 2023. The startup emerged from stealth in early 2024 and launched publicly in April 2025.

“Benefits teams are responsible for one of the largest and most consequential investments their companies make, yet they’re still operating with outdated information, archaic spreadsheets, and technology built for another era,” D’Souza said in a statement.

Avante is pitching its software as employers face rising health care costs. Large employers are projecting a median 9.2% increase for 2027, the company said.

The startup competes with benefits and HR software providers such as Workday, ADP, Deel and Rippling. It has also signed partnerships with benefits advisory firms including Gallagher, OneDigital, Segal Benz, Howden and USI Insurance Services.

Avante ranks No. 156 on the GeekWire 200, our list of top Pacific Northwest tech startups.

"The purpose of a [COLA] is to make sure your annuity and your retirement income isn't devalued because prices continue to rise," said John Hatton.

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OPM is expected to soon update other online resources to reflect the new regulations.

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Most FEHB plans raised their premiums for 2027, and some are changing benefits in ways that could push your out-of-pocket spending higher.

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“CHRA will make a mistake … We'll fix them,” CHRA Director Karen Pane said. “In order to be creative, you sometimes have to have the possibility of failing.”

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"A lot of folks think the TSP is managing the money for their accounts. The TSP creates the funds and then you get to pick those," said Thiago Glieger.

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For employers who want to offer split schedules to hourly staff, this letter removes a significant obstacle, provided the arrangement is structured correctly.

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Enrollees will dole out about $4,700 for Select or more than $10,700 for Prime over the course of the year, not including additional costs of care.

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Federal employees will no longer have to complete a full year in their current paygrade before becoming eligible for promotion

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Federal employees review health plans every Open Season. WAEPA says it's also a good time to revisit life insurance, beneficiaries and coverage needs.

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"Historically, on average, past performance is no guarantee of future performance," said Arthur Stein.

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A 2027 COLA of 3.6% will be added to Social Security payments and retirement benefits in January. But FERS annuitants will see a smaller 2.6% adjustment.

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Ronald Sanders, a former chairman of the Federal Salary Council, explains why a “one-size-fits-all” pay raise needs to be revisited.

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With updates to the FEHB program and new requirements for certain retirees, it’s more important than ever to understand how FEHB and Medicare work together.

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"There are 157 federal veterans cemeteries that are run by the VA, in addition to a lot of state veterans cemeteries," said Mike Meese.

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The benefits of waiting until 62 are significant. That can be a tough pill to swallow if you had a different number in mind for retirement.

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"The rule of thumb under FERS, first of all is just to go towards the end of the month," said Tammy Flanagan.

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That makes September the first time in at least a year that OPM’s inventory has dipped below 10,000 claims.

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