Word on Benefits

The Multiemployer Retirement Plan Landscape: DB Takeaways

Justin Held, CEBS

24 Jun 202424 Jun 2024

According to recent data from Horizon Actuarial Services, LLC and the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, the fifteen-year period between 2006 and 2020 was turbulent for multiemployer defined benefit (DB) pension plans. Financial markets were volatile, and 2008 saw the biggest […]

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The DOL Retirement Security Final Rule: Highlights for Plan Sponsors

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

20 Jun 202420 Jun 2024

On April 25, 2024, the Department of Labor (DOL) published the retirement security final rule defining fiduciary status for investment advice to retirement investors under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). It is set to […]

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Health Plan Oncology Offerings—Designing the Best Possible Benefit

Anne Newhouse

18 Jun 202418 Jun 2024

In recent years, various sources including SunLife and the Business Group on Health have reported that cancer leads high-cost health claims for self-funded plans. Claims data shows the top three diagnoses currently driving claims are cancer, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal diseases. It’s no […]

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Employer Coverage of GLP-1 Drugs on the Rise

Cara McMullin

13 Jun 202413 Jun 2024

New Survey Data Reveals Total Reported Annual Claim Representation for GLP-1 Drugs for Weight Loss Has Increased to Almost Nine Percent A new survey report from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans reveals updated U.S. employer coverage surrounding glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) […]

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What to Know Before the Overtime Final Rule Takes Effect July 1

Amanda Wilke

11 Jun 202411 Jun 2024

After much anticipation, on April 23, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released its overtime final rule, updating the salary threshold for overtime exemptions for executive, administrative and professional (EAP) employees and highly compensated employees (HCEs). The rule is slated to […]

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Hot Paid Time Off Trends for the Summer

Anne Patterson

05 Jun 202405 Jun 2024

As the school year draws to a close and temps heat up, folks across the country are starting to plan for summer fun! Whether you’re getting another passport stamp, sticking around for a staycation or taking a Friday afternoon off for a […]

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Best Practices for Multiemployer Retirement Plan Death Audits

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

29 May 202429 May 2024

Fiduciaries have many responsibilities that stem from the duties of care, loyalty and prudence, including ensuring the correct benefits are paid to the correct participants and beneficiaries of the plan. Benefits Magazine authors Lisa L. Kaiser, CEBS, and Carey R. Wooton, CEBS, explain […]

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It’s a Busy Time in Washington: What Plan Sponsors Should Care About

Anne Patterson

23 May 202423 May 2024

It’s been a busy time in Washington, D.C., with an array of regulatory releases since mid-March. Adding to the attention this space has already been drawing, the latest Talking Benefits podcast episode provides a run-down of what’s been happening so plan sponsors […]

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Seeing the Value of Vision Benefits

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

21 May 202421 May 2024

May is Healthy Vision Month, which makes it a spectacular time to review vision benefit offerings and communicate to employees and plan participants the importance of eye care. According to the 2022 Employee Benefits Survey, more than half (62%) of U.S. employers […]

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Wake-Up Call: The Impact of Sleep Deprivation

Rebecca Plier

16 May 202417 May 2024

There is no denying that sleep is incredibly important. After all, we spend a third of our lives asleep! Despite the considerable role sleep plays in our lives, many of us often feel tired and lethargic, and we have difficulty falling to […]