Amanda Wilke, CEBS, Author at Word on Benefits

Reducing Loneliness: 4 Action Steps for Employers

Amanda Wilke

11 Apr 202411 Apr 2024

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people spent a lot of time isolated and indoors, which helped foster an environment where some people now feel lonelier than ever. The result is a loss of social connectedness—the degree to which people feel the social connections […]

Employee Benefits Retirement

SECURE 2.0 Act: Where Are We Now?

Amanda Wilke

23 Jan 202423 Jan 2024

The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0) encompasses a number of changes affecting retirement plans that go into effect over the next few years. SECURE 2.0 aims to make it easier for employers to offer retirement plans and help employees plan […]

Canada Employee Benefits Pensions

Target Benefit Plans: An Update on Where They Stand

Amanda Wilke

14 Dec 2023

Although target benefit pension plans have been in a state of unknown for a while, they are now closer to having a permanent funding model with several new proposals currently under consideration. In 2015, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions […]

Employee Benefits Financial Education Financial Education (Canada) Financial Education (U.S.) Financial Wellness U.S.

The Dangers of Credit Illiteracy: Three Takeaways for Employees and Organizations

Amanda Wilke

09 Nov 202309 Nov 2023

Forty-five percent of employees find their debt level overwhelming. It is always on their mind, weighing them down, creating mental and physical health implications. Much of the struggle comes from employees not understanding how credit and debt work together. Credit is the […]

Canada Employee Benefits Flexible Work Options U.S.

Remote Work and Global Mobility: Top Four Employer Considerations

Amanda Wilke

25 Aug 202325 Aug 2023

Employers today are dealing with labor and retention challenges like never before, including an increasing demand for flexible work from employees. In response, some employers have opted to create remote work arrangements allowing employees to reside and work from a country separate […]

Canada Defined Benefit (DB) Plans Employee Benefits Financial Education Financial Education (Canada) Financial Wellness

Decumulation Challenges and Solutions for Plan Members: Three Takeaways

Amanda Wilke

29 Jun 202329 Jun 2023

Decumulation, the concept of income for life, can be considered “the nastiest, hardest problem in finance,” according to William Sharpe, a Nobel prize winner in Economics. The concept is challenging because the uncertainty of someone’s lifespan makes it difficult to know what […]

Employee Benefits Health Care Insurance Prescription Drugs

PBM Reform Momentum Heats Up

Amanda Wilke

08 Jun 202308 Jun 2023

The fight to lower prescription drug costs is underway. Congress has introduced a handful of bipartisan bills aiming to tackle drug prices by increasing transparency on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and their practices that increase drug prices for group health plans. Congressional […]

Employee Benefits

Forfeiture Guidance for Retirement Plan Sponsors

Amanda Wilke

23 May 202323 May 2023

On February 27, 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a proposed rule to clarify the use of forfeitures in qualified defined contribution (DC) and defined benefit (DB) retirement plans. The rule would take effect for plan years beginning on or after […]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits HIPAA Insurance Legislative Regulatory

The End of the COVID-19 Emergencies Arrives Early

Amanda Wilke

12 Apr 202318 Apr 2023

This blog has been updated with new information from the previous version published on April 12, 2023. President Biden signed H.R. Res. 7 on Monday, April 10, 2023, to end the national emergency (NE) for COVID-19, effective immediately. Although the NE ended […]

Compliance Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Employee Benefits Health Care HIPAA Insurance Regulatory U.S.

It’s Coming—The End of the COVID-19 Emergencies

Amanda Wilke

21 Mar 202321 Mar 2023

After nearly three years, the time has finally come. The Biden administration announced that both the COVID-19 national emergency (NE) and the public health emergency (PHE) will end on May 11, 2023. Now it’s time for employers to prepare to unwind the […]