Amanda Wilke, CEBS, Author at Word on Benefits

U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Affordable Care Act

Amanda Wilke, CEBS

17 Jun 202117 Jun 2021

In December 2017, Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which dropped the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) individual mandate penalty to $0, effective January 1, 2019. A group of states led by Texas and two private citizens argued that since the […]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Health Care U.S.

Employers Offering COVID-19 Vaccine Incentives Including Paid Time Off, Cash, and More

Amanda Wilke, CEBS

30 Mar 202129 Mar 2021

Most employers are encouraging, rather than mandating, employees to get a COVID-19 vaccination. Organizations are taking a variety of actions to encourage vaccination. According to the Littler COVID-19 Vaccine Employer Survey Report, 11% of employers plan to provide cash awards to employees […]

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dependent Care Employee Benefits Paid Leave Parental Leave U.S. Wellness

Important FFCRA Leave Updates for Employers in the American Rescue Plan Act

Amanda Wilke, CEBS

29 Mar 202119 Apr 2021

Here we go again: yet another new relief bill sends employers heads spinning. On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) was signed into law. Among the many changes, ARPA extends the timeframe for employers to receive tax […]

Communication Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Human Resources (HR) U.S. Wellness

4 Commonly Asked Questions From Employers About the Coronavirus Vaccine

Amanda Wilke, CEBS

03 Feb 202103 Feb 2021

As they consider how to retransition back to an in-office environment, employers want to keep COVID-19 out of the workplace. In part one of our series on this subject, we discussed the issue of employers mandating the coronavirus vaccine or encouraging vaccination. […]

Communication Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Health Care U.S.

Employer COVID-19 Vaccine Considerations

Amanda Wilke, CEBS

25 Jan 202126 Jan 2021

Employers want to keep COVID-19 out of the workplace. As vaccines start to become available to employees, employers must plan their strategy for how to handle vaccinations. The Q&As below provide guidance for employers around the COVID-19 vaccine. Before taking any action, […]

Canada Communication Employee Benefits Health Care Insurance

Can Canadian Employers Require Employees to Join a Group Benefit Plan?

Amanda Wilke, CEBS

19 Jan 202101 Feb 2022

Canadian employers know that their employees value benefit plans. Employer-sponsored plans often provide additional benefit coverage to employees beyond the basic medical treatment covered under the universal health care system. Every employer’s benefit plan may be different—some include mandatory benefit programs that […]

Canada Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Retirement U.S.

The Early Retirement Wave

Amanda Wilke, CEBS

24 Nov 202024 Nov 2020

As employers have been forced to cut costs due to the pandemic, some have decided to offer early retirement packages in an effort to avoid laying off employees. Early retirement packages may allow those closer to retirement age to leave the organization […]

Employee Benefits Health Care

Section 1557 and the SCOTUS Decision—Implications for Employer-Sponsored Group Health Plans

Amanda Wilke, CEBS

08 Jul 202008 Jul 2020

Employers’ minds are swirling with what to do following recent developments in changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) Section 1557 and the recent United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) decision. On June 12, 2020, the Office for Civil Rights […]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits

CARES Act Expands Student Loan Benefits for 2020

Amanda Wilke, CEBS

08 Jun 202012 Aug 2021

Update: CAA of 2021 extended these provisions through 2025. For the past few years, employers have been grappling with different ways to provide student loan assistance to employees. Before January 1, 2021, employers can make contributions toward their employees’ student loans on […]

Canada Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits

COVID-19 Implications for Employer-Sponsored STD Plans

Amanda Wilke, CEBS

28 Apr 202028 Apr 2020

Canadian employers and employees are both struggling to keep up with all the changes due to the coronavirus pandemic. Theresa Tran, CEBS, a senior benefits consultant at Eckler Ltd., spoke about COVID-19 implications for employer-sponsored group short-term disability (STD) plans during the […]