Anne Patterson, Author at Word on Benefits

The Intersection of DEI in Benefit Plans

Anne Patterson

23 Feb 202310 Mar 2023

As the workforce continues to become more diverse, employers must review their benefit plans regularly to ensure that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) continue to be represented. In a recent International Foundation webcast, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in Employee Benefit Plans, […]

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Fertility Benefits Rapidly Rising as Employers Look to Attract and Support Talent

Anne Patterson

09 Feb 202310 Mar 2023

Fertility and family-forming benefits are top of mind for many organizations as they reevaluate benefit packages for the year ahead. Whether it’s to stay competitive in attracting and retaining key talent; save on health care costs; match benefits to diversity, equity and […]

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SECURE 2.0 Act: A Breakdown of Ten Big Implications for Employers

Anne Patterson

31 Jan 202310 Mar 2023

The SECURE 2.0 Act was included in a 4,155-page omnibus spending bill that passed on December 23 when President Biden signed it into law. We broke down the law in the latest Talking Benefits podcast episode, focusing on major implications for plan […]

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Quiet Promotion, Quiet Hiring, Quiet Firing: More Workplace Trends

Anne Patterson

19 Jan 202310 Mar 2023

I wrote a blog about quiet quitting back in August, so my ears perked up when I read about MORE quiet workplace trends: quiet promotion, quiet hiring and quiet firing. It’s really feeling like a library in here. What exactly do these […]

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Employers Covering Prescription Drugs for Weight Loss

Anne Patterson

05 Jan 202310 Mar 2023

A healthy reset has been a standard theme entering the new year, but it shouldn’t be the only time of year workplace wellness gets prioritized. What an individual’s weight says about their health status is an evolving discussion. So too is how […]

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2022 Year in Review: Benefits Past, Present and Future

Anne Patterson

22 Dec 202227 Jan 2023

Here in the benefits world, there doesn’t seem to be a slow year. The latest Talking Benefits podcast episode takes a look at the top benefits stories of the past year which has become our year-end tradition. Hear how the team did […]

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New Survey Results Are In—Organizations Committing to Hybrid Work

Anne Patterson

15 Dec 202215 Dec 2022

As the dust of the pandemic settles, over half of employers will maintain remote work options as 2023 approaches, according to a new report from the International Foundation. The Employee Benefits Survey results show the popularity of flexible work arrangements and decline […]

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Are Employers Revisiting Student Loan Repayment Strategies Now?

Anne Patterson

02 Dec 202202 Dec 2022

On December 1, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it will hear arguments about President Biden’s student loan relief program in February 2023 and blocked rollout of the program until then. Continuing to offer or adding student loan repayment programs would […]

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68% of Employers Are Planning Salary Increases for 2023

Anne Patterson

03 Nov 202203 Nov 2022

Organizations are planning salary increases and closely examining their total rewards packages for the year ahead in response to changing workforce demands. The International Foundation surveyed U.S. employers and found that 68% plan to offer salary increases for all workers in 2023. […]

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Flexible Planned Vacation: What Works and What Doesn’t

Anne Patterson

31 Oct 202227 Jan 2023

We’ve experienced a shift in many different aspects of benefits over the last few years and paid time off is no exception. In the latest Talking Benefits podcast episode, I learned more about the concept of unlimited time off—or, as one company […]