Justin Held, CEBS, Author at Word on Benefits

The Long and Short of Disability Benefits

Justin Held, CEBS

03 Jan 201907 Jan 2019

Workers typically do not anticipate missing extended time from work due to an accident or unexpected illness. However, this is a real possibility. Currently, one in four 20-year-olds will become disabled before reaching retirement age. As part of their benefits strategies, organizations are […]

Employee Benefits Health Care Prescription Drugs

Strategies for Controlling Prescription Drug Costs

Justin Held, CEBS

15 Oct 201810 Oct 2018

Benefits practitioners have grown accustomed to headlines addressing escalating prescription drug costs. A recently released congressional report stated that the prices of commonly prescribed brand-name drugs have risen at a rate of nearly ten times the annual rate of inflation over the […]

Apprenticeship Programs Employee Benefits

5 Takeaways on the Future of Canadian Apprenticeship Training Programs

Justin Held, CEBS

28 Jun 201829 Jun 2018

Apprenticeship training has long been a key strategic initiative at the International Foundation. Over the years, we’ve engaged in a number of partner initiatives with the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAF-FCA), and in mid-June International Foundation staff members, including myself, traveled to Montreal […]

Disease Management Employee Benefits Health Care

The Second Most Expensive Health Condition: Considerations for Your Plan

Justin Held, CEBS

22 May 201822 May 2018

Readers are aware of the significant toll that cancer has on our society. We have all been touched on a personal level by cancer’s reach. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cancer is the second leading cause of deaths […]

Employee Benefits Health Care Insurance

Long-Term Care Insurance—Ripped From the Headlines

Justin Held, CEBS

14 Mar 201814 Mar 2018

Long-term care insurance has long been a staple of employee benefit offerings. While not typically a “headline-grabbing” benefit, these plans have received increased attention. What is a long-term care insurance plan? How commonly are these plans offered? Why is this topic trending […]

Apprenticeship Programs Employee Benefits

Life Skills Training Rounds Off Apprenticeship Education

Justin Held, CEBS

08 Feb 2018

Have you ever looked back at your high school years and wished that some of your course work had been a bit more practical? When I entered college, I knew the Pythagorean theorem but didn’t know the most effective way to communicate with […]

Defined Benefit (DB) Plans Defined Contribution (DC) Plans Disability Benefits Employee Benefits Flexible Work Options Health Care Retirement Vacation Voluntary Benefits Wellness

Part-Time With Benefits—Who Offers What?

Justin Held, CEBS

17 Jan 201809 Aug 2018

One of the most valued services of Foundation membership is access to our Ask a Benefits Expert service. Members are able to submit questions to our dedicated information specialists, who comb through vast resources to find the most useful information. While reviewing […]

Employee Benefits Employee Benefits Survey Wellness

Employers Helping Workers Give Back

Justin Held, CEBS

28 Nov 201728 Nov 2017

Giving Tuesday is here! Since 2012, charitable initiatives have been celebrated on a national level on social media platforms. #GivingTuesday formally kicks off the charitable season on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, when individuals and organizations focus on end-of-year giving. In the spirit […]

401(k) Plans Defined Benefit (DB) Plans Defined Contribution (DC) Plans Employee Benefits Health Care Human Resources (HR) Insurance Retirement

Employee Benefit To-Dos, After I Do: Post-Wedding Checklist

Justin Held, CEBS

18 Oct 2017

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something . . . that I know we’re going to forget! Checklists upon checklists accompany the big day, and I can relate. So can my colleague, Anne Patterson, here at the International Foundation—We both got hitched […]

Education Employee Benefits

Back to School Special: Educational Assistance Benefits

Justin Held, CEBS

29 Aug 201714 Sep 2017

Back-to-school time is here—It’s not just about yellow buses and brand-new lunch boxes. It’s also a time that many adults start thinking about heading back to school to finish their degree, complete continuing education requirements or attend job-related licensing courses. This is […]