International Foundation Staff, Author at Word on Benefits

Remote Work Policy Check-in—Time to Define Remote

Staff

21 Dec 202017 Dec 2020

As we head into winter, many employees are getting antsy as they work daily from their kitchen tables. Requests are starting to come in, leaving benefits and HR pros asking questions like “You want to work from WHERE?” From escaping the cold […]

Employee Benefits Paid Time Off (PTO) U.S. Vacation Work Life Balance

A Look at Paid Vacation Time as We Head Into the Holidays

Staff

02 Dec 202002 Dec 2020

Paid time off (PTO) tends to be a hot workplace topic in December. Employees have questions about which days will be paid holidays, how many vacation days they have left for the year and whether any of their remaining vacation time can […]

Employee Benefits U.S. Wellness

Workplace Wellness: Active vs. Sedentary Occupations

Staff

11 Nov 202011 Nov 2020

Back in 2019, before anyone had even heard of COVID-19, the International Foundation surveyed organizations about their wellness plans. One data point that our Research Team found especially interesting centered on some differences between organizations whose workers were predominately active (e.g., nurses, […]

Canada Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Mental Health U.S. Wellness

Supporting Employees Through Substance Abuse During COVID-19

Staff

29 Sep 202029 Sep 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a time of extreme stress for many—impacting not only individuals who were already vulnerable to substance abuse, but also people who have not previously struggled with addiction. In a recent International Foundation webcast, Rising Substance Abuse: Supporting […]

Employee Benefits Health Care Human Resources (HR) U.S.

Four Employee Benefits to Pack for College

Staff

03 Sep 202022 Sep 2020

College move-in is more challenging this year than ever before. Health concerns have risen to the top of the list of worries for parents taking kids to campus this fall in the midst of a pandemic. Now is the time to expand […]

Canada Coronavirus (COVID-19) Defined Contribution (DC) Plans Mental Health Prescription Drugs

New Report: 5 Changes Canadian Workplaces Have Made During COVID-19

Staff

16 Jul 202015 Jul 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has had dramatic implications for workplaces across Canada. A new report, Impact of COVID-19 on Pensions and Benefits in Canada, examines the myriad effects of the pandemic on employers and their workers. 5 Changes Canadian Workplaces Have Made During […]

Employee Benefits Health Care

Pros and Cons of Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Staff

25 Jun 202025 Jun 2020

A flexible spending account (FSA) is an individual account that can reimburse an employee for qualified medical expenses and work-related dependent care expenses. Is offering an FSA plan worthwhile? Let’s look at some of the pros and cons for both employers and […]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Health Care Prescription Drugs Retirement

Employers React to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Staff

11 May 202012 May 2020

The coronavirus is a challenge unlike any most employers have faced. The pandemic has brought major changes to the workplace, including shifts to employees’ health care and retirement benefits. A new International Foundation report, Employee Benefits in a COVID-19 World, examines what […]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Health Care Paid Time Off (PTO) Retirement

Steps Plan Sponsors Should Take to Implement the Families First Act and the CARES Act

Staff

08 May 202011 May 2020

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Families First Act or FFCRA) and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, an Economic Security (CARES) Act have brought a wide range of changes to employee benefit plans, including changes to health care coverage, retirement plans and leave […]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Work Life Balance

How Employers Can Help Working Parents During COVID-19

Staff

23 Apr 202003 Nov 2020

There are many times when working parents have a hard time doing the work/life balance thing. But with the stay-at-home orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, things have gotten 1000% more difficult. Welcome to a coronavirus-driven era of working while parenting. For […]