Word on Benefits

Filling Skill Gaps With Aboriginal Apprenticeship Program

Kathy Bergstrom, CEBS

10 Jul 201417 Jan 2015

By: Kathy Bergstrom As Ontario struggles with a skilled trades gap, aboriginal Canadians are fighting a daunting challenge as well—Half of the aboriginal population is under the age of 25 and unemployment is nearly twice that of nonaboriginal population. Harold McBride, Executive […]

Employee Benefits Mental Health Wellness

Well-Being Index Uncovers Opportunities for Employers

Neil Mrkvicka

08 Jul 201417 Jan 2015

By: Neil Mrkvicka The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index is a barometer of Americans’ well-being that provides governments, communities, employers and health plans unmatched insight into the health of their populations. The State of American Well-Being dissects Well-Being Index® findings and provides employers recommendations […]

Employee Benefits Financial Education Financial Wellness Retirement

Retirement Planning: What’s Luck Got to Do With It?

Stacy Van Alstyne, CEBS

03 Jul 201417 Jan 2015

By: Stacy Van Alstyne Do you consider yourself a lucky person, or do you always seem to hit each and every red light? When it comes to your future, specifically your retirement plan, it may be all too tempting to leave it to […]

Affordable Care Act (ACA) Employee Benefits Health Care

How the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby Decision Impacts Employers

Julie Stich, CEBS

01 Jul 201417 Jan 2015

By: Julie Stich On Monday, June 30, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. announced the Supreme Court’s decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. What You Need to Know: The Court ruled in favor of Hobby Lobby, finding that closely held for-profit corporations […]

Employee Benefits Regulatory

Same-Sex Couple Benefits: The DOMA Decision One Year Later

Stacy Van Alstyne, CEBS

26 Jun 201417 Jan 2015

By: Stacy Van Alstyne One year after the landmark Supreme Court Windsor decision, employers have moved beyond hesitation and have adjusted their plans, including extending benefits to become compliant. According to the Foundation’s recent survey, Employee Benefits for Same-Sex Couples: The DOMA […]

Apprenticeship Programs Education

Positioning Apprenticeships as a Top Career Path

Tom DeRoche

24 Jun 201407 Apr 2017

By: Tom DeRoche In a recent conversation, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka suggested that the American labor movement, second only to the military, has provided the majority of skills training and adult education in the United States and with positive results. Those who work with […]

Affordable Care Act (ACA) Employee Benefits Health Care

Sorting Out the Minimums and Essentials of ACA

Lois Gleason, CEBS

20 Jun 201411 Apr 2017

By: Lois Mathis-Gleason, CEBS The Affordable Care Act changed our language as well as our health care system. Some of ACA’s key terms and phrases sound remarkably similar but have different meanings. Confused? We’ll help you sort out minimum essential coverage, minimum value, and […]

CEBS (Certified Employee Benefit Specialist) Education Employee Benefits

2 Countries, 11 Years, 1 Unexpected CEBS Journey

Chris Vogel, CEBS

18 Jun 201417 Jan 2015

By: Chris Vogel, CEBS I always jump at the chance to chat with Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) designation holders—each enjoys telling the story of his or her CEBS journey. These backstories about why they decided to spend the considerable time and effort the designation […]

Affordable Care Act (ACA) Employee Benefits Health Care

Play or Pay? . . . Employers say more like “Play AND Pay”

Neil Mrkvicka

12 Jun 201417 Jan 2015

By: Neil Mrkvicka The employer penalty is coming. Is everybody ready? Beginning in 2015, many employers will face penalties if they do not offer minimum essential coverage to their employees and any of their employees receive a subsidy to obtain coverage through […]

Employee Benefits

Second Most Popular Benefits Question

Kelli Kolsrud, CEBS

09 Jun 201420 Jan 2015

I have worked in the Information Center of the International Foundation for over two decades and responded to thousands of member requests for benefits information. There are a few information requests that fall into a category one could call perennial—asked so often that they go […]