Word on Benefits

Rethinking Gender: How Benefit Plans, Sponsors and Trustees Can—And Must—Adapt

Alyssa Hodder, GBA

15 Mar 202315 Mar 2023

How does the move toward greater diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) impact benefits plans? It’s a game changer, but there are still hurdles that the group insurance industry needs to overcome. A panel at the International Foundation’s Canadian Health and Wellness Innovations […]

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Proposed Interest Rate Assumptions for Determining Employer Withdrawal Liability (Part Two)

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

14 Mar 202314 Mar 2023

A new rule proposed by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) would increase the certainty of withdrawal liability determinations for multiemployer benefit plans and likely help prevent withdrawal liability disputes from going to arbitration and litigation, PBGC officials say. The proposed permissible […]

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Four Benefits That Increase Worker Productivity

Justin Held, CEBS

09 Mar 202310 Mar 2023

In a recent International Foundation wellness survey, respondents were asked about company culture issues that are impacting workforce productivity. Far and away, the most cited issue was worker stress. Another commonly cited issue was poor work-life balance. Responding organizations are recognizing the […]

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Supporting Women in the Workplace

Cara McMullin

08 Mar 202310 Mar 2023

Today (March 8) is International Women’s Day, a global event celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. The 2023 theme is #EmbraceEquity and one of the focus […]

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What to Know About Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements

Anne Newhouse, CEBS

02 Mar 202310 Mar 2023

Health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) have traditionally been used for medical cost sharing purposes to help employees with copays, coinsurance and deductibles. On June 13, 2019, the Departments of Labor, the Treasury, and Health and Human Services issued a final rule creating a […]

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Building a Better Work-Life Blend at Your Organization

Anne Patterson

01 Mar 202330 Mar 2023

Work-life balance is an idea that’s been tossed around for decades, and organizations have paid a lot of attention to the term, particularly over the last three years as the line between work and life has blurred. But the term work-life blend may […]

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PBGC: Proposed Interest Rate Assumptions for Determining Employer Withdrawal Liability

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

28 Feb 202310 Mar 2023

For the first time since the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) introduced the concept of withdrawal liability, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) has announced a proposed rule addressing the permissible interest rate assumptions for actuarial determinations of a […]

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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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Employee Attraction and Retention Through Voluntary Benefits

Justin Held, CEBS

21 Feb 202310 Mar 2023

From traditional benefits like life insurance and vision care to trendier offerings such as insurance to cover pets or protect against identity theft, voluntary benefits can serve as a cost-effective method to attract and retain workers. Voluntary benefits are administered by the […]

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Organizations Get Serious About Vacation Unplugging

Bella Tomaw

16 Feb 202310 Mar 2023

Vacation is the brief pause in your life when you can feel the sunshine on your face and breeze through your hair, taking you to a place of escape. It’s valuable time to reset and regain focus before returning to work. However, […]