Word on Benefits

9 in 10 Employers Offer Voluntary Benefits: Here Are The Most Common

Justin Held, CEBS

11 Oct 202111 Oct 2021

Employers have long included voluntary benefits as part of their ancillary benefit packages. Voluntary benefits are administered by the employer and paid for by the workers, who in turn receive group rates or discounted services. An effective voluntary benefit plan can serve […]

Employee Benefits Mental Health Talking Benefits Podcast

Why Caregivers Are Likely Your Best Employees

Anne Patterson

07 Oct 202111 Oct 2021

Each year, during the first week of October, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and participants across the country raise awareness of mental illness, fight discrimination and provide support through Mental Illness Awareness Week. As our loyal Talking Benefits podcast listeners […]

Canada Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits

Is Your Organization Ready to Return to the Workplace? Ask Yourself These Three Questions.

Alyssa Hodder, GBA

05 Oct 202105 Oct 2021

Many Canadian employers are starting to implement their return-to-the-workplace plans this fall. But with rising COVID cases and the added stress of the COVID variants, the transition is becoming more challenging. For example, Ontario has implemented a vaccine certification mandate, meaning that […]

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PBGC Improves Multiemployer Outlook Due to ARPA

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

28 Sep 202122 Oct 2021

On September 20, 2021, PBGC released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Projections Report and a Five-Year Multiemployer Program Report. The reports show a substantial improvement in the outlook for PBGC’s Multiemployer Insurance Program due to the enactment of ARPA. The analysis of […]

Compliance Diversity and Inclusion Employee Benefits Health Care U.S.

Updated: Section 1557 Employer-Sponsored Group Health Plans

Amanda Wilke, CEBS

27 Sep 202127 Sep 2021

Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been surrounded by controversy for years. Our previous blog, Section 1557 and the SCOTUS Decision—Implications for Employer-Sponsored Group Health Plans, addressed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 2020 final rule […]

Canada Employee Benefits

The Election’s Over, So Now What? Impact on Canadian Employers and Plan Sponsors

Alyssa Hodder, GBA

23 Sep 202123 Sep 2021

After a hotly contested snap election, Canadians once again elected a Liberal minority government. Here’s a quick summary of some of the key elements of the Liberals’ platform that may impact employers and plan sponsors going forward: Labour/Employment Pledging to restore the […]

Compliance Employee Benefits Health Care U.S.

Questions From Plan Sponsors on the No Surprises Act and Transparency in Coverage

Anne Newhouse, CEBS

21 Sep 202120 Sep 2021

On November 12, 2020, Congress and the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury (the Departments) issued a final rule for Transparency in Coverage (TiC) aimed at group health plans with the purpose of encouraging transparency in health care costs. […]

Canada Diversity and Inclusion Employee Benefits Financial Education Financial Education (Canada) Financial Education (U.S.) Financial Wellness U.S.

Eight Financial Wellness Strategies for Reaching the Financially Vulnerable

Kathy Bergstrom, CEBS

20 Sep 202117 Feb 2023

Financial wellness programs have gained prominence as an employee benefit and can be effective in reducing financial stress among workers. But it’s not always that easy to get employees to use them. That’s particularly true among populations that have a greater incidence […]

Employee Benefits Employee Benefits Survey Human Resources (HR) U.S.

Benefits as a Percentage of Payroll Remains Consistent

Justin Held, CEBS

15 Sep 202115 Sep 2021

Over the past decade, the International Foundation has gathered benchmarking data on hundreds of benefit offerings through its Employee Benefits Survey. Data is gathered on all facets of employee benefits, including paid time off, retirement plans, health care benefits, disability benefits, life […]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Flexible Work Options U.S.

As Remote Work Becomes Normal, Could the Office Be a New Employee Benefit?

Jonas Leyrer, CEBS

09 Sep 202109 Sep 2021

Over the past 18 months, a lot has been said about remote work and the future of the office—and with good reason. The ability to work remotely has the potential to reshape how we live and work in ways we haven’t seen […]