Word on Benefits

Using Mental Health Apps as Part of Your Employee Wellness Strategy

Robbie Hartman, CEBS

10 Aug 202109 Aug 2021

Digital mental health tools have been growing in popularity, especially as plans and organizations navigate lockdowns and remote work arrangements that have kept employees apart during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of these tools deliver mental health resources, programs and education through self-service […]

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

Happy Anniversary, HIPAA

Kathy Bergstrom, CEBS

09 Aug 202105 Aug 2021

August 2021 marks the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The main goals of the law were improving the portability of health insurance coverage for people who change jobs, preventing health care fraud, assisting […]

Office Dress Code Post-Pandemic: 5 Tips for Employers

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Employee Benefits Survey U.S.

Office Dress Codes Post-Pandemic: 5 Tips for Employers

Anne Patterson

05 Aug 202105 Aug 2021

The health and safety of all workers—whether on the front lines since the start of the pandemic, already back at the office or planning to return this fall—should continue to be the top priority for employers as we navigate the future of […]

Canada Employee Benefits Fraud Health Care U.S.

The Psychology of Benefits Fraud: Why We Lie to Ourselves

Alyssa Hodder, GBA

03 Aug 202104 Aug 2021

Have you ever told a white lie? Would you cheat on your taxes? What if you knew you wouldn’t get caught? A panel at our Fraud Prevention Institute—featuring David Asselstine, senior vice president and chief financial officer/chief risk officer with the Teachers’ […]

Defined Benefit (DB) Plans Defined Contribution (DC) Plans DOL Employee Benefits Pensions Retirement U.S.

DOL Guidance on Lost Retirement Plan Participants

Kathy Bergstrom, CEBS

28 Jul 202128 Jul 2021

The issue of what to do about lost or missing participants is a frustrating one for plan sponsors. These participants often have terminated participation in a plan because they took a new job. They may have even moved. Because these terminated participants […]

Employee Benefits Employee Benefits Survey Health Care U.S.

The Pros and Cons of Self-Funded Health Plans

Staff

26 Jul 202126 Jul 2021

Employers providing health care benefits to their employees can choose one of two options: a fully insured health plan or a self-funded health plan. Although there are many similarities between the two, there are striking differences as well—And each approach has its […]

Employee Benefits Employee Benefits Survey U.S. Work Life Balance

Will Employers Rethink At-Work Perks With the Return to the Office?

Justin Held, CEBS

22 Jul 202120 Jul 2021

The summer of 2021 is initiating the gradual return to in-workplace business operations. As part of a COVID-19 study from May of 2021, respondents approximated that 55% of their workforces were working remotely. Respondents also noted that they anticipated about 32% of […]

Diversity and Inclusion Employee Benefits Retirement Talking Benefits Podcast U.S.

Talking Benefits Podcast: Race, Gender and Social Impacts on Retirement

Anne Patterson

20 Jul 202120 Jul 2021

If you are a regular Talking Benefits podcast listener, you know that retirement security is a topic near and dear to the hearts of those working at the International Foundation. In addition, the Foundation has dedicated significant resources to DEI initiatives: educating […]

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Employee Benefits MPRA Multiemployer PBGC Pensions Retirement U.S.

PBGC Implements Special Financial Assistance Program for Financially Troubled Multiemployer Pension Plans

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

15 Jul 202115 Jul 2021

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) has released an interim final rule that focuses on special financial assistance (SFA) applications and related restrictions and conditions pursuant to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). Read more about ARPA’s provisions to transfer […]

Canada Communication Employee Benefits Mental Health U.S. Wellness Work Life Balance

The True Value of Empathetic Leadership

Alyssa Hodder, GBA

14 Jul 202114 Jul 2021

We know that leaders set the tone from the top. So when it comes to building a culture of empathy, trust and mutual respect, what example is your leadership setting? Research shows there is a connection between empathetic leadership and employee attraction […]

Using Mental Health Apps as Part of Your Employee Wellness Strategy

Happy Anniversary, HIPAA

Office Dress Codes Post-Pandemic: 5 Tips for Employers

The Psychology of Benefits Fraud: Why We Lie to Ourselves

DOL Guidance on Lost Retirement Plan Participants

﻿The Pros and Cons of Self-Funded Health Plans

Will Employers Rethink At-Work Perks With the Return to the Office?

Talking Benefits Podcast: Race, Gender and Social Impacts on Retirement

PBGC Implements Special Financial Assistance Program for Financially Troubled Multiemployer Pension Plans

The True Value of Empathetic Leadership

The Pros and Cons of Self-Funded Health Plans