Word on Benefits

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 […]

Canada Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Retirement U.S.

The Early Retirement Wave

Amanda Wilke

24 Nov 202024 Nov 2020

As employers have been forced to cut costs due to the pandemic, some have decided to offer early retirement packages in an effort to avoid laying off employees. Early retirement packages may allow those closer to retirement age to leave the organization […]

Canada Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Multiemployer U.S.

Time to Update Your Disaster Recovery Plan

Kathy Bergstrom, CEBS

23 Nov 202023 Nov 2020

Many say it would have been nearly impossible for multiemployer benefit funds to prepare for a pandemic as serious and widespread as COVID-19. However, having a comprehensive disaster recovery plan that addressed infectious disease in place prior to the pandemic would have […]

Affordable Care Act (ACA) Employee Benefits Health Care Legislative U.S.

Your California v. Texas Explainer

Julie Stich, CEBS

19 Nov 202017 Jun 2021

On November 10, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case California v. Texas. Because this is a major case impacting benefits, we wanted to give you some background. What is the legal issue in California v. Texas? This […]

Canada CEBS (Certified Employee Benefit Specialist) Employee Benefits U.S.

What’s Your CEBS Story?

Christine Vazquez, CEBS

18 Nov 202017 Nov 2020

Meet CEBS designation holder Monica Desai! Learn more about Monica’s CEBS journey and how earning the Certified Employee Benefit Specialist® designation has shaped her career. Monica on how pursuing the CEBS designation demonstrated that she’s a lifelong learner and an expert in […]

Canada Employee Benefits Financial Education Financial Education (Canada) Financial Wellness U.S.

Using Financial Education to Overcome Inequalities

Robbie Hartman, CEBS

17 Nov 202017 Feb 2023

“The well-known business argument for financial wellness programs is the payback of at least $3 for every $1 invested by increasing worker productivity and retention,” said Rebecca Sudano, senior vice president and partner with BDO Canada Limited. In addition, financial wellness programs […]

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

Can Health FSAs Be Used to Prepay for Orthodontia?

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

12 Nov 202011 Nov 2020

As fall begins, the International Foundation Information Center typically sees an uptick in requests about year-end or new year planning for calendar year plans. Flexible spending account (FSA) participants need to estimate how much they will set aside for medical expenses prior […]

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 U.S. Work Life Balance

7 Skills You Need to Be a Successful Remote Worker

Alyssa Hodder

09 Nov 202005 Nov 2020

COVID-19 has had the dramatic effect of launching many of us into a remote work environment virtually overnight. But as the pandemic drags on (and on), it can be hard to stay motivated and productive. At our recent Canadian Employer Outlook virtual […]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Health Care U.S.

Responding to the COVID-19 Environment: Nine Actions for Health Plan Sponsors

Kathy Bergstrom, CEBS

05 Nov 202003 Nov 2020

The changes to the health care system brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic are creating a new set of risks and opportunities for health care purchasers and plan sponsors, some of which are not yet fully known. In their article “Charting a […]