Word on Benefits

How to Support Workforce Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Kathy Bergstrom, CEBS

03 Mar 202102 Mar 2021

Isolation and loneliness. Fear that you or a loved one will be infected with a deadly virus. Anxiety about finances. Stress over child care and school arrangements. During the COVID-19 pandemic, most people in the United States have experienced at least one—if […]

401(k) Plans Defined Contribution (DC) Plans Employee Benefits Employee Benefits Survey Financial Education Retirement U.S.

The State of Defined Contribution Retirement Plans in 2021

Justin Held, CEBS

24 Feb 202124 Feb 2021

The number of organizations offering defined contribution (DC) retirement plans has increased over the past two years, making them the primary retirement vehicle for an increasing share of the U.S. workforce. The International Foundation’s 2020 Employee Benefits Survey showed that 87% of […]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Defined Benefit (DB) Plans Defined Contribution (DC) Plans Dependent Care Employee Benefits Health Care Multiemployer Paid Leave U.S.

Employee Benefits and COVID-19: Changing the Future of Benefits Today

Kathy Bergstrom, CEBS

17 Feb 202116 Feb 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to bring long-lasting changes to life in the United States, and those changes will be reflected in employee benefits. How COVID-19 could affect health, retirement and other benefits even after the pandemic is over is discussed in […]

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Meeting the Benefit Needs of Your LGBTQ+ Plan Members

Robbie Hartman, CEBS

15 Feb 202115 Feb 2021

Increasing numbers of people are identifying as LGBTQ+, particularly among younger generations now entering workplaces, but their needs are often underserved in the design and administration of benefit plans. Employers and plan sponsors that proactively make their plans more inclusive—from enrollment forms […]

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What Employers Need to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines and Return to Work

Alyssa Hodder, GBA

12 Feb 202111 Feb 2021

When it comes to the COVID-19 vaccines and returning to the workplace, there’s a lot for employers to consider—and the time to start planning is now. A recent webcast, COVID-19 Vaccines: Implications for Canadian Employers, explored the key issues. COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution […]

401(k) Plans Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Health Care Retirement U.S.

Organizations Face New Health and Retirement Benefit Implications Due to COVID-19

Anne Patterson

10 Feb 202110 Feb 2021

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted employee benefits? The International Foundation has been tracking implications for workplaces across the country, providing a snapshot of the difficult decisions employers and their workers are making regarding their retirement and health care benefits. The latest […]

Education Employee Benefits Employee Benefits Survey Flexible Work Options Health Care Insurance Multiemployer U.S. Voluntary Benefits Work Life Balance

Innovative Benefit Offerings on the Rise—Employee Benefits Survey Results

Justin Held, CEBS

09 Feb 202109 Feb 2021

Beyond traditional benefits such as health and retirement, many organizations use innovative benefits to meet the varied needs of their employees. Benefits like identify theft insurance and student loan repayment are gaining popularity as employers add new and innovative perks to reflect […]

Employee Benefits Mental Health U.S. Wellness

3 Things Employers Can Do to Help Prevent Suicide

Stacy Van Alstyne, CEBS

08 Feb 202108 Feb 2021

As I’m writing this, a dear friend is reflecting on the ten-year anniversary of her brother’s suicide. I know she struggles with the helpless feeling of, “Was there something I could have done?” It was with great interest that I watched the […]

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COVID-19: How Do We Navigate Work Through the Pandemic in 2021?

Anne Patterson

04 Feb 202102 Feb 2021

Welcome to our first Talking Benefits episode of 2021! My fellow “pod squad” members Justin Held, Julie Stich and I engaged in more COVID-19 chatter during the most recent podcast episode. In this discussion, we focused on four main areas. 1. Benefits […]

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4 Commonly Asked Questions From Employers About the Coronavirus Vaccine

Amanda Wilke, CEBS

03 Feb 202103 Feb 2021

As they consider how to retransition back to an in-office environment, employers want to keep COVID-19 out of the workplace. In part one of our series on this subject, we discussed the issue of employers mandating the coronavirus vaccine or encouraging vaccination. […]