Word on Benefits

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, GBA

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 […]

Canada Defined Contribution (DC) Plans Employee Benefits Financial Education Investments Retirement U.S.

Three Steps Plan Sponsors Can Take to Bolster Retirement Security

Robbie Hartman, CEBS

02 Nov 202002 Nov 2020

The retirement security of defined contribution (DC) plan members is greatly influenced by their saving and investment choices as well as the timing and performance of financial markets. But plan sponsors and trustees still have an opportunity to positively influence the retirement […]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Human Resources (HR) U.S.

Changes to Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts Due to COVID-19

Anne Newhouse, CEBS

27 Oct 202021 Jan 2021

[An update on temporary guidance for DCAPs can be found here: Finally—Additional Relief for Dependent Care Assistance Programs Due to COVID-19, 1/21/21] In March and April, as states first began releasing their “shelter-in-place” orders, plan sponsors had to deal with questions about […]

Canada Employee Benefits

The Canadian Long-term Care Model: Why It’s Broken and How We Can Fix It

Alyssa Hodder, GBA

26 Oct 202021 Oct 2020

When it comes to the future of long-term care in Canada, there are two critical issues we need to consider right now: who’s going to provide it, and how are we going to pay for it? A panel discussion at our virtual […]