Word on Benefits

Talking Benefits Podcast Episode 12: Holiday Hustle and Bustle

Staff

06 Dec 201706 Dec 2017

It’s beginning to look a lot like . . . tax reform! We’re in a holiday season rush to deliver the latest employee benefits news to you in the newest episode of the Talking Benefits Podcast. Listen in as we unwrap the […]

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Holiday Office Parties Worth Celebrating

Robbie Hartman, CEBS

04 Dec 201706 Dec 2018

Ho, ho, hold the phone! Your office holiday party is less than five minutes old, and . . . Is that the head of accounting crying on Santa’s lap? When did it become a *thing* to use oversized candy canes to act […]

Canada Employee Benefits Paid Leave Parental Leave

Flexibility in New Canadian Parental Leave Benefits

Bryan Zoran, CEBS

01 Dec 201707 Jan 2020

Federal rules governing maternity and parental leave, effective December 3, give Canadian parents and expecting moms more options. These changes come 46 years after this system, part of Canada’s employment insurance (EI), was first implemented. Parental leave has not remained static over […]

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Help Employees Avoid These Retirement Risks

Robbie Hartman, CEBS

30 Nov 2017

The retirement population is set to boom. Baby Boom, to be exact, as people born between 1947 and 1966 are at or nearing retirement age. This explosion of employees and plan members nearing retirement brings an opportunity for financial education, writes Alexandra […]

Employee Benefits Employee Benefits Survey Wellness

Employers Helping Workers Give Back

Justin Held, CEBS

28 Nov 201728 Nov 2017

Giving Tuesday is here! Since 2012, charitable initiatives have been celebrated on a national level on social media platforms. #GivingTuesday formally kicks off the charitable season on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, when individuals and organizations focus on end-of-year giving. In the spirit […]

Canada Employee Benefits Financial Education Financial Wellness

Financial Literacy Month Programs Strengthen Financial Well-being

Julie Stich, CEBS

21 Nov 2017

November is Financial Literacy Month in Canada. As part of Canada’s National Strategy for Financial Literacy, the federal government is leading the charge to strengthen the financial well-being of all Canadians by helping them manage money and debt wisely, plan and save […]

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Opioid Epidemic: The Role of Workplace Injuries

Kathy Bergstrom, CEBS

21 Nov 201721 Jan 2019

Private employers reported 2.9 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2016, and it’s likely that some of those employees received prescriptions for an opioid to manage their pain. In fact, research shows that workers’ compensation insurers spend about $1.54 billion annually […]

401(k) Plans Employee Benefits Financial Education Retirement

How to Increase 401(k) Participation With Automatic Enrollment

Anne Newhouse, CEBS

20 Nov 201720 Nov 2017

One of the great tools available to employers is automatic enrollment to increase participation in the 401(k) plan. The Pension Protection Act (PPA) was signed in 2006, encouraging employers to improve their plans and make it easier for employees to save through […]

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Talking Benefits Podcast Episode 11: Never a Dull Moment

Staff

17 Nov 2017

News, news and MORE NEWS! The fall months have brought an exhausting amount of ACA news as well as tax reform bills from the House and the Senate, so we’ve got you covered. The Talking Benefits podcast has a rundown of everything […]

ACA and Play or Pay—IRS Letters 226J Are On Their Way

Affordable Care Act (ACA) Employee Benefits

ACA and Play or Pay—IRS Letters 226J Are On the Way

Lois Gleason, CEBS

15 Nov 201721 Nov 2017

The IRS started sending 226J notices of potential “play or pay” Affordable Care Act (ACA) penalties to employers. What should you do if you get one? Well . . . Remember 2015? . . . Viola Davis won the Emmy for Best […]