Word on Benefits

Benefit Plan Data Security—Whose Job Is It, Anyway?

Staff

13 Jun 201713 Jun 2017

While data privacy has become a major concern for organizations with respect to their core business operations, benefit plans can fall outside their focus. The sensitive nature of information stored (SSNs, DOBs, financial and medical information, bank account details and beneficiary information), […]

Talking Benefits Episode 6: The Plot Thickens

Staff

09 Jun 201706 Sep 2017

Catching up on the latest employee benefits updates—Are they are light read or a page turner? Looking back on the developments over the last month, you’ll likely go with the latter. Dive into the newest episode of the Talking Benefits podcast. This […]

Canada Defined Benefit (DB) Plans Employee Benefits Investments Legislative Pensions Retirement

Not Your Father’s Solvency Funding

Bryan Zoran, CEBS

07 Jun 2017

The International Foundation has been closely monitoring the significant provincial and federal funding changes for pension plans over the last few years. Target benefit plan legislation in British Columbia and Alberta, as well as federal legislation in Bill C-27, have certainly garnered a […]

Employee Benefits Wellness

Well-Being Takes the Lead Over ROI in Workplace Wellness Measurement

Anne Patterson

05 Jun 201705 Jun 2017

Unless we’re talking number of steps in your weekly Fitbit challenge with co-workers, using numbers to measure workplace wellness success is on its way to becoming a thing of the past, finds the International Foundation’s latest Workplace Wellness Trends: 2017 Survey Results […]

Employee Benefits Financial Education Financial Wellness Investments Retirement

Surprise! Fiduciary Rule to Be Implemented as Planned

Guest Contributor

02 Jun 201718 Jul 2017

It’s aliiiiiiive! Despite most people’s prediction that the Department of Labor’s (DOL) new fiduciary rule would be further delayed or completely scrapped under President Trump (see the Presidential Memorandum published on February 3, 2017 ), newly confirmed Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta issued […]

Employee Benefits Work Life Balance

5 Free Perks Employees Will Love This Summer

Staff

01 Jun 201719 Jun 2019

Summertime has arrived! Take a look at some of the easy perks you could provide to reward your hardworking employees: Flexible Scheduling Work/life balance can be especially tricky in the summer. The short window of summer months can leave your employees physically […]

401(k) Plans Employee Benefits Financial Education Financial Wellness Retirement

Top 5 Reasons for 401(k) Loans

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

30 May 2017

Many 401(k) plans allow participants to take out loans from their individual 401(k) account—While loan options provide flexibility for those tentative to contribute to 401(k) accounts, the option to borrow can also have a negative impact on retirement security. In my research […]

Employee Benefits Fraud

Trusted Employee, Fraud Threat, Both?

Kathy Bergstrom, CEBS

26 May 2017

When we think about people who defraud benefit plans, we probably picture the typical bad guys—fundamentally dishonest people who feel no remorse. In reality, about 95% of the people who commit internal or occupational fraud, such as embezzlement or financial statement fraud, […]

Employee Benefits Financial Education Financial Wellness

How to Target Young Workers in Your Financial Education Initiative

Staff

24 May 2017

If your workplace financial education focuses on saving for retirement, your message may not be resonating with a large part of your workforce: young workers. By reaching young, lower income workers, employers have the opportunity to support these employees and establish habits […]

Disability Benefits Disease Management Employee Benefits Paid Leave

Absence Management Policies Get to the Heart of the Matter

Robbie Hartman, CEBS

18 May 2017

In love, absence makes the heart grow fonder. In the workplace, however, absence management can make company leaders sing a much different tune. No employer is about to pen a love song for the estimated $225.8 billion annual cost of absenteeism in […]