70th Annual Employee Benefits Conference
Agenda
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Jon Meacham is a presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize–winning author. He is a contributor to TIME and the New York Times Book Review as well as a highly sought-after commentator, regularly appearing on MSNBC, CNN and other news outlets. Meacham is a distinguished visiting professor at Vanderbuilt University where he holds the Rogers Chair in the American Presidency. He will be signing copies of his 2022 book, And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle, following the keynote address.
Available Virtually
7:30 AM - 8:45 AM
Mike Walsh is the CEO of Tomorrow, a global consultancy on designing companies for the 21st century. For the past twenty years, he has been a leading authority on disruptive innovation, digital transformation and new ways of thinking. A global nomad from a diverse ethnic background, futurist and author of three best-selling books, Mike advises some of the world's biggest organizations on reinvention and change in this new era of machine intelligence.
Available Virtually
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Join the Department of Labor's EBSA assistant secretary Lisa Gomez as she discusses the trends and hot topics in employee benefit plan regulation.
Available Virtually
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- Considerations for primary and ancillary benefit offerings
- Pros and cons of direct contracting approaches
- Case study examples of success
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- How to get more out of conversations
- Reading the reports from your consultant and fund managers
- Understanding your consultants and their role
- Understanding investment managers and their role
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- Understanding the valuation report
- Key assumptions and how they impact the valuation and costs
- How changes in benefits affect long-term costs
- Understanding zone status
- What are present values, and how are they calculated?
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- Who is providing members with education and advice?
- Investment manager fees
- Duty of plan trustees to monitor participant experience with outside advice
- Member experience with retirement plans
- Pension, 403(b) and 457 plans
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Best practices
- Checklists for onboarding
- Plan and trust documents, policies for trustees
- Fund portals
- Trustee education expectations and appropriate sessions
- How to read and understand reports
- Behaviors and expectations
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Understanding your obligations
- Financial oversight
- Benefit payments
- Collections of contributions and withdrawal liability
- Securing data and privacy
- Trust fund business vs. union business
- Familiarity with fund policies and procedures
- What duties can or should be delegated?
- What are your responsibilities for reporting to participants?
Downloads
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Overview of fiduciary liability and other insurance
- Do you have enough coverage?
- Understanding the timing for claims
- Benefit overpayment protection
- What other benefits does your policy offer?
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Evolving your plan communication efforts
- Self-service
- Use of AI
- Identifying best practices
- Communicating plan value
- Legal considerations
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Why investing in cybersecurity matters
- DOL and HHS guidance
- Staff training
- Best practices—What to do when you have a breach
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
This session will serve as an introduction to sessions in the health care track. Identify the cost drivers that are most impacting your plan and use this knowledge to decide which sessions to attend.
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Tailoring messaging to specific generations
- Driving utilization of existing health offerings
- Getting creative while fulfilling legal obligations
- How to work with a communications professional
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Who is an ineligible dependent?
- Why would an ineligible dependent be listed on the plan?
- How to conduct a dependent eligibility audit
- Potential cost savings
Downloads
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Value of individualized treatment plans
- Updates on genetic testing and gene therapy
- Updated outcomes and effectiveness data
Downloads
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Evaluating population risk and prevalence through data
- Interventions
- Peer support models
- EAP/MAP
- Recovery-friendly workplaces
- Evidence-based interventions
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Basics of stocks, bonds and interest rates
- Separate accounts, commingled funds and mutual funds
- Cyclical nature of investments
- Historical views of portfolio design
- Why market timing doesn't work
Downloads
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- DOL audit perspective
- Proper benchmarking used by investment managers
- Total plan benchmarks
- Defined benefit plans
- Defined contribution plans
- Health and welfare
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Update on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021
- Global perspective
- Infrastructure funds
- Risk and liquidity
- Opportunities
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- How to set/understand a range of return expectations
- Understanding your plan's risk tolerance
- View of historical portfolio planning and market cycles
- Understanding what you own and how it will perform in different environments
- Actuarial perspectives
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Attend this session to learn about updates in the legislative and regulatory environment for pension and retirement plans.
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Overview of withdrawal liability
- Where/when does it apply? Are there exceptions?
- Approaches to managing withdrawal liability
- Review of experiences
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Hear from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) about its biggest concerns, recent initiatives and outlook for the future.
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
How to provide choice and manage risk, including:
- Annual expense review
- Target date fund review
- Overall expenses compared to a peer universe
- Financial literacy and distribution education.
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Overview of different designs
- Adjustable pension plan (APP)
- Variable annuity pension plan (VAPP)
- Administrative and technology issues
- Transition issues
- Benefits and risks
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Regulatory agenda
- Enforcement activities and priorities
- Recent proposed and enacted guidance
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Update to the application process
- Changing documentation requirements for funds that received SFA
- Investment manager selection for SFA assets
- Preparing for a post-SFA DOL audit
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Current litigation and claims against public sector retirement and health plans
- Strategies for reducing litigation risk
- Steps to take if your plan is at risk or in litigation
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Identifying the unique elements of a training fund
- Policies and procedures to safeguard against violations
- Expenses to avoid
- Case study examples
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
One of the necessary attributes of a successful trustee is communication skills. So many situations arise when dealing with your board, your plan professionals, and your membership that require effective and efficient communication. At the same time, technology advancements and artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the communications landscape. This year's TMP Candidate classes (TMPC Part I and TMPC2 Part II) will be devoted to honing your communication skills to help you develop as a leader, engage with the multigenerational workforce, manage through conflict and consider broadly how to navigate the complexities of delivering benefits in today's environment.
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Developing and implementing a strong delinquency policy
- Working with employers to improve reporting
- Increasing collections through payroll audits
- Communications between collections attorneys and the fund office
- Best practices with ACH and checks
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Evolving fiduciary responsibilities
- Disclosures, conflicts of interest and parties in interest
- Areas vulnerable to breaches in fiduciary responsibility
- Oversight of professionals, investments and fees
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Attend this session to learn about updates in litigation for employee benefit plans. The speaker will cover a range of new and/or updated cases within the federal court system.
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Fostering a positive working environment amidst uncertainties is crucial for organizational success. Hear from a consultant in organizational well-being about specific strategies you can implement to safeguard psychological safety and enhance employee morale and engagement through effective benefit programs.
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Attend this session to learn about updates in the legislative and regulatory environment for health and welfare plans, including:
- No Surprises Act
- Inflation Reduction Act
- PBM litigation
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Identifying plan structures
- Who are your plan professionals?
- Abbreviations, acronyms, slang and more
- Written policy language
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Identifying common threats
- Steps for prevention
- Post-breach action steps
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Identifying your current high-cost participants
- Identifying who may become a high-cost participant
- Strategies for improving population health, reducing plan volatility and mitigating costs
- Privacy and cybersecurity concerns
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Identifying the social determinants of health and access to care
- The role of targeted communications
- Overcoming stigma and bias
- Strategies for success
-
Kirk Woodruff -
Seth Serxner
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Existing mental health treatment landscape
- Psychedelics in treatment (e.g., ketamine, LSD, MDMA, psilocybin)
- Importance of evidence-based therapies
- Where are we now?
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- DOL guidance for making investment decisions
- Consultant vs. manager roles
- When is a consultant or manager a fiduciary?
- Can I give up my fiduciary responsibility for investment decisions?
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- The new BRICS
- Divesting from China
- Risks: Politics and policies
- Why have emerging markets underperformed?
- What to expect going forward
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Sector outlook
- Open- and close-ended funds
- Strategies in your plan's portfolio
- Portfolio advantages and risks
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- What is a liability-driven investment (LDI) strategy?
- Using strategies found in special financial assistance plan management
- Structuring plans to better prepare for decumulation
- Impact on a plan's financial health
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Using separate assumptions for funding and withdrawal liability calculations
- Complete or partial withdrawal liability
- PBGC regulations—What’s new?
- Legal and other issues
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Methods of communicating
- Importance of financial literacy
- Building a model of education
- Goals of the plan
- Planning for the future
- Appropriate messages for participants, employers, trustees and administrators
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
We typically think about the risk due to asset allocation; this session will identify various noninvestment risks, including:
- Plan maturity risk
- Demographic risk
- Plan design risk
- Employer risk
- Industry risk.
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Can a solution be found in changing a formula? Join this interactive session to discuss key factors to consider when choosing to switch to a VAPP and apply those factors to a demo pension plan. During a follow-up session, Variable Annuity Pension Plan—Lessons Learned, the demo plan will be debriefed, discussing implications the plan may encounter.
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
This session has been designed to review the Department of Labor's Audit Quality Report, addressing the findings and reviewing how to best handle deficiencies from the auditor's point of view.
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Retirement Security Rule
- QPAMs
- In-depth look at proposed DOL regulatory action
- NQTLs
- SECURE 2.0 updates for attorneys
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Risks and opportunities
- Vendors
- Theoretical vs. practical
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Which policies should every fund have? What are you missing?
- How often should your policies be updated?
- Legal requirements
- Communication methods
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
This session will provide an "operations map" takeaway that management teams can use as a template to implement at their own fund office.
- HR considerations
- Recruiting and retaining staff, succession planning
- Onboarding and training
- Legal and regulatory issues
- Cybersecurity and privacy
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- How are trustees appointed, and who has the authority to appoint them?
- Understanding your trustee fiduciary responsibility and duty to monitor
- Strategies for recruiting trustees
- Institutional knowledge and continuity
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- Can you rely on an "add-on" to your fiduciary liability or commercial umbrella insurance policy to protect your plan?
- How much coverage do you need?
- Are you covered if you aren't performing regular, independent security checks?
- What is the next trend for fiduciaries to consider?
- What is not covered?
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Join this session to learn more about the importance of fiduciary education for trustees and administrators of employee benefit plans and how International Foundation programs and resources can support your educational path.
- Fiduciary education: Who needs it and why?
- Educational paths
- International Foundation member benefits
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
This session aims to address the opportunities and challenges that artificial intelligence (AI) may bring to benefit fund administration, including how it is currently being utilized and its potential impact on the workforce.
-
Joseph Hickey -
Val Orekhov
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Join this session to hear from a panel on how their recruitment and retention strategies have adapted over the last two years with new collective bargaining agreements, wage increases and benefit enhancements.
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- Updates on DOL health plan audits and investigations
- Current trends, including mental health parity
- Future initiatives
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- How to read the actuarial valuation
- Understanding how benefit changes affect cost
- Decisions for actuaries
- Decisions for trustees
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- What's coming down the pipeline
- Specialty drug update
- GLP-1 update
- Biosimilars, formularies and other cost-containment strategies
- Inflation Reduction Act implications
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- Investment horizon
- Risk tolerance
- Self-funded
- Hybrid
- Reserves and cash flows
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- Participant vs. trustee directed
- What is a QDIA?
- Fees: Custody, recordkeeping and investment
- Trustee responsibilities and risks
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- How interest rates impact bond returns
- Reviewing your plan's bond allocation
- Investment grade vs. high yield
- Rethinking whole asset mix
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- What is private equity?
- What is private credit?
- Valuation and liquidity issues
- Trustees' role in commitment and oversight
- Legal issues
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
In a series of short debates, learn about varying considerations and perspectives on the following:
- Moving the discount rate
- Discount rates for funding vs. withdrawal liability
- Asset methods
- Mortality rates
- Variable plans.
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- Implications of SFA for the short- and long-term solvency prospects of affected plans
- Investment approaches intended to advance solvency beyond 2051
- Post-SFA distribution compliance
- Plan design and risk mitigation
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
This is a follow-up session to Variable Annuity Pension Plan—Choose Your Own Adventure. A panel of experts will debrief the pros, cons and potential unintended consequences of a proposed pension plan as devised by the session's live audience participation.
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- Ideal investment choices
- SECURE 2.0 implications
- Automatic enrollment
- Escalation features
- Required minimum distributions
- Financial literacy and distribution education
- Income payout options
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Attend this session to learn about the Department of Labor's trends in retirement plan audits and investigations. Everything from current trends to future initiatives will be covered, as well as details on how to successfully navigate an investigation.
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
A panel of professionals will lead a discussion for CPAs and their accounting and auditing staff.
- What will audit teams look like and how do we find talent?
- Competition in the workforce
- The role of technology
- Creating efficiencies
- Potential pitfalls
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
This session will discuss recent developments in the representation of ERISA plan stakeholders; attorney-client privilege, work product doctrine and their representation; and the ethical rules and considerations for attorneys who work remotely. The session will also focus on the impacts of technology (including artificial intelligence (AI)) on the legal profession.
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- The relationship between Social Security, Medicare and the pension plan
- Coverage
- Cost
- Eligibility
- Government pension offset
- Helping members calculate their highest value option
- Making the best decisions for your plan
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- Defining "inclusive" health benefits
- Meeting member needs
- Navigating legal and political landscapes
- What's the difference between inclusive benefits and benefit carve-outs?
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- Utilizing your networks: Schools, community colleges, military, incarcerated populations and more
- Recruitment strategies beyond job and career fairs
- Ideas/initiatives for all fund sizes
7:15 PM - 8:15 PM
- The ability to include student loan benefits in plans
- Tools to help employees establish an emergency savings account
- Ways to increase catch-up contributions for near-retirees
- Expanded tax credits for new retirement plans
7:30 AM - 8:45 AM
Marci Rossell is a world-renowned economist and financial expert who electrifies audiences nationwide, speaking candidly on the nexus of economics, politics, culture and the media. She honed her animated style serving as the popular, lively Chief Economist for CNBC, where she became a household name and a must-watch source of financial news. The former co-host of the well-known "pre-market" morning news and talk show Squawk Box, Rossell is revered for taking complex economic issues, often dull in the button-down business press, and making them relevant to people's lives, families and careers.
Available Virtually
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Attend this session for a quick review of the many policies to consider for plan administration, such as:
- Education policy
- Delinquent and collection policy
- Fiduciary, cyber, business and other insurance policies
- Trustee expense and reimbursement policy.
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Examine real-life scenarios that demonstrate the fine line between outside interests and the interests of the participants.
- Difficult and uncomfortable decisions
- Understanding your co-fiduciary responsibility
- Tools and processes for effective decision making
- Appropriate documentation and due diligence
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- Plan-related expenses vs. other expenses
- Areas of potential concern
- Documentation and policies
- How good people can make poor choices
- Training your new trustees
- Areas drawing DOL attention
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- DOL requests and prep for audit
- Audit findings and outcomes
- Lessons learned, new policies and procedures
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- What is stop-loss insurance?
- Selecting the appropriate coverage levels
- Reviewing and understanding contract terms
- How to utilize stop-loss effectively
- Adverse selection considerations
- Pharmacy considerations
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- How does a PBM work?
- Dissecting contract elements
- Ensuring proper transparency
- Fiduciary responsibility
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- Overview of design options
- Primary care, pharmacy, vision and other covered services
- Attributes of successful models: Analytics, communication, service integration and more
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- Insights into how cancer uniquely impacts unions and their members
- Overview of scientific advances, clinical data and cutting-edge technology
- Case study—Examples of success
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- How to approach asset allocation
- How much detail should your investment policy statement (IPS) have?
- Why is it so important to keep your investments within the IPS guidelines?
- How to reconcile actuarial assumptions with investment return projections
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- Understanding private equity
- Liquidity constraints
- Fee structures
- Planning for illiquid assets in your portfolio
- History of the marketplace and why it is growing
- Are banks being replaced by private equity?
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- Implementing your investment policy
- Understanding asset mix and its impact on returns
- Challenging your investment consultant based on performance and policy
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- What is proxy voting?
- What kinds of investments involve proxy voting?
- What is a trustee's fiduciary responsibility for proxy votes?
- Updates to DOL regulations and action items for trustees
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- Which comes first: The actuarial assumption or the investment allocation?
- Approaching the issue differently and managing risk
- Implications for actuarial assumptions and investment allocation
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- Impact of longevity
- Generations in the workforce
- Economic impacts
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- Benefit improvements: Covering all service or only future service?
- Risk management
- Reconsidering actuarial assumptions
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
- How are decisions typically made?
- Appeals process
- What happens when a diagnosis is not clear?
- Navigating mental health claims such as PTSD
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Training funds continue to obtain funding from a wide variety of external sources. This session will provide insights for trustees looking to navigate the process, including:
- Where to look for opportunities
- Navigating the application process
- Best practices for success.
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
TPA and self-administered fund offices are essentially data companies. How can you implement data automation to improve efficiency?
- Going paperless
- Implementing an electronic data management (EDM) system and data programs
- Efficiently identifying changes in monthly employer contribution reports and issues
- Eliminating the need for various spreadsheets and manual processing
- Administrators' fund portal
- Developing a simple database that houses trustee information, benefit plan design (group suffixes/subgroups) and vendor/contract information
- Compliance and appeal tracking system
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
This session is designed to provide trustees with information on why some funds may use a "professional" trustee to fill vacancies.
- What are "professional" trustees and "independent" fiduciaries?
- Identify reasons a fund would seek a "professional" trustee
- What does the appointing entity hope to accomplish?
- Other concerns and considerations
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Timely transfer of worker contributions (wage deferrals) and employer contributions to the recordkeeper
- Choosing and monitoring investment options
- Understanding the various share classes and fees
- Participant loans and hardships
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
This session will provide an in-depth exploration of innovative and inclusive employee benefits that cater to diverse family structures and personal needs. By focusing on mental health benefits, LGBTQ+ support and other nontraditional benefits, organizations can enhance employee satisfaction, retention and overall well-being. Join us to learn best practices, implementation strategies and the positive impacts these benefits can have on your workforce.
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Updates on DOL health plan audits and investigations
- Current trends, including mental health parity
- Future initiatives
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Current state of coverage for diabetes care
- Current state of the industry in obesity drug coverage
- Utilization trends and their impact on benefit plans
- Cost and safety considerations
- The role of prescription therapies as part of a total health approach
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Identifying your current high-cost participants
- Identifying who may become a high-cost participant
- Strategies for improving population health, reducing plan volatility and mitigating costs
- Privacy and cybersecurity concerns
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Considerations for primary and ancillary benefit offerings
- Pros and cons of direct contracting approaches
- Case study examples of success
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Advancements in the science and research of their effectiveness
- Legal landscape in the U.S.
- Application for employee benefit plans
- Plan design
- Cost
- Outcomes
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Join this panel for a discussion of the equity markets, including:
- Growth vs. value
- Active vs. passive
- How does "cap" size matter?
- Benefits and risks to portfolios.
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Challenging the model: Two sides of the coin
- Importance of fiduciary liability oversight of trustees
- Pitfalls and benefits
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Regulatory requirements and trending options
- Legacy assets vs. special financial assistance (SFA) assets
- Audit requirements and risk management
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Tools for investment consultants
- How managers may be using artificial intelligence (AI) in the portfolio
- Quantitative investment strategies
- How can you use AI for your fund?
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Can a solution be found in changing a formula? Join this interactive session to discuss key factors to consider when choosing to switch to a VAPP and apply those factors to a demo pension plan. During a follow-up session, Variable Annuity Pension Plan—Lessons Learned, the demo plan will be debriefed, discussing implications the plan may encounter.
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Participant-directed
- Trustee-directed
- 401(k) vs. other plan types for the multiemployer world
- SECURE 2.0 implications
- How to complement your defined benefit (DB) plan (if you have one)
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Attend this session to learn about the Department of Labor's trends in retirement plan audits and investigations. Everything from current trends to future initiatives will be covered, as well as details on how to successfully navigate an investigation.
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
This session will present hypothetical issues that payroll auditors may run into and the best way to handle them, including:
- Trustee concerns
- Contract interpretation
- Missing or bad payroll records
- When to contact the attorney
- How artificial intelligence (AI) could help.
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Recent litigation
- PBM contract terms
- PBM monitoring
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Overview of coverage options pre- and post-Medicare enrollment
- Pros and cons for health plans and participants
- Examples of successful approaches in action
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Nonbenefit laws
- Open meeting laws
- Public procurement laws
- Public records requests, etc.
- Return-to-work rules and the perception risk
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
- Understanding the unique needs of women
- What you can and cannot do
- Creating welcoming environments for women
- Best practices for your fund
-
Reneeleona Dozier -
Jamie Hull
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Promoting empathy and psychological safety
- Setting boundaries and establishing norms
- Understanding the relationship between connectedness and well-being
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Performance metrics and standards, including performance penalties
- Fees and reporting, including 408(b)2(B)
- RFPs and RFIs
- Cybersecurity best practices and questionnaire responses
- Reviewing service provider succession plans
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Terminology
- How to read the plan financial statement
- Understanding internal controls
- Creating and following a budget for the plan/trust
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Why investing in cybersecurity matters
- DOL and HHS guidance
- Staff training
- Best practices—What to do when you have a breach
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
This session aims to address the opportunities and challenges that artificial intelligence (AI) may bring to benefit fund administration, including how it is currently being utilized and its potential impact on the workforce.
-
Joseph Hickey
-
Val Orekhov
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Paid leave covers everything from vacation and sick pay to bereavement and emergency leave. Join this panel discussion to learn about the latest trends.
- 2024 International Foundation survey results
- Strategies for compliance with state and local laws
- Implementation of new programs
- Best practices
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Attend this session to learn about updates in the legislative and regulatory environment for health and welfare plans, including:
- No Surprises Act
- Inflation Reduction Act
- PBM litigation
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- What's coming down the pipeline
- Specialty drug update
- GLP-1 update
- Biosimilars, formularies and other cost-containment strategies
- Inflation Reduction Act implications
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- The role of artificial intelligence (AI)
- Wearables and other devices
- Virtual offerings: Primary care, physical therapy, telepsychiatry and more
- Security considerations
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Plan communications and recordkeeping
- Comparison/grandfathering of benefits
- Network provider disruption issues
- Administrative, implementation and compliance issues
- Governance issues
- Case study examples of success
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Identifying the social determinants of health and access to care
- The role of targeted communications
- Overcoming stigma and bias
- Strategies for success
-
Kirk Woodruff
-
Seth Serxner
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Achieving whole-person care
- Mental health parity considerations
- Coverage for substance use disorders
- Addressing provider shortages
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- How to get more out of conversations
- Reading the reports from your consultant and fund managers
- Understanding your consultants and their role
- Understanding investment managers and their role
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- DOL audit perspective
- Proper benchmarking used by investment managers
- Total plan benchmarks
- Defined benefit plans
- Defined contribution plans
- Health and welfare
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- How interest rates impact bond returns
- Reviewing your plan's bond allocation
- Investment grade vs. high yield
- Rethinking whole asset mix
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Attend this session to learn about updates in the legislative and regulatory environment for pension and retirement plans.
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Methods of communicating
- Importance of financial literacy
- Building a model of education
- Goals of the plan
- Planning for the future
- Appropriate messages for participants, employers, trustees and administrators
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Overview of different designs
- Adjustable pension plan (APP)
- Variable annuity pension plan (VAPP)
- Administrative and technology issues
- Transition issues
- Benefits and risks
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Employers are facing workforce challenges and need seasoned employees to remain in covered employment, even on a part-time basis. But participants need to collect their pension benefits, which often runs afoul of plans' suspension of benefits rules.
- Can the pension plan suspension of benefits rules help solve this problem?
- Regulatory options
- Industry and other considerations
-
Ladd Preppernau, EA, FSA, MAAA -
Jonathan Cerrito -
Joseph Ohm
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Penetration testing
- Third-party security controls
- Documentation—How it's used in the audit and how to understand the audit report
- What is being found?
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- The relationship between employment laws (FMLA, military leave, workers' compensation, etc.) and ERISA for employee benefit plan rules
- How to avoid employment discrimination issues and litigation for your benefit plan and your fund office
- Roles of individual representatives vs. trustees
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Navigating state, local and national legislation
- Addressing the politics of aligning coverage to state law
- Designing the benefit for equity and inclusion
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
- Impact of cyber-risk on apprenticeship funds
- Legal requirements
- Response/recovery plans, insurance, two-factor authentication and other strategies
- Considerations for smaller funds
- Case study examples of success
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
This discussion will offer an opportunity for administrators to discuss hot topics and challenges in plan administration with a panel of facilitators.
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
This informative discussion will offer an opportunity to discuss meeting-related items such as setting an agenda, allocating enough time for agenda items, meeting preparation and materials, use of subcommittees, minutes and strategic planning.
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Join this session to learn more about the importance of fiduciary education for trustees and administrators of employee benefit plans and how International Foundation programs and resources can support your educational path.
- Fiduciary education: Who needs it and why?
- Educational paths
- International Foundation member benefits
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Join this session to hear from a panel on how their recruitment and retention strategies have adapted over the last two years with new collective bargaining agreements, wage increases and benefit enhancements.
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- Options for covering pre- and post-Medicare retirees
- Group pre-Medicare and Group Medicare Advantage plans
- Pros and cons for retirees and plan sponsors
- Inflation Reduction Act implications
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- Identifying plan structures
- Who are your plan professionals?
- Abbreviations, acronyms, slang and more
- Written policy language
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- How to read the actuarial valuation
- Understanding how benefit changes affect cost
- Decisions for actuaries
- Decisions for trustees
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- Who is an ineligible dependent?
- Why would an ineligible dependent be listed on the plan?
- How to conduct a dependent eligibility audit
- Potential cost savings
Downloads
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- Identifying common threats
- Steps for prevention
- Post-breach action steps
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- Identifying and diagnosing disorders
- What should be covered?
- Mental health parity considerations
- Considering the appropriateness of care
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- DOL guidance for making investment decisions
- Consultant vs. manager roles
- When is a consultant or manager a fiduciary?
- Can I give up my fiduciary responsibility for investment decisions?
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- Update on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021
- Global perspective
- Infrastructure funds
- Risk and liquidity
- Opportunities
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- What is a liability-driven investment (LDI) strategy?
- Using strategies found in special financial assistance plan management
- Structuring plans to better prepare for decumulation
- Impact on a plan's financial health
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- What is private equity?
- What is private credit?
- Valuation and liquidity issues
- Trustees' role in commitment and oversight
- Legal issues
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- Understanding the valuation report
- Key assumptions and how they impact the valuation and costs
- How changes in benefits affect long-term costs
- Understanding zone status
- What are present values, and how are they calculated?
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
In a series of short debates, learn about varying considerations and perspectives on the following:
- Moving the discount rate
- Discount rates for funding vs. withdrawal liability
- Asset methods
- Mortality rates
- Variable plans.
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Hear from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) about its biggest concerns, recent initiatives and outlook for the future.
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
How to provide choice and manage risk, including:
- Annual expense review
- Target date fund review
- Overall expenses compared to a peer universe
- Financial literacy and distribution education.
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
We typically think about the risk due to asset allocation; this session will identify various noninvestment risks, including:
- Plan maturity risk
- Demographic risk
- Plan design risk
- Employer risk
- Industry risk.
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
A panel of professionals will lead a discussion around emerging issues and best practices for CPAs and their accounting and auditing staff.
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- Review of ERISA-prohibited transaction provisions
- Review of prohibited transaction exemptions
- Recent guidance
- Practical application
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- National trends in recruiting for public sector jobs
- Identifying highly valued benefits
- Coordinating benefits and recruitment strategies
- Addressing the reputation of public sector benefits
- Revisiting prior benefit changes (e.g., pensions) and currently available plans
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
- Preventing workplace violence
- First responder training: First-aid, CPR, AED, Narcan and more
- Importance of active shooter training
- Crisis intervention strategies
- Fitness-for-work considerations
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM
- Roth catch-up contributions
- Increase in annual catch-up contribution limit
- Long-term part-time employee eligibility
- Required minimum distributions
- Creation of portability registry
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Attend this session for a quick review of the many policies to consider for plan administration, such as:
- Education policy
- Delinquent and collection policy
- Fiduciary, cyber, business and other insurance policies
- Trustee expense and reimbursement policy.
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Examine real-life scenarios that demonstrate the fine line between outside interests and the interests of the participants.
- Difficult and uncomfortable decisions
- Understanding your co-fiduciary responsibility
- Tools and processes for effective decision making
- Appropriate documentation and due diligence
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
- DOL requests and prep for audit
- Audit findings and outcomes
- Lessons learned, new policies and procedures
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
This session will provide an in-depth exploration of innovative and inclusive employee benefits that cater to diverse family structures and personal needs. By focusing on mental health benefits, LGBTQ+ support and other nontraditional benefits, organizations can enhance employee satisfaction, retention and overall well-being. Join us to learn best practices, implementation strategies and the positive impacts these benefits can have on your workforce.
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
- How does a PBM work?
- Dissecting contract elements
- Ensuring proper transparency
- Fiduciary responsibility
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
- Current state of coverage for diabetes care
- Current state of the industry in obesity drug coverage
- Utilization trends and their impact on benefit plans
- Cost and safety considerations
- The role of prescription therapies as part of a total health approach
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
- Overview of design options
- Primary care, pharmacy, vision and other covered services
- Attributes of successful models: Analytics, communication, service integration and more
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
- Achieving whole-person care
- Mental health parity considerations
- Coverage for substance use disorders
- Addressing provider shortages
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
- How to approach asset allocation
- How much detail should your investment policy statement (IPS) have?
- Why is it so important to keep your investments within the IPS guidelines?
- How to reconcile actuarial assumptions with investment return projections
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
- Understanding private equity
- Liquidity constraints
- Fee structures
- Planning for illiquid assets in your portfolio
- History of the marketplace and why it is growing
- Are banks being replaced by private equity?
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
- How to set/understand a range of return expectations
- Understanding your plan's risk tolerance
- View of historical portfolio planning and market cycles
- Understanding what you own and how it will perform in different environments
- Actuarial perspectives
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
- Challenging the model: Two sides of the coin
- Importance of fiduciary liability oversight of trustees
- Pitfalls and benefits
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
- What is proxy voting?
- What kinds of investments involve proxy voting?
- What is a trustee's fiduciary responsibility for proxy votes?
- Updates to DOL regulations and action items for trustees
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
- Impact of longevity
- Generations in the workforce
- Economic impacts
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
- Participant-directed
- Trustee-directed
- 401(k) vs. other plan types for the multiemployer world
- SECURE 2.0 implications
- How to complement your defined benefit (DB) plan (if you have one)
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Employers are facing workforce challenges and need seasoned employees to remain in covered employment, even on a part-time basis. But participants need to collect their pension benefits, which often runs afoul of plans' suspension of benefits rules.
- Can the pension plan suspension of benefits rules help solve this problem?
- Regulatory options
- Industry and other considerations
-
Ladd Preppernau, EA, FSA, MAAA
-
Jonathan Cerrito
-
Joseph Ohm
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
This session is for administrators to have open discussions on hot topics and trends in benefits administration.
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- Plan-related expenses vs. other expenses
- Areas of potential concern
- Documentation and policies
- How good people can make poor choices
- Training your new trustees
- Areas drawing DOL attention
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- Evolving your plan communication efforts
- Self-service
- Use of AI
- Identifying best practices
- Communicating plan value
- Legal considerations
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Paid leave covers everything from vacation and sick pay to bereavement and emergency leave. Join this panel discussion to learn about the latest trends.
- 2024 International Foundation survey results
- Strategies for compliance with state and local laws
- Implementation of new programs
- Best practices
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- Communicating key takeaways and actions at your next meeting
- Tips for implementing new initiatives
- Making the case for ongoing education
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- What is stop-loss insurance?
- Selecting the appropriate coverage levels
- Reviewing and understanding contract terms
- How to utilize stop-loss effectively
- Adverse selection considerations
- Pharmacy considerations
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- The role of artificial intelligence (AI)
- Wearables and other devices
- Virtual offerings: Primary care, physical therapy, telepsychiatry and more
- Security considerations
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- Existing mental health treatment landscape
- Psychedelics in treatment (e.g., ketamine, LSD, MDMA, psilocybin)
- Importance of evidence-based therapies
- Where are we now?
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- Insights into how cancer uniquely impacts unions and their members
- Overview of scientific advances, clinical data and cutting-edge technology
- Case study—Examples of success
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Join this panel for a discussion of the equity markets, including:
- Growth vs. value
- Active vs. passive
- How does "cap" size matter?
- Benefits and risks to portfolios.
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- Implementing your investment policy
- Understanding asset mix and its impact on returns
- Challenging your investment consultant based on performance and policy
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- Tools for investment consultants
- How managers may be using artificial intelligence (AI) in the portfolio
- Quantitative investment strategies
- How can you use AI for your fund?
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- Which comes first: The actuarial assumption or the investment allocation?
- Approaching the issue differently and managing risk
- Implications for actuarial assumptions and investment allocation
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
This is a follow-up session to Variable Annuity Pension Plan—Choose Your Own Adventure. A panel of experts will debrief the pros, cons and potential unintended consequences of a proposed pension plan as devised by the session's live audience participation.
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- Ideal investment choices
- SECURE 2.0 implications
- Automatic enrollment
- Escalation features
- Required minimum distributions
- Financial literacy and distribution education
- Income payout options
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- Benefit improvements: Covering all service or only future service?
- Risk management
- Reconsidering actuarial assumptions
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Billy Beane, now senior adviser to Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher, has molded the team into one of baseball's most consistent winners since taking over as General Manager following the 1997 season. Eventually rising to the role of Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, Beane shattered traditional Major League Baseball beliefs that high payrolls equated wins by implementing a data-driven methodology that led the Oakland A's, with one of the lowest payrolls, to seven AL Western Division titles and ten playoff appearances. That strategic methodology has come to be known as the "Moneyball" philosophy and was turned into a best-selling book.
Available Virtually
