2020 has brought uncertainty, disruption and change to the employee benefit landscape and the market in general.  In this panel discussion, these individuals will focus on addressing some key questions in today’s broker environment including the impact of Covid-19 on the way they do business, how to grow and retain customers in a market of change and disruption, key employee benefit trends and what they are looking for in today’s landscape for a carrier of choice for their clients.

Join us for a Hot Topics Discussion to explore ways to Manage Work From Home as an Employee During the Pandemic.

This is your opportunity to discuss how to balance your work/home life with your peers from the industry. Just like in our study groups, registrants will have an opportunity to actively participate in this Hot Topics Discussion.

Please explore the other Hot Topics Discussion sessions and sign up for any that are of interest to you. Attendees will be entered into a drawing for an Amazon Gift Card.

Join us for a Hot Topics Discussion to explore the Challenges Employees are Facing in the Current Environment.

Discuss various ways that carriers can provide support to the employees with your peers. Just like in our study groups, registrants will have an opportunity to actively participate in this Hot Topics Discussion.

Please explore the other Hot Topics Discussion sessions and sign up for any that are of interest to you. Attendees will be entered into a drawing for an Amazon Gift Card.

The Election is right around the corner and COVID-19 continues to disrupt the U.S. business market. Please join Sun Life’s James Slotnick and LIMRA’s Pat Leary to review the likeliest outcomes and impacts on the workplace benefits industry from the most important events in 2020, including:

• Key battleground states and potential outcomes for the House, Senate and POTUS
• Navigating furloughs, grace periods, remote work and stimulus legislation
• Potential impacts for insurers
• Q&A with the experts

This Hot Topics Discussion will explore what is in store for the Future of Employee Benefits - New Benefit Options to New Products.

Just like in our study groups, registrants will have an opportunity to actively participate in this Hot Topics Discussion. Please explore the other Hot Topics Discussion sessions and sign up for any that are of interest to you. Attendees will be entered into a drawing for an Amazon Gift Card.

Paid Family & Medical Leave regulations are proliferating around the country.  What do insurers need to know about Massachusetts PFML as it nears its launch date and Connecticut PFML as rulemaking begins to take shape?

• Hear directly from the Director of Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave as the benefit start date looms soon
• Learn how the MA PFML Private Plan market is taking shape and understand what employers are looking for in a carrier to handle their MA PFML program
• Gain key insights on CT PFML, including an understanding of how the CT program both looks like and looks different from MA

During this session, the presenters will provide the group information on the general standard of very high upfront heaped commission costs to writing VB business in the <250 segment. Topics will include types of costs, what do they support, and how they can have a long-term adverse impact.  After this initial discussion, a pilot idea will be presented on how to use underwriting protocols in a full transparency broker model to shift to a level commission model. The benefits of level commission will be explained through a recent case study to be debriefed by a sales rep and broker that have tried this. The goal will be to myth bust the need for heaped commission and show an alternative path that can benefit carrier and broker partnerships.

The death of George Floyd and subsequent protests has triggered many carriers, customers, and employees to challenge long-held views and assumptions about the role they play in addressing racial injustice and racial equity.  Passivity or corporate philanthropy alone are no longer options.  Many companies are making public statements on their position and having unprecedented internal discussions about systemic racism and the actions they should take to address them.  Understanding how to navigate and lean into this difficult topic will help to ensure that firms remain relevant in the eyes of their customers, brokers, and prospective and current employees.

Every year at our event, industry leaders share their thoughts about today's most important topics. This is your opportunity to hear what's on the minds of these executives as they focus on our role in shaping the new benefits landscape.

This Hot Topics Discussion is hosted and moderated by our Premier Sponsor, FINEOS.

Navigating the regulatory environment is challenging, especially when it comes to leave management. With peers from the industry, you will discuss how to best Support Employers with Leave Management Programs/Services and how these benefits and services can impact core benefits.

Just like in our study groups, registrants will have an opportunity to actively participate in this Hot Topics Discussion. Please explore the other Hot Topics Discussion sessions and sign up for any that are of interest to you. Attendees will be entered into a drawing for an Amazon Gift Card.

Join us for a Hot Topics Discussion on the various Opportunities and Threats in Workplace Benefits.

Explore with your peers how the pandemic, low interest rates, racial inequity, and virtual work each impact workplace benefits.

Just like in our study groups, registrants will have an opportunity to actively participate in this Hot Topics Discussion. Please explore the other Hot Topics Discussion sessions and sign up for any that are of interest to you. Attendees will be entered into a drawing for an Amazon Gift Card.

In the Complete Wellness panel discussion you will learn from industry-leading researchers about how employers can best support the holistic wellbeing of their employees.  Through benefits packages and programs that address physical, financial, mental and social health, employers can support the multigenerational workforce through the immediate uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic while also helping them prepare for a retirement rich in wealth and health.   The panelist will share their extensive experience on what it means to support the Complete Wellness of an employee as well as new insights on solutions, workplace culture, and comprehensive benefit packages. This panel discussion will feature Dr. Joe Coughlin, Director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Agelab, Meghan Belinski, Vice President, Strategy Financial Wellness and Engagement at Metlife and Vince Branchesi, National Director, Metlife’s Group Benefits Center of Excellence.    

In March, when the country entered our initial COVID-19 lockdown, the way workplace benefits carriers market their products changed overnight.  Carrier rep travel all but stopped as brokers and clients move their operations out of their offices and closed their locations to visitors.  Zoom, Skype and telephonic sales calls are the new norm, and sales teams across the industry have had to adapt.  This session will explore how carriers, brokers and marketers have handled these changes and discuss best practices for selling in a virtual environment.

This Hot Topics Discussion will dive deeper into topics presented during the workshop Selling and Marketing Group Benefits During COVID-19.

Just like in our study groups, registrants will have an opportunity to actively participate in this Hot Topics Discussion. Please explore the other Hot Topics Discussion sessions and sign up for any that are of interest to you. Attendees will be entered into a drawing for an Amazon Gift Card.

Join in on the Hot Topics Discussion: Challenges Employers are Facing in the Current Environment to explore various ways that carriers can provide support to employers.

Just like in our study groups, registrants will have an opportunity to actively participate in this Hot Topics Discussion. Please explore the other Hot Topics Discussion sessions and sign up for any that are of interest to you. Attendees will be entered into a drawing for an Amazon Gift Card.

In this session we will explore the truth about topics regarding technology, legal/regulatory, product, and how recent global events have impacted our industry. After attending this session you will equipped to help debunk the myths that plague our industry and set the record straight!

Come join a discussion with a panel of experts from top brokers and benefit administration firms, as they share their vision for how technology can better support the delivery of benefits and how carriers can help them achieve that goal. Session participants will have an opportunity to understand key trends related to Benefit Administration, Human Capital Management (HCM), and other technology systems to help automate and improve brokers ability to provide value to their customers, including HR benefit professionals.  This will be an interactive discussion with the audience on topics ranging from fee practices, data quality, and deeper product integration that extends beyond enrollment.

Being recognized as a "great place to work" can help your organization by attracting high quality recruits and keeping your current employee base engaged and delighted. More importantly, studies have shown that great workplace cultures deliver greater financial results and enhanced client satisfaction.

Steven Handmaker will share the secrets behind Assurance's celebrated and award-winning workplace culture in this surprising session. You'll learn tips for implementing similar strategies in your own workplace, whether in-person or virtual — and that the majority of things which breed cultural success don’t cost a thing.