By John J. (“Jamie”) Kalamarides, President, Prudential Group Insurance People with disabilities and their caregivers deserve better than a return to the status quo. Now is the time to put the combined strengths of our government and private sector to work as we look to address the need for Paid Family Medical Leave and build…
Read MoreBy Carol Harnett If there is one thing you need to know about me, it’s this. I am a Bruce Springsteen fan. As a native Staten Islander, I found myself on the Jersey Shore more often than just about anywhere. And as the Jersey Shore goes, so goes being a fan of The Boss. I…
Read MoreBy Missy Biggs Applicants, caregivers, and families experience unexpected support and frustrations during the Social Security Disability Insurance benefits application process. On the one hand, each family member (including a spouse, divorced spouse, children, and adult children disabled before age 22) may be eligible for a monthly benefit of up to 50 percent of the disability benefit amount.…
Read MoreBy:Tracey Ferstler, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Claims and Operations, MetLife The topic of mental health took on an entirely new meaning in 2021. After a year of uncertainties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, employees and employers alike are focusing more closely on mental wellness and burnout. Employee anxiety, depression and burnout are at…
Read MoreBy Diane Russell, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Strategy, Lincoln Financial Group If you have children, you know there’s no shortage of advice from family, friends and sometimes even strangers. Yet, mothers dealing with postpartum depression often feel like they have no one to talk to about what they’re going through. At least, that’s…
Read MoreAfter Cris Martin discovered a lump on her chest wall, she went into self-advocacy mode – and learned several lessons along the way, including the importance of taking early action, and having group and supplemental individual disability coverage with a good carrier. Three years ago, my life was exactly the way it was supposed to…
Read MoreBy Fred Schott, Director of Operations and Research, CDA. Around noon on January 6th, I got out of my car and strode into the Bone & Joint Institute at Hartford Hospital. Wait! Did I say “strode?” Actually, it was more like “walked guardedly, trying not to provoke my arthritic left hip into another flareup.” That’s…
Read MoreBy Bob Herum, MSFS, CLU, ChFC, RHU, REBC Editor’s Note: On July 28, 2015, I was struck by a car as a pedestrian. After the acute portion of my recovery ended, I met with my financial planner to discuss the potential implications to my retirement plan if I was out of work for an extended…
Read MoreWhen you become a parent, not only do you experience a magnitude of love you never thought possible, but you also discover a reserve of strength you never imagined you could possess. This is especially true when your child is in need. And if you are the parent of a child with disabilities, then you…
Read MoreBy: Phil Bruen, senior vice president, Life & Disability, Group Benefits, MetLife While more than two-thirds of employees consider paid and unpaid leave to be a must have benefit, fewer employers offer these programs now than they did in 2019 and 2020. Phil Bruen shares three tips for businesses around the successful application of leave…
Read More
