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Understanding Negotiated Employee Benefits

Understanding Negotiated Employee Benefits

Tuesday, July 15 - Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Embassy Suites by Hilton Milwaukee Brookfield,
Brookfield, WI

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

The History of Bargaining for Benefits

Learn about the history of benefits and the role that collective bargaining played in the growth of employee benefits in the United States.

10:15 AM - 12:00 PM

The Legal Environment of Employee Benefits

Understand the legal framework that employee benefit plans exist in and how that impacts collective bargaining.

12:45 PM - 1:45 PM

The Value of Negotiated Benefits

Review the unique aspects of benefit plans as they relate to:

  • Making the business case for participation
  • Value proposition for stakeholders
  • How benefits impact recruitment and retention.

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Plan Types

Understand the characteristics and differences between:

  • Single employer plans
  • Multiemployer plans
  • Public sector plans.

3:00 PM - 4:30 PM

The Collective Bargaining Process

Learn about the collective bargaining process and how to execute it for a successful outcome.

  • Collective bargaining structures
  • Who are the players?
  • Managing a bargaining committee
  • Prep work
  • Logistics
  • Writing and memorializing proposals

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Introduction to Retirement Plans

Explore retirement plan topics, including:

  • Plan types: Defined benefit and defined contribution plans
  • Plan designs and features
  • Hot topics: Retirement income, fraud and abuse
  • Retirement legislative update: Secure Act 2.0, cybersecurity.

10:15 AM - 12:15 PM

Introduction to Health Plans

Explore health plans and health benefits topics, including:

  • Plan types, managed care, funding, plan design
  • Plan designs and features
  • Overview of Rx plans
  • The range of ancillary coverages: Dental, vision, life, etc.
  • Hot topics: Mental health, Rx, wellness, fraud and abuse
  • Health care legal and legislative update: No Surprises, Dobbs, cybersecurity.

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Wrap-Up

Hone your skills as you learn:

  • Best practices for bargaining benefits
  • Unique issues when bargaining health benefits
  • Unique issues when bargaining retirement benefits
  • Other negotiated employee benefits
  • How to create a bargaining history
  • How to cost out benefit proposals
  • Case studies
  • Best practices
  • Open discussion/Q&A.

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