Best Employee Benefits Practices Conference Featuring New England's Most Innovative Employers to Be Held by New England Employee Benefits Council Dec. 8, Waltham

WALTHAM, MA--(Marketwire - Nov 18, 2011) - New England's Best Benefits Practices of 2011, a daylong conference featuring the most innovative benefits programs in the region, will be held December 8 in Waltham, Mass. It is sponsored by the New England Employee Benefits Council (NEEBC), which advances knowledge and education in employee benefits.

The six award-winners will give lively presentations about how their programs work:

• City Year uses a self-funded health plan that both enhances benefits for its young Corps members and saves money.
• Eastern Bank's "birthday as paid time off" program uses novel incentives to get employees exercising and living a healthy lifestyle.
• The Massachusetts Group Health Commission promoted a new optional health plan that will save state workers $1,400 per family and the Commonwealth $20 million.
• Ocean's Spray's comprehensive Moms at Work program helps new mothers be more comfortable and productive.
• Staples uses computer games developed by the nonprofit Doorway to Dreams Fund to make saving for retirement, budgeting and planning fun and interesting.
• Vicor, a manufacturer with many non-English speakers, ramped up 401(k) features and communication to boost participation by 20% and the deferral rate by 54%.

There will also be a panel on cost-management strategies in the era of healthcare reform with speakers from the Massachusetts Group Health Commission, CIGNA, Rhode Island Business Group on Health and Massachusetts Medical Society.

The program will be kicked off by Boston Globe columnist Brian McGrory, who'll cover the year in review with irreverent wit.

Registration is available at http://neebc.org/programs/dec811.php.

NEEBC, Waltham, Mass., is a nonprofit with 1,400 members, including employers and providers of benefits consulting and services throughout New England. NEEBC's monthly educational programs include presentations by guest speakers on topics of interest to the benefits community. Members have the opportunity to discuss ideas, become informed about new developments in the field and network with peers. Web: www.neebc.org.