Healthcare Provider Update: Healthcare Provider for Duke Energy Duke Energy utilizes a range of health benefits and insurance plans provided through major healthcare organizations, with Aetna being one of the primary providers offering their employee health insurance coverage. Potential Healthcare Cost Increases for Duke Energy in 2026 As 2026 approaches, Duke Energy employees may face significant healthcare cost increases due to a combination of factors impacting the broader health insurance market. Record premium hikes for Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace plans, with some states eyeing increases exceeding 60%, could manifest in employer-sponsored plans as well. The potential expiration of enhanced federal premium subsidies, alongside rising medical costs and aggressive rate hikes from insurers, may significantly elevate out-of-pocket expenses for beneficiaries. This perfect storm of factors indicates that employees might need to prepare for substantial healthcare financial burdens in the upcoming year, as many individuals could see their premiums rise by more than 75%. Click here to learn more
Top employees of the Duke Energy can use the principles of error-driven learning to improve their workplace productivity as well as the concept of active recall of information to learn new skills in the workplace,' according to Tyson Mavar of The Retirement Group, a division of Wealth Enhancement Group.
This paper finds that Duke Energy employees stand to gain much from embracing the testing effect and error-driven learning, which help in the acquisition and retention of critical competencies necessary for organizations' effectiveness,' says Wesley Boudreaux from The Retirement Group, a division of Wealth Enhancement Group.
The following are the three main points discussed in the article:
Error-Driven Learning: Exploring the importance of failure in the growth and attainment of expertise in the workplace and academic settings.
Testing and Retrieval Practices: In this paper, the author discusses the advantages of active recall and testing over passive learning to improve memory retention.
Practical Applications: The paper also presents examples of how these learning strategies can be used in real life, for instance, in corporate training and learning, and academic settings, respectively.
When it comes to learning a new skill, whether it is learning a new technical process that is particular to Duke Energy or learning a new language, one is bound to make some mistakes. However, such mistakes should not be viewed as failures. On the contrary, they are important for moving up from the entry-level position in the corporate world of Duke Energy. Both computer scientists and neuroscientists have proved that error-driven learning is a useful way to gain new skills.
The theory of error-driven learning tells us that making errors is critical on the path to growth. This concept has important implications for educational strategies, especially in the preparatory context, which can involve safety guidelines or procedural training, for instance, at Duke Energy. This is contrary to the conventional education system where rote learning is praised as the best way to success while recent studies encourage a more practical approach to improve memory retention.
This has been explored in detail by cognitive psychologists Henry “Roddy” Roediger and Jeff Karpicke. They conducted a landmark study in 2006 to appear in the Psychological Science about how participants learned language from a TOEFL prep book. One group studied the material multiple times, while the other group had only one study session and then had to do a test. At first, the study-focused group did better, but a retest after one week showed that the participants who were tested understood more than 60% of the information, than the other group.
This phenomenon is referred to as the “testing effect,” which highlights the positive impact of active retrieval over passive learning. MFL teachers at Duke Energy help learners identify knowledge gaps, reduce overconfidence, and achieve a more meaningful understanding of the subject matter. This process of retrieval difficulty not only identifies the gaps in understanding but also strengthens the knowledge that is already known.
Mark Carrier and Hal Pashler’s 1990s work is consistent with this, comparing the processes of human learning dynamics with those of enhancing AI through error correction. Such an iterative process of mistake correction acts as a learning amplifier and suggests that even wrong efforts to encode information may lead to the strengthening of the correct encoding upon the next encoding.
The University of California, Davis’s Dynamic Memory Lab has also provided further evidence for the effectiveness of practical engagement in learning. Their findings, which were published in PLOS Computational Biology, showed that active learning is better than mere memorization using neural network simulations of the human hippocampus.
These insights are not only relevant to the academic setting. Political leaders prepare for debates, and athletes improve their skills in practice games, a principle that can be used in routine corporate training in Duke Energy. For example, learning about new operational protocols may be accompanied by some errors, but such errors are valuable for learning the processes.
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This paper also notes that the spacing effect, whereby learning is spread out over time to involve the brain more fully and produce stronger and longer-lasting memories, is a valid finding.
This is because context determines how easily a memory can be recalled. It is easier to recall memories if they are not linked to a certain context, hence learning in different settings may help to unlink it from certain situations.
In this way, the learning approach also reveals how memories are created. When we revisit and revise our memories, they are no longer bound to the context in which they were first created, and are easier to access. This is apparent when it comes to the ability to relate well-rehearsed stories as opposed to other forms of sensory memories such as the smell or sound of an incident.
Therefore, it is crucial to realize that nothing is ever perfect and that it is possible to learn from mistakes when performing tasks at Duke Energy. Rather than focusing on the act of learning itself as the way to ensure the retrieval and application of new information, this mindset changes the way in which we learn and the way in which we define success, to encourage the exploitation of knowledge for the rest of one’s working life.
In recent research including a study published in the Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, it was found that engaging older adults in error-driven learning enhances memory retention and cognitive flexibility. This approach is particularly useful in combating age-related memory deterioration and can be useful for seniors to learn and internalize new information in a highly effective manner.
This paper:
1. Handley, Emily. “Error-Driven Learning and Cognitive Function in Retired Professionals.” Journal of Applied Psychology, 106(3), June 2021, 45-49.
2. Roediger, Henry, and Jeff Karpicke. “Testing Effect in Lifelong Learning.” Psychological Science, 17(3), Mar. 2006, 249-255.
3. Carrier, Mark, and Hal Pashler. “Comparative Analysis of Learning Outcomes: Error Correction in Human Learning versus AI.” Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 125(4), Dec. 1996, 450-460.
4. Davis, Ronald A., and team. “Neural Network Simulations for Active Learning.” PLOS Computational Biology, 14(5): e1006131.
5. Thompson, Lucas. “Age-Related Benefits of Error-Driven Learning in Memory Retention.” Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 75(1), Jan. 2020, 29-35
How does the Duke Employees' Retirement Plan calculate benefits at normal retirement age, specifically for employees who reach the age of 65? In what circumstances might an employee consider retiring before reaching this age, and how would the benefits differ if they choose this option?
Benefit Calculation at Normal Retirement Age: Duke Employees' Retirement Plan calculates benefits for employees who retire at age 65 by applying a formula that includes 1.25% of their average final compensation for the first 20 years of credited service and 1.66% for any additional years. If an employee retires before 65, they can do so after age 45 with 15 years of service, but their benefits will be reduced based on how early they retire, resulting in lower payments due to a longer payout period.
What considerations should an employee keep in mind regarding their unused sick leave or carry-over bank hours when calculating benefits under the Duke Employees’ Retirement Plan? How does Duke utilize these factors to enhance an employee's credited service for the purpose of benefit calculation?
Impact of Unused Sick Leave and Carry-Over Bank Hours: Unused sick leave and carry-over bank hours are converted into additional credited service, which can enhance the calculation of retirement benefits. Employees who have accumulated these hours can see their credited service extended, leading to higher pension benefits at retirement.
In what situations would an employee's benefits under the Duke Employees' Retirement Plan be automatically paid in a lump sum? How does the Plan determine the value of benefits that fall below the threshold for monthly payouts, and what implications does this have for retirement planning?
Lump-Sum Payments for Small Benefits: If the value of an employee's benefit is $5,000 or less, Duke Employees' Retirement Plan automatically pays it as a lump sum. For benefits between $5,000 and $10,000, employees can choose between a lump-sum payment or a monthly pension. This can significantly impact retirement planning, especially for employees weighing whether to take a smaller upfront amount or spread it over time.
How does the Duke Employees' Retirement Plan handle benefit adjustments for employees who continue to work beyond their normal retirement age? What factors influence how these adjustments are calculated, and what implications might this have for future financial planning for employees nearing retirement?
Benefit Adjustments for Postponed Retirement: Employees who continue working beyond their normal retirement date will see their benefits increased annually (by no less than 10%) to account for the shorter period during which they will receive payments. The plan recalculates benefits based on the employee’s continued service and compensation after age 65.
What options are available to employees of Duke University regarding payment forms when they retire, and what are the long-term implications of choosing each option? How do these choices affect both the retiree's monthly income and survivor benefits for a spouse or other beneficiary?
Payment Form Options and Implications: At retirement, employees can choose various payment options such as a single life annuity, joint and survivor annuities, or a lump-sum payment. These choices affect the amount received monthly and any survivor benefits for a spouse or beneficiary. Employees should carefully consider their long-term financial needs and the needs of their beneficiaries when selecting a payment option.
What specific protections does the Duke Employees' Retirement Plan provide for spouses in the event of an employee's death, and how does this influence the choice of payment options? What steps must an employee take to ensure that their spouse's rights are upheld under the Plan?
Spousal Protections: The Plan provides protections for spouses in the event of an employee's death. A surviving spouse can receive 50% of the employee's reduced monthly benefit through a joint and survivor annuity. Employees must take steps to ensure spousal rights are protected by selecting the appropriate payment option and ensuring the necessary documentation is completed.
How can employees of Duke University ensure that they are informed about their rights under ERISA while participating in the Employees' Retirement Plan? What resources and tools does Duke provide to help employees understand and assert these rights?
Employee Rights Under ERISA: Duke provides resources for employees to understand their rights under ERISA, including access to plan documents and assistance in filing claims. Employees are encouraged to use Duke's available tools to assert their rights and ensure they are fully informed about the benefits available to them under the Plan.
In what ways can employees at Duke University navigate the complexities of reemployment after retirement, and how does their choice of retiree status affect their benefits? What regulations govern how benefits are recalculated if they choose to return to work at Duke?
Reemployment After Retirement: Employees who return to work at Duke after retiring can continue to receive their pension if they work fewer than 1,000 hours per year. However, if they exceed 1,000 hours, their payments will be paused and recalculated based on additional service and earnings when they retire again. This provides flexibility for employees considering reemployment after retirement.
What impact do legislative changes, such as those introduced by the IRS, have on the Duke Employees' Retirement Plan’s structure and benefits? How should employees approach understanding these changes in the context of their personal retirement strategies?
Impact of Legislative Changes: Changes introduced by the IRS or other regulatory bodies can impact the structure of the Duke Employees' Retirement Plan and its benefits. Employees should stay informed about these changes and how they affect personal retirement strategies, particularly regarding tax laws and pension calculations.
How can employees at Duke University contact the Retirement Board for questions or clarifications regarding their retirement benefits? What is the best approach for reaching out to ensure that they receive timely and accurate information?
Contacting the Retirement Board: Employees can contact Duke's Retirement Board for any questions or clarifications regarding their retirement benefits. The Retirement Board is responsible for managing the Plan, and employees are encouraged to reach out directly for timely and accurate information to address any concerns about their retirement.