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Gauge Your Midyear Progress with These 5 Questions

Believe it or not, as I write this, the first half of 2015 has come to an end. That’s right, the year is half over, and it’s a good time to mark your progress. Are you well on your way to achieving the goals—both personal and professional—you set for yourself this year?

It’s Back! New Law Revives the Health Coverage Tax Credit

Presumably put to final rest due to the Affordable Care Act, a program has been revived that establishes a health coverage tax credit for certain individuals — including COBRA qualified beneficiaries — who lose their jobs because of trade-related reasons. The new HCTC program, which will be effective through Dec. 31, 2019, includes provisions on […]

Divorcing Employee? Former Spouse May Elect to Continue Group Coverage

Yesterday, attorney Kathryn Grigg of Axley Brynelson, LLP, explained employers’ obligations to offer health insurance continuation and conversion benefits to an employee’s former spouse and dependents following a divorce. Today, she’ll discuss how the election to continue coverage works—and the circumstances under which that coverage may be terminated early.

DOL’s Overtime Proposal Would Double Salary Threshold

The long-awaited proposed rules to update the Fair Labor Standards Act overtime exemptions, issued June 30 by the U.S. Department of Labor, would extend overtime protections to an additional 5 million workers in 2016. The proposed changes would extend overtime coverage to all workers making up to approximately $50,400 per year. The proposal, released just under […]

Supreme Court Will Rule on Preemption of Vermont Health Reporting Law

The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether ERISA preemption shields a self-funded health plan from state requirements to report health claims data. The court agreed June 29 to hear Gobeille v. Liberty Mutual Ins. Co. (2015 WL 2473478). The state of Vermont is appealing the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling in Liberty Mutual v. […]

Benefits: Does Divorcing a Spouse Mean Divorcing Your Company?

Trying to find market data for some jobs may seem a little like searching for a needle in a haystack—tedious, time-consuming, and marginally successful. Often, the problem isn’t that no data are available but in how we’re look for them, says BLR’s Senior Compensation Editor Sharon McKnight, CCP, SPHR.

It’s Emergency Planning 101: Get Your Basic Preparedness in Order!

The thought of an emergency occurring in the workplace is not a pleasant one, but it’s a very real possibility. With so many aspects and contingencies to consider, emergency planning can feel overwhelming, and some businesses may fear that their plans might come up short. Here are some tips for being prepared—be sure to train […]