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Are Forces of Secrecy Blocking Path to Health Cost Control?

Health reform has passed and it was supposed to change the world. But it has yet to take effective action on the biggest problem — the upward spiral of health costs! Raise your hand if you think there is a connection between insurers’ and providers’ lack of transparency on premiums and fees, and that upward […]

FLSA Class Action Overtime Suits—Are You Next?

If you don’t do an FLSA wage and hour audit, someone else will, says attorney Tom Makris. And it won’t be just the government. These days, it could be a potential business partner … or even your banker. It started with mergers and acquisitions, says attorney Tom Makris. Now it’s spread to far more routine […]

Plan Identifier Rules Not Written for Self-funded Plans

With the HIPAA deadline for obtaining a health plan identifier less than two months away, plan sponsors have encountered major problems trying to get one — if they’ve started at all, according to a poll conducted by the ERISA Industry Committee. “ERIC’s members are really struggling with the requirements for health plan identifiers,” said Gretchen […]

Psst! I’ll Show You How to Work Around that Policy

Make sure employees know the “why” behind your tech policies, says attorney Lisa Guerin. Otherwise, they’ll find workarounds that could confound—or bring down—your systems. Guerin’s tips come from her recently published book, Smart Policies for Workplace Technologies (NOLO, 2009). She says that you must explain the policies you write about technology. If your employees don’t […]

Employee Testing: Meeting ADA Requirements While Keeping Employees Safe

Did you know that some employers may be violating ADA requirements when performing safety tests for OSHA? This may include testing employees to ensure that they can perform certain physical functions of the job. This may also include taking adverse actions only against employees who have a disability. Employers need to be careful. “Some employers […]

More Violence Prevention Training for Employees

Train Employees to Take Personal Security Measures Take a proactive role in violence prevention. Convince your employees to make personal security a habit when coming and going from the workplace or traveling on business. Advise them to do the following: Keep vehicle doors locked—both while driving and whenever you leave the vehicle. Check your vehicle […]

Ameriprise Suit Alleging 401(k) Fund Selection Favoritism Allowed to Advance

A recent U.S. district court decision is the latest ruling over plan fees and may give a legal foothold to participants seeking restitution for investment decisions they deem imprudent. Judge Susan Richard Nelson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota ruled against Ameriprise Financial Inc. in a case concerning allegations that the […]

Healthcare reform and independent contractors

by Gesina M. Seiler The implementation of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) tax credit for employers with fewer than 25 employees and the looming requirement that large employers (those with 50 or more full-time-equivalent (FTE) employees) provide affordable health insurance to their full-time employees or pay a penalty have resulted in some employers trying to […]

Workers Want Pension Benefits

A new survey finds pension benefits are a major factor for most workers in North America when deciding to accept a job. What’s more, interest in the benefits is widespread, regardless of age.