Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has officially launched its long-awaited Phase 2 HIPAA audit program, the head of HHS’ Office for Civil Rights said at a March 21 conference. The process has begun with the emailing of address verification letters to a pool of potential auditees, said OCR Director Jocelyn Samuels. OCR […]
By Sara Anne T. Quinn, JD Under Tennessee law, a former employee isn’t eligible for unemployment benefits if she left her most recent job voluntarily without good cause connected to her work. However, the law creates an exception to that rule (known as the “medical exception”) if the employee was forced to leave because she […]
Our claim submission deadline for Flexible Spending Account claims is March 1. Are we OK to use this date since it’s reflected in our Summary Plan Description (SPD)?
By Martin J. Regimbal, JD The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals—which covers Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi–recently addressed the interplay between the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) and mandatory wellness programs. The court considered an employee’s discrimination and retaliation claims and reached a commonsense conclusion regarding the lawfulness of mandatory wellness programs.
By Jennifer Carsen, JD, Legal Editor Employers with 50 or more full-time employees, including full-time equivalent employees (FTEs), in calendar year 2015 are required to fill out Forms 1094-C and 1095-C.
By Jennifer Carsen, JD, Legal Editor On March 1, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the state of Vermont in an Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) case that could have broad implications for states’ ability to regulate healthcare practices and reforms within their borders.
By Jennifer Carsen, JD, Legal Editor Despite the extra time bestowed by the IRS to file and distribute 1095-Cs for the 2015 tax year, coding challenges abound. How do you account for folks on COBRA? Noncalendar-year plans? And what the heck is a “Limited Non-Assessment Period,” anyway?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released its figures for compensation costs in 2015.
By Cara Parker, C Parker Consulting, Inc Are vision and mission statements the same thing? What’s the difference between the two and do I really need both for my organization? Let’s delve into these questions by first highlighting the benefits of having both a vision and mission statement for your organization.
Runaway prescription drug pricing poses a threat to health plan solvency and to the financial well-being of individuals, because a distorted market allows profit-seeking entrepreneurs to game the system with anti-competitive pricing, health plan executives told attendees at AHIP’s national health policy conference on March 9. Drug spending is growing faster than any other component […]