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Employer-sponsored health plans and insurers got a double dose of compliance advice on May 16 from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services in the form of a set of Frequently Asked Questions. The first FAQ clarifies that insurers in the individual and small group market may not impose waiting periods on specific essential health benefits. […]
What should an employer do when an FMLA certification form is received that is unclear? Perhaps it's filled out completely, but the handwriting is illegible in some places. Or perhaps it appears as though it may have been filled out by someone other than the person who signed it. What actions can be taken without […]
What should an employer do when an FMLA certification form is received that is unclear? Perhaps it's filled out completely, but the handwriting is illegible in some places. Or perhaps it appears as though it may have been filled out by someone other than the person who signed it. What actions can be taken without […]
Metrics let people make decisions based on objective information rather than simply guessing or going by instinct. Metrics also let people know what is important to the organization, since a metric that is tracked will be analyzed. HR metrics have historically often focused on the past. For example, HR metrics often include things like turnover […]
A self-insured employer that explicitly excludes same-gender spouses from health plan coverage did not violate ERISA’s benefit interference or fiduciary breach provisions by having such exclusionary language, a federal district court in New York ruled. A same-gender couple had argued that, in light of U.S. v. Windsor, because the plan declined to cover the spouse, the employer interfered […]
9 Thinks You MUST NOT Include in Your Documentation Yesterday’s Advisor presented Attorney Franck Wobst’s key things you should include in documentation. Today, 9 things not to include, plus an introduction to Employee Compensation in Your State. Crimson Tide Coach Offers Seven Lessons for Every Manager Some of you might get tired of my use […]
The end of Oregon’s ban on same-sex marriage means employers need to take a look at their benefits policies and what laws require in terms of married couples. U.S. District Judge Michael McShane ruled on May 19 that the ban on same-sex marriage, which was added to the state constitution after voters passed Measure 36 […]
Your HR metrics say what’s important to HR, but is that what’s important to the C-Suite? HR professionals need to be keenly aware of the information they are providing to top management. Is it information that is useful in strategic decision making? If not, how can that be changed? Metrics let people make decisions based […]
Employee wellness plans have been gaining popularity in recent years, and with good reason: they can benefit both employees and employers. An employee wellness program is simply a program that intends to promote the health and well-being of employees. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways, but the key is that the program […]
The jury’s still out on the impact of health care reform on employment‐based health benefits, but predictions of mass instability are certainly not materializing, reform experts said May 15 at a policy forum sponsored by the Employee Benefits Research Institute in Washington, D.C. The Affordable Care Act will not trigger a rapid exodus from employer-sponsored […]