Tag: benefits

Rhode Island Recognizes Other States’ Same-sex Marriages

Same-sex marriage is not legal in Rhode Island, but employers there must make provision for employees’ same-sex spouses nonetheless. Gov. Lincoln Chafee (I) on May 14 signed an executive order announcing that Rhode Island will recognize the validity of same-sex marriages entered into in states where it is legal. The executive order went into effect […]

EBSA Loosens Health Reform Rules for SBC Delivery, Stays Enforcement

A set of safe harbors related to the enforcement of summaries of benefits and coverage (SBCs), which insurers and plan sponsors must distribute as part of health care reform, was issued May 11 by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Employee Benefits Security Administration. The DOL/EBSA guidance creates regulatory exceptions for situations where insurers […]

Pay Budgets for 2013–What’s the Plan?

Take the 2012-2013 pay budget survey now. For years, BLR has surveyed HR, compensation, and benefits professionals to get an accurate gauge of pay budget planning. We want to find out how companies like yours are planning for compensation this year and next. Please help by filling out our brief survey; we’ll share the results […]

DOL Debuts MHPAEA Web Page, Adds FAQs

The U.S. Department of Labor has collected its rules, guidance and other materials on the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act into a new MHPAEA Web page. The materials on this page include a new set of frequently asked questions on “understanding implementation” of MHPAEA, which when enacted in 2008 substantially beefed up HIPAA’s […]

Obama’s Same-sex Marriage Statement Doesn’t Change Employer Plans’ Status Quo

Employers likely will need to continue to pay close attention to how their individual states’ approach to same-sex marriage will affect their employee benefit plans, regardless of President Obama’s newly articulated support for it. The president on May 9 said that he supports same-sex marriage, but also that the states should be able to decide […]

N.C. Voters Nix Same-sex Marriage: Implications for Employers

Employers in North Carolina will not face the complications their counterparts in states where same-sex marriage is legal or recognized do, but local and municipal governments that provide domestic partner benefits may have to change their policies. Tar Heel State voters on May 8 approved an amendment to the state constitution that defines marriage as […]

Exceptions to the Reinstatement Obligation

Yesterday, we looked at a case involving a returning military service member who was terminated upon coming back to work. While that particular employee lost his case against his supervisor, the general rule is that you must reinstate returning service members. Today, we’ll look at some exceptions to this rule.

Flex, Fitness, Financial planning, Free Food, Concierge? Benefits Survey Results

For example: About 38 percent offer wellness programs About one third offer flextime, only about one fifth offer telecommuting, and nearly 64 percent offer a flexible spending account About 21 percent think their benefits are more generous than their competitor’s and about 42 percent think their benefits are about the same (although 30 percent don’t […]