New Executive Order Seeks to Expand Insurance Options
After several failed legislative attempts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), President Trump is now taking matters into his own hands.
Tag: benefits
A Different Perspective On Income in Retirement
If you follow the latest retirement news, it seems the sky is falling. The savings picture for Americans looks bleak. We don’t want to minimize the problems; they really do exist. But, the way things play out for individuals can look very different than how they appear based purely on ratios, projections and estimates.
Is Your Company Guilty of Wage Theft?
Companies tend to focus on messaging that targets management, ignoring information employees and job seekers receive from various sources. After all, there are only so many hours in a day.
Trump Administration Expands Available ACA Exemptions for Employer-Provided Contraceptives
On October 6, the Trump Administration released two interim final rules that vastly expand the availability of exemptions to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) rules requiring employer coverage of contraceptives.
Update Your Disability Benefits Claims and Appeals Procedures Before 2018 Deadline
HR employees typically begin planning for next year before autumn of the current year because choices about the next year’s benefits are made months before it begins. Whether you’re making many or few changes to the benefits you offer, your preparations for open enrollment provide a good opportunity to confirm that your benefits plans are […]
7th Circuit: No ADEA Liability for Terminating Retirees Because of Benefit Costs
The U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals—which covers Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin—recently decided an interesting and complex case involving allegations of age discrimination. Retirees who continued to work part-time for an Indiana county argued the county violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) when it terminated them to save money on health insurance benefits.
DB Plan Sponsors’ Interest in Pension Risk Transfer Accelerating
Interest in transferring pension risk off their balance sheets and on to insurance companies appear to be accelerating among U.S. defined benefit (DB) retirement plan sponsors, according to a recent poll conducted by insurer MetLife. The poll’s results lead MetLife to predict 2017 will be “another very robust year of [pension risk transfer] market activity.”
How the Big Firms Educate Employees About Retirement
We all want to see employees take the reins and drive their retirement accounts toward a successful finish. Some say educating is the key. But what kind of education, and in what format?
New High-Value Approaches to Musculoskeletal Disorders Can Pay Off for Employers
Employers can better manage the health and cost burdens of musculoskeletal disorders by implementing prevention strategies such as ergonomics training and movement-friendly workplace design, providing onsite physical therapy for those with acute or chronic pain, and paying for surgery with bundled pricing, says a new report from Northeast Business Group on Health (NEBGH).
IRS Announces Special Per Diems, High-Cost Locales for FY 2018
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) updated its special per diem rates for the transportation industry, incidental expenses, and the “high-low” substantiation method. These rates, announced September 25 in Notice 2017-54, apply to allowances paid to employees on or after October 1 for travel on or after that date.