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Welfare Plans Edition


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May 24 - 25, 2000

NCR Retirees Win Health Benefits Class Action
Excerpt: "Judge Jack Tunheim yesterday ruled in favor of the 3,400 retirees of NCR for the restoration of their retiree health benefits. The cost of this ruling should be in excess of $20 million dollars." (PRNewswire, via news.excite.com)

Lawsuit Accuses Prudential of Skimping on Medical Care
Excerpt: "Prudential Insurance Co. systematically has denied promised medical help to its customers and has failed to let them know about its restrictive policies and procedures, a lawsuit charges. In addition, the lawsuit accuses the health insurer of employing officials who denied treatment coverage, even though they were not trained to make medically necessary decisions." (insure.com)

Eldercare Benefits Are Gaining More Attention
Excerpt: "Employers appear to be gradually shifting increased attention to the other slice of responsibility confronted by the so-called 'sandwich' generation: adult dependent care. Part of the challenge, according to benefit managers and work-life experts, is that compared to child care, eldercare tends to be more insidious, more complicated, longer lasting and more likely to be viewed by employees as an issue they must tackle alone." (Employee Benefit News)

Geekdom Is Awash in Perks
Excerpt: "Such perks have become necessary to retain skilled programmers, who often work six days a week, recruiters say. Stock options are no longer enough, as an uncertain stock market has diminished prospects for Internet initial public offerings." (Los Angeles Times)

Part Timers Unite To Rally For Rights, Try To Unionize
Excerpt: "An unlikely assortment of workers -- including truck drivers, community college teachers and Web page designers -- united [Tuesday May 23] in Seattle over concerns for the rights of part-time and temporary workers." (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Scrambling Over Who Pays Benefits to Temporary Employees
Excerpt: "A lot of maneuvering is going on among high-tech companies who use permatemps, but it may not necessarily produce a victory in the eyes of workers or employers." (Seattle Times)

Advisory Opinion 2000-04A: Firefighters Welfare Plan With 3 Non-Gov't Employees is Governmental Plan
Excerpt: "This responds to your request for an advisory opinion on behalf of the International Association of Firefighters, AFL-CIO/CLC Local 176 Board of Trustees, Tulsa Firefighters Health and Welfare Trust. You ask whether the Tulsa Firefighters Health and Welfare Plan (Plan) is excluded from Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) as a 'governmental plan' within the meaning of section 3(32) of ERISA." (U.S. Department of Labor)

Same-Sex Health Benefits Approved for Public Employees in Washington State
Excerpt: "Gay and lesbian partners of state workers can obtain coverage under state-paid health care plans next year, but the cost of higher premiums will be borne by all state employees--not taxpayers. The Public Employees Benefits Board, which decides who is eligible for coverage, voted 6-1 Tuesday to extend benefits to same sex domestic partners of state workers beginning Jan. 1." (Knight-Ridder / Tribune)

Domestic Partners of Washington State Employees to Get Health Care Benefits
Excerpt: "Domestic partners of Washington state employees were granted access to full health insurance benefits by the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) Tuesday. All of the University of Washington's 20,000 faculty and staff are among those affected by the decision, which allows same-sex partners the same privileges as the spouses of state employees." (U-Wire)

Temporary Workers Exploited, Group Says
Excerpt: "A coalition of labor unions, civic activists and advocates for minority rights announced the formation of a nationwide organization yesterday to address what they allege is abusive and unfair treatment of a growing class of employees called 'contingent workers.'" (Washington Post)

Patients Rights Bill Update: Democratic Negotiators Propose Restrictions on Liability of Employers
Excerpt: "Democratic negotiators sent Republicans a set of proposals Tuesday aimed at allaying GOP concerns that employers could be sued by workers harmed when health plans deny care and resolving other conflicts about a patient bill of rights." (Associated Press)

Harvard Pilgrim HMO Rehabilitation Plan Approved by Court
Excerpt: "A judge on Wednesday approved a state plan to rehabilitate Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and return it to profitability less than a year after the state it over amid crippling losses. Harvard Pilgrim, [Massachusetts'] largest HMO, was put into receivership Jan. 4 ..." (Associated Press)


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