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January 9, 2003 - 7,947 subscribers
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Union at G.E. Plans Strike Over Health Plan Co-Payments
Excerpt: "The largest union at General Electric announced [January 7, 2003] that it would conduct a two-day strike next week to protest the company's decision to increase its employees' out-of-pocket health expenses.... Last Wednesday, G.E. increased health care expenses by what it said was $200 a year per employee. Union officials estimated that the increase would total $400 a year." (New York Times; free registration required)
Audio Excerpt: GE Employees Plan Strike over Health-Care Costs
Excerpt: "General Electric faces its first national strike in more than 30 years. The company's two largest unions -- representing 20,000 workers -- say they will stage a two-day strike to protest increasing health-care costs. North Country Public Radio's Brian Mann reports.' (Jan. 8, 2003) (National Public Radio)
How CFOs View Investments in Health and Productivity
Excerpt: "IBI's research on the CFO's view of health, health benefits, productivity and the bottom line demonstrates that senior financial executives are open to approving changes in the way employee benefits are delivered if they are shown modest productivity results." (Integrated Benefits Institute)
How the Best Companies Satisfy Their Workers
Excerpt: "In good times they go wild with the perks--yoga classes, volleyball courts, family rooms. But the real test comes in tough times. Priorities may change, layoffs may be unavoidable. FORTUNE's 100 Best Companies, however, are still trying hard to do right by their staff." (Fortune)
Institute of Medicine Recommends Several Projects For Health Care Reform
The nation's mounting health care problems--such as rapidly rising costs, growing numbers of uninsured, and safety and quality gaps--threaten to destabilize the system, making quality improvements necessary. For these reasons, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) wanted to identify possible demonstration projects that could be implemented in 2003, with the hope of yielding viable models for broader health care system reform. (SpencerNet)
Health Care Spending Rose 8.7% in 2001, the Fastest Rate in 10 Years, Government Statistics Say
Excerpt: "Fostered by increased utilization of hospital services and prescription drugs, along with the 'declining influence' of managed care, U.S. health care spending in 2001 rose 8.7% -- the fastest rate in a decade, according to government data, the New York Times reports." (KaiserNetwork.org)
CFOs Link Health Benefits Quality With Company's Bottom Line, Study Finds
Most (93%) company chief financial officers (CFOs) see a link between the quality of their companies' employee health benefits and their companies' productivity and profits, according to a study on health and productivity recently issued by the Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI). However, the IBI found that few CFOs can measure the full impact of their company's health benefits on productivity and profits because the criteria used to evaluate benefits programs. (SpencerNet)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
California Court Orders Trial to Determine Validity of Employee Releases re Unvested Stock Options (PDF)
2 pages. Excerpt: "Employers should take note of a recent decision of a California appeals court allowing employees to proceed to trial with claims challenging the validity of release agreements they signed giving up claims to unvested stock options." (Pillsbury Winthrop LLP)
Institutional Shareholders Fed Up With Excessive Stock Options for Executives
Excerpt: "As if tech companies don't have enough problems to contend with as they head into 2003, they're about to face another: It's going to be tougher than ever to dole out stock options to their employees this year. The culprit? Big institutional shareholders, which are sick of seeing employees cash in as stock prices dwindle." (Fortune)
CCH Analysis of Bush Economic Stimulus Proposal
Excerpt: "President Bush's plan to stimulate the economy through new and accelerated tax breaks will benefit almost everyone who pays taxes, although some groups will see much more effect than others, according to CCH INCORPORATED (CCH) ... The plan is designed to have both direct, and very predictable effects -- lowering the taxes due -- and indirect effects, such as bolstering stock prices and increasing business spending, which are more difficult to verify in advance." (CCH via NewsAlert.com)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Senior Defined Contribution Plan Administrator
for Urbach Kahn & Werlin Advisors, Inc.
in NY
Employee Benefits Associate Attorney
for Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP
in MO
Defined Contribution Administrator
for Investment & Financial Advisory Consulting Firm
in IL
Human Resources/Benefits Coordinator
for John's Island Club - Vero Beach, Florida
in FL
Newly Posted Conferences
(Post Yours!)
National Managed Health Care Congress
in DC
March 10, 2003
IIR Exhibitions
401(k) Plan Sponsors -- Balancing Divergent Goals in 2003
in ALL STATES
January 22, 2003
Hewitt Associates
Movers and Shakers: Newly Posted Announcements of Promotions and New Personnel
(Post Yours!)
Susan E. Stoffer, Kathryn B. Solley, Samuel S. Choy, Eugene M. Holmes (Seyfarth Shaw)
Handy Links:
- View Today's Active Message Threads
- Search BenefitsLink
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research
- Employee Benefits Library
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