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June 19, 2003 - 13,216 subscribers
Today's sponsor: Thompson Publishing Group, Inc.
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"DOL’s Proposed FLSA Exemption Regulations Changes” audio conference 6/25/03 * 2:00 p.m. ET Are you ready for lengthy personnel audits? Ready to reevaluate wage and hour decisions? Ready to rethink current payroll systems? Have you started considering how your compensation practices, personnel policies and employee manuals should be changed if/when the proposed regulations become final? Two leading employment law/FLSA experts, Daniel B. Abrahams, Esq., and Shlomo D. Katz, Esq., will answer these important questions and more during this repeat performance due to popular demand!
(Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor)
Low Interest Rates Prolong Pension Woes
Excerpt: "First, the stock market slump hit corporate America's pension funds. Next, it could be falling interest rates. Companies were forced to shift big money from earnings into their pension plans last year after falling share prices knocked value from their assets, leaving the plans underfunded. Now there are worries over the profit-crimping that could result from declining interest rates, which inflate companies' pension obligations." (AP via New York Times; one-time registration required)
America's Top Recordkeepers, 2003
Excerpt: "[T]he Recordkeeping Survey gives employers the chance to see exactly which products and services each provider offers, as well as listing information on total assets and overall client demographics. This survey ... is comprised of data collected from the providers themselves." (PLANSPONSOR.com; one-time registration required)
Opinion: Pension Accounting Rules Create False Profits
Excerpt: "In effect, the rules, issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) in 1985, permit a company to assume appreciation on pension portfolio assets, even though sharp stock market declines have decimated the portfolio's value." (Lee Berton on Bloomberg.com)
Web Site Glitch Leaves Federal Government Thrift Savings Plan Scrambling Despite Daily Val Rollout
Excerpt: "Talk about being thrown for a loop. Officials at the Thrift Savings Plan scrambled yesterday to figure out why many participants were unable to gain access to their retirement accounts through the plan's Web site following Monday's launch of a new record-keeping system." (Washington Post)
Analysis: IRS Provides Guidance on Applying Vesting Rules to Un-Frozen DB Plans
Excerpt: "According to IRS, all of an employee's years of service with the employer since it initially established the plan – not just since benefit accruals resumed – count for purposes of the vesting rules in these situations." (Deloitte & Touche Human Capital Advisory Services)
Social Security and the Private Pension System: the Significance of Integrated Plans (PDF)
49 pages. Excerpt: "Prior studies suggest that (1) integration is declining among defined benefit plans and (2) integration among defined contribution plans is rare. This study contradicts those findings." (Pamela Perun, published by the Boston College Center for Retirement Research)
GAO Report: Greater Transparency Needed in Disclosures to Mutual Fund Investors
73 pages. Excerpt: "Soft dollar arrangements allow investment advisers of mutual funds to use part of the brokerage commissions paid to broker-dealers that execute trades on the fund's behalf to obtain research and brokerage services ... Industry participants said that soft dollars allow fund advisers access to a wider range of research .... However, others were concerned that these arrangements can create conflicts of interest between investment advisers and investors ..." (U.S. General Accounting Office)
Text of Conference Papers from the 5th Annual Conference of the Retirement Research Consortium
Originally published May 15-16, 2003. (Center for Retirement Research at Boston College)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
'Twas an Excellent Year for Executives
Excerpt: "After dipping in 2001, take-home pay for chief executives at some of the largest U.S. companies swelled last year, driven by fatter bonuses and bigger payouts from long-term incentive plans, a new study shows." (Washington Post)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Sr Benefits Position (Temporary)
for PG&E National Energy Group
in MD
Manager, Benefit Operations
for Ascension Health
in MO
Trust Relationship Officer
for First Virginia Banks, Inc.
in VA
Retirement Plan Administration Consultant
for Invesmart
in OH
Executive Benefits Consultant 03-0002526-IO
for AT&T Wireless
in WA
Plan Document Supervisor
for RSM McGladrey, Inc.
in MN
Project Manager - New Business Installation
for Transamerica
in CA
Newly Posted Webcasts
(Post Yours!)
How Much Is That Required Minimum This Year?
on July 17, 2003
presented by ASPA
Newly Posted Conferences
(Post Yours!)
ASPA Summer Conference
in CA
July 18, 2004
ASPA
ASPA Annual Conference
in DC
October 24, 2004
ASPA
ASPA Annual Conference
in DC
November 6, 2005
ASPA
ASPA Annual Conference
in DC
October 22, 2006
ASPA
Newly Posted Press Releases
(Post Yours!)
Standard Insurance Company Announces the Addition of Electronic Funds Transfer Feature to its Participant Data Management Site
(Standard Insurance Company)
New Ceridian HR Comply Online Reference Tool Takes Usability and Information Access to a New Level
(Ceridian)
Benefit Advisors Network Adds Executive Director
(The Benefit Advisors Network)
Handy Links:
- View Today's Active Message Threads
- Search BenefitsLink
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research
- Employee Benefits Library
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