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June 18, 2004 - 8708 subscribers
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of free banner advertising!
Senate Subcommittee Hears Testimony About Purchasing Medications Over the Internet
Excerpt: "While purchasing pres.cription drugs from Internet pharmacies can 'pu[t] consumers at risk of taking counterfeits or using medications improperly,' drugs purchased from sites based in the United States or Canada are generally more reliable and safe, according to testimony from federal investigators at a Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations hearing on Thursday, USA Today reports." (KaiserNetwork.org)

Insurer Properly Denied Claim For LTD Benefits Where Claimant Could Still Perform Her Job
An insurance company did not abuse its discretion when it denied a beneficiary's claim for long term disability benefits due to fibromyalgia because the beneficiary still could perform the functions of her job. This was the ruling of the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Jordan v. Northrop Grumman Corporation Welfare Benefit Plan and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (No. 99-56346). (Spencer Benefits Reports)

Overview: Treating Employer's Disability Coverage As Taxable Makes Disability Benefits Tax-Free
Excerpt: "A new revenue ruling addresses the situation of employers that currently provide employees with disability coverage on a pre-tax basis but want to give them the option of electing annually to receive the coverage on an after-tax basis. The ruling concludes that employees may fully exclude disability benefits received in a year for which they elect to pay for coverage on an after-tax basis, even if they received tax-free coverage in earlier years." (RIA Tax News)

Work-Life Perks Pay Off for Employers
Excerpt: "[T]hese perks -- flexible scheduling, parental leaves and elder-care referrals -- are proving to be precious additions to employer efforts to fix a huge problem: rising health-care costs." (Minneapolis Star-Tribune; one-time registration required)

Employees Resist CDHP Efforts
A growing movement of employees are resisting employers' efforts to use consumer-driven health care strategies to cut the rate of health-care cost increases, according to a new survey. (PLANSPONSOR; one-time free registration required)

Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General

Statement of Several Employee Benefits Organizations for Hearing on Social Security Number Privacy (PDF)
3 pages. Participating: American Benefits Council; American Society of Pension Actuaries; College and University Professional Association for Human Resources; The ERISA Industry Committee; Financial Executives International's Committee on Benefits Finance; National Association of State Retirement Administrators; National Council on Teacher Retirement; National Rural Electric Cooperative Association; Profit Sharing/401(k) Council of America; and Society for Human Resource Management. (American Benefits Council)

Toward a Trusty Test to Track, and Tax, the Tax Shelters
Prominent ERISA attorney Alvin D. Lurie asks, 'How is one to know the bounds of the law in a universe where no one has been able to draw a generally recognized boundary line between abusive and nonabusive tax shelters?" (Alvin D. Lurie)

Hewitt Federal Legislation Quick Guide: June 15, 2004
Excerpt: "Hewitt's Federal Legislation Quick Guide provides short updates on federal legislation that is currently under active consideration by Congress or has recently been enacted into law, regarding health and welfare benefit plans, retirement plans, and human resources and employment law. Click ... to learn more about pending legislation in each area. These files were updated on June 15, 2004." (Hewitt)

Massachusetts Catholic Church May Fire G.ay Spouses
Excerpt: "The Roman Catholic Church in Massachusetts is considering firing g.ay employees who marry their same-sex partners in the only American state where such unions are legal, a church official said on Thursday." (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

Newly Posted Events

Cross-Tested Plan Workshop - Explore the Possibilities
in Connecticut on October 5, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Cross-Tested Plan Workshop - Explore the Possibilities
in Louisiana on October 7, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Cross-Tested Plan Workshop - Explore the Possibilities
in Missouri on October 7, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Cross-Tested Plan Workshop - Explore the Possibilities
in Illinois on October 20, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Cross-Tested Plan Workshop - Explore the Possibilities
in Texas on October 21, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Cross-Tested Plan Workshop - Explore the Possibilities
in Kansas on October 21, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Cross-Tested Plan Workshop - Explore the Possibilities
in Ohio on October 21, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Cross-Tested Plan Workshop - Explore the Possibilities
in Indiana on October 28, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Cross-Tested Plan Workshop - Explore the Possibilities
in Wisconsin on October 28, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 For Pension Plans - 3 Part Program
Nationwide on July 8, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan Workshop - Discover the Advantages
in North Carolina on October 1, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan Workshop - Discover the Advantages
in New York on October 1, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan Workshop - Discover the Advantages
in Connecticut on October 5, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan Workshop - Discover the Advantages
in Louisiana on October 8, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan Workshop - Discover the Advantages
in Missouri on October 8, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan Workshop - Discover the Advantages
in Illinois on October 21, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan Workshop - Discover the Advantages
in Texas on October 22, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan Workshop - Discover the Advantages
in Kansas on October 22, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan Workshop - Discover the Advantages
in Ohio on October 22, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan Workshop - Discover the Advantages
in Indiana on October 29, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel

Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan Workshop - Discover the Advantages
in Wisconsin on October 29, 2004
presented by SunGard Corbel
Newly Posted Press Releases

Companies Report $278.6 Billion Pension Shortfall in Latest Filings with PBGC
(Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC))

Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Post a Help Wanted Ad

401(k) Compliance Analyst
for National Retirement Services, Inc.
in

Financial Consultant Entry
for Hewitt Associates
in IL

DVS Processing Analyst
for Hewitt Associates
in IL

Paralegal-Legal Affairs
for American Express
in MN

Paralegal-Legal Affairs
for American Express
in MN

Health Management Manager
for Hewitt Associates
in FL

Marketing Associate, Request For Proposals
for CitiStreet
in NJ

Plan/Employee Benefits/Office Administration
for Columbia Benefits, LLC - Southeast Metro Denver
in CO

Premium Only Plan Wholesaler
for ADP Retirement Services
in NJ

Client Relationship Manager
for Merrill Lynch
in CA, CO, TX

Institutional Plan Service Manager
for Merrill Lynch
in NJ

Defined Contribution Product (ML11) Director
for Merrill Lynch
in NJ

Business Retirement Manager
for Merrill Lynch
in CA, WA

Benefits Manager
for Pacific Maritime Association
in

Plan Contributions Services Specialist
for ICMA Retirement Corporation
in DC

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