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June 29, 2004
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Captives and Employee Benefits: the "Whys" and "Hows"
Excerpt: "Recent announcements seem to be heralding a trend -- reinsurance of group welfare benefit plans (e.g., life, disability) by captive insurance companies (often referred to merely as 'captives'). As of this writing, four major corporations ... have reinsured their group benefit programs through captives. This article covers the basics of this new trend and describes Aon Consulting's approach to conducting feasibility studies for benefit captives." (Aon)

Health Benefits for State Employees: a 50-State Overview
Excerpt: "All 50 states provide health insurance coverage for their state employees. Most have done so for decades. However, the amount of coverage, who is eligible to enroll, and the portions paid by the state employer and by the individual worker always have varied from state to state." (National Conference of State Legislatures)

Los Angeles Times Examines Marrying for Health Insurance Coverage
Excerpt: "Several patient advocacy groups -- including the American Diabetes Association and the American Cancer Society -- contend that there is 'a small but growing' number of seriously ill people who are marrying 'as a last resort to deal with potentially crippling medical bills,' the Times reports." (BCBSHealthIssues.com)

Religious Initiatives Make Workplace Hostile for Some
Excerpt: "As corporate America becomes more religious, some employees say they feel excluded or coerced into sharing in their company's religion. Employers' emphasis on religion can create a hostile work environment for those who consider themselves non-believers. NPR's Barbara Bradley Hagerty reports." (National Public Radio)

Heightened Standard of Review Applied When Conflicted Employer Retained Ultimate Control Over Claims
Williams v. BellSouth Telecomms., Inc. (11th Cir. 2004). Excerpt: "The disability benefits under the plan were paid directly out of the employer's operating expenses, and the Eleventh Circuit noted that it was therefore not in the employer's financial interest to approve disability claims. Such cases, the court noted, create a conflict of interest between the employer's dual fiduciary and profit-making roles ..." (Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA))

Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General

Update on Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Legislation
Excerpt: "The pending changes are far-reaching and would have a dramatic effect on a wide variety of compensation arrangements, including many arrangements that traditionally have not been considered to involve deferred compensation as such. Moreover, the proposed changes would take effect almost immediately, with little or no transition time for employers and employees to modify their arrangements." (Groom Law Group)

Update on the Older Worker
Excerpt: "Since 1997, Sara Rix has been tracking the shifting situation of American workers 55 and over and under 55, and reporting the results in this series of AARP Public Policy Institute Data Digests. Among the considerations covered are employment status, trends in participation rates, age and job discrimination, and changing work arrangements." (AARP Research)

Newly Posted Events
(Post Yours!)

Sizzling Issues and Cold Hard Facts NDCC annual conference
in District of Columbia on September 21, 2004
presented by National Defined Contribution Council
Newly Posted Press Releases
(Post Yours!)

Workplace Financial Education Expands At American Express
(American Express Retirement Services)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Post a Help Wanted Ad

ESOP Administrator
for Arwood Associates, Inc.
in DC

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