BenefitsLink Welfare Plans Newsletter July 20, 2005 Today's sponsor: IQPC (Click on company name or banner to learn more.) IQPC presents the 2nd annual Curbing Obesity through Workplace Wellness Programs Learn from leading wellness experts at companies such as Campbell Soup Company, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, The Home Depot and PepsiCo Health Enhancement Program on how to best implement, run and maintain your wellness initiatives and programs. The early bird expires soon so register today with CODE: B156. Register by calling 1-800-882-8684. September 26-28, 2005 | San Diego | Hyatt Regency La Jolla (Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor) The Erie Saga Continues: District Court to Reconsider Judgment Excerpt: "At the request of the court, EEOC and AARP filed briefs respectively supporting and opposing the EEOC's Motion for Relief from Judgment (Rule 60(b)) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania as requested by U.S. District Court Judge Anita Brody in AARP v. EEOC. The Department of Justice, on behalf of the EEOC, filed a Motion for Relief from Judgment on June 30, 2005. AARP filed its Motion in Opposition along with a supporting brief on July 14, 2005." (The ERISA Industry Committee) Workplace Flexibility Reduces Overtime and Absences Excerpt: "After implementing workplace flexibility programs this year, 10 large employers have reaped sizeable economic gains, a nonprofit group reports. Programs, such as teleworking, flextime and compressed workweeks, resulted in decreased overtime, fewer unscheduled absences, increased productivity and more efficient work processes." (BenefitNews Connect) Overview: Finality of Foreign Adoptions for Purposes of Employer-Provided Assistance and Credit (PDF) 3 pages. Excerpt: "The IRS has issued Revenue Procedure 2005-31, which sets out safe harbors for determining when adoptions of foreign-born children will be treated as final and thus when qualified adoption expenses become eligible for favorable tax treatment. In light of the growing popularity of foreign adoptions, this guidance is helpful for employers that sponsor adoption assistance programs." (Buck Consultants LLC) Pamphlet Details Targeted/Maximum Waiting Times for Health Care Treatment in Scotland Excerpt: "The Scottish arm of the British National Health Service (NHS) has published a pamphlet entitled 'The NHS and You', which provides an introduction to its services. Perhaps of greatest interest are the standard waiting times for treatment in Scotland. They are [summarized on the target page]." (Take Back Healthcare Weblog) Overview: Employers Using New Strategies to Manage Pres.cription Drug Costs (PDF) 3 pages. Excerpt: "Pres.cription drug costs have grown at double-digit rates over the past two decades, representing roughly 18% of the total medical spend for active employees and close to 40% for retirees. As most employers well know, time-worn containment strategies focused largely on tiered copays and unit price discounts do not go far enough in addressing the bulk of the cost increases created by greater utilization and an onslaught of new drug introductions." (Towers Perrin) Health Savings Accounts 'Might Represent the Ultimate in Proper Incentive Structure' Excerpt: "In the recent past, employers have had little choice but to limit health care services or pass additional costs on to the employee. The introduction of new types of healthcare plans is, however, set to change the nature of the health insurance industry in America. The new consumer-driven plans can finally allow employers to offer quality coverage without breaking the bank." (Las Vegas Business Press) Towers Perrin U.S. Legislative Tracking Charts-- Health and Welfare-- Updated July 18, 2005 (PDF) 24 pages. Excerpt: "These charts summarize selected federal legislation that would affect employee benefit programs. The bills included on the charts are based on judgments regarding the prominence of the issue, the likelihood of enactment, and the influence of the sponsors." (Towers Perrin) Health Benefits Taxation Sparks Debate Excerpt: "An executive-branch commission is considering whether to propose legislation that would make healthcare benefits taxable." (The Miami Herald; one-time registration required) Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General The 2005 Deloitte Stock Compensation Survey -- Options Take a Hit, but What Will Take Their Place? (PDF) 11 pages. Excerpt: "The 2005 Deloitte Stock Compensation Survey addressed future equity compensation practices and implementation issues as it relates to the adoption of the Financial Accounting Standards Board's (FASB) newly revised accounting standard for stock-based compensation,FAS 123(R)." (Deloitte) Accounting Rules Prompt Stock Options Cuts Excerpt: " New expensing rules have caused 75% of companies to reduce stock options given to employees, according to Deloitte's 2005 compensation survey ...." (BenefitNews Connect) Towers Perrin U.S. Legislative Tracking Charts-- Human Resources -- Updated July 18, 2005 (PDF) 5 pages. Excerpt: "These charts summarize selected federal legislation that would affect employee benefit programs. The bills included on the charts are based on judgments regarding the prominence of the issue, the likelihood of enactment, and the influence of the sponsors." (Towers Perrin) Towers Perrin U.S. Legislative Tracking Charts-- Retirement -- Updated July 18, 2005 (PDF) 7 pages. Excerpt: "These charts summarize selected federal legislation that would affect employee benefit programs. The bills included on the charts are based on judgments regarding the prominence of the issue, the likelihood of enactment, and the influence of the sponsors." (Towers Perrin) New Equity Incentive Programs Gain Favor with Employers Around the World Excerpt: "[W]ith the introduction of mandatory expensing of options by the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the International Accounting Standards Board, companies are exploring alternative incentives because the new rules remove the more advantageous accounting treatment for options and place all forms of long-term incentives (LTIs) on a level playing field. [C]ompanies are showing more interest in restricted stock and performance shares, ...." (Towers Perrin) Newly Posted Events Employee Benefit Plan Best Practices Nationwide on August 18, 2005 presented by ERISA Fiduciary Guild & IBF Conferences*International Business Forum ERISA Workshop in Tennessee on September 21, 2005 presented by SunGard Corbel ERISA Workshop in Texas on September 22, 2005 presented by SunGard Corbel ERISA Workshop in Ohio on September 22, 2005 presented by SunGard Corbel ERISA Workshop in New York on September 22, 2005 presented by SunGard Corbel ERISA Workshop in Michigan on September 23, 2005 presented by SunGard Corbel ERISA Workshop in Ohio on September 23, 2005 presented by SunGard Corbel Third Quarter 2005 Update Nationwide on August 18, 2005 presented by McKay Hochman Co., Inc. Third Quarter 2005 Update Nationwide on August 19, 2005 presented by McKay Hochman Co., Inc. Newly Posted Press Releases Larry Goldbrum Joins RG Wuelfing & Associates As EVP, Will Serve As General Counsel For The NDCC/SPARK Institute (RG Wuelfing & Associates) MCOL's Healthquest Publishers' 2005 Consumer Driven Care Guidebook Second Edition Now Includes Detailed Directory Of Consumer Driven Care Organizations (MCOL) Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board Announces Roll-out of Lifecycle Funds (Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board) HRmarketer.com Reports 36 Consecutive Months of Sales Growth. Company also Expands Marketing and Media Resources to Help HR Suppliers Target Niche Industry Markets (HRmarketer.com) Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings Human Resources Officer (Benefits) for Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts in DC 401(k) Plan Consultant for 401(k) Advisors in CA 401(k) Relationship Manager for 401(k) Advisors in CA Defined Benefit Conversion Project Manager for Benetemps in MA ERISA Sales Consultant-- Vice President for American Pensions, Inc. in FL Plan Administrator for Small, Northeast FL Daily Val Shop in FL Handy Links: View Today's Active Message Threads Search BenefitsLink Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research (hypertext article) Employee Benefits Library Copyright 2005 BenefitsLink.com, Inc.; except that you may reprint this newsletter in full (including this sentence) without obtaining our permission. 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