| BenefitsLink Welfare Plans Newsletter |   |
September 9, 2005
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Text: Treatment of Amounts Paid under Certain Employer Leave-Based Donation Programs (PDF)
2 pages. Excerpt: "[E]mployers may have adopted or may be considering adopting leave-based donation programs to aid victims of this hurricane. Under these programs employees elect to forgo vacation, sick, or personal leave in exchange for cash payments an employer makes to organizations described in § 170(c) of the [Code] for the relief of victims of Hurricane Katrina. This notice provides guidance on the treatment of these cash payments for income and employment tax purposes." (U.S. Department of the Treasury)
Nevada State Employee Health Insurance Unaffordable -- Administration of Benefits Program Criticized
Excerpt: "A panel of lawmakers on Wednesday criticized the administration of the state health insurance plan, saying agency officials were not doing a good enough job of explaining rate increases to participants." (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Florida Notices Serve As Model for Katrina Declarations to Insurance Companies
Excerpt: "Top regulators from the states hit by Hurricane Katrina are asking insurers to show compassion for the survivors. Officials at an emergency insurance summit in Atlanta drafted emergency consumer protection declarations that would ask insurers to suspend the usual cancellation rules temporarily. The declarations also would order health care insurers to honor in-network plan provisions for out-of-network care and even for out-of-state care." (National Underwriter Life & Health; free one-time registration or paid subscription required)
HSA Marketplace
Excerpt: "Periodically, Spencer Benefits Reports summarizes recent activity in the health savings account (HSA) marketplace. Click here for the latest news." (Spencer Benefits Reports)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Overview: Corporate Aircraft Operations and Use and Taxation Issues (PDF)
3 pages. Excerpt: "When used wisely, corporate aircraft offer significant benefits over commercial air travel, such as increased productivity, security, convenience, and lower travel costs. However, the transition to corporate aircraft requires considerable planning in view of the various ownership and use options and the complex regulatory framework in which aircraft operate." (Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP)
Hewitt Federal Legislation Quick Guide Updated as of September 6, 2005
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." (Hewitt Associates)
AARP Attorneys Advise European Union on Age Discrimination Law
Excerpt: "The Anti-Discrimination Expert Group or ADEG, in which AARP has been granted Observer status, is composed of representatives from all 25 EU Member States with expertise in many areas of aging. The primary focus of the ADEG has been monitoring the implementation by the Member States of the Framework Directive on Equal Treatment (or simply the Framework Directive) adopted by the Council of the European Union in November 2000." (AARP)
Life and Death Planning for Federal Employees and Their Survivors
Excerpt: "As the waters begin to recede from the city of New Orleans, the death toll likely will begin to rise. Those deaths will serve as a grim reminder to those who escaped Hurricane Katrina of the kind of preparations to make to prepare for a federal employee's death." (GovExec.com)
Newly Posted Events
Effect Of The New Bankruptcy Act On Retirement Plans
in Delaware on September 15, 2005
presented by Western Pension & Benefits Conference - Phoenix Chapter
Fourth Quarter 2005 Update
Nationwide on November 17, 2005
presented by McKay Hochman
Fourth Quarter 2005 Update
Nationwide on November 18, 2005
presented by McKay Hochman
Newly Posted Press Releases
ERIC Submits Letter to Senators Urging Careful Consideration of Pending Pension Reform Legislation
(ERIC (ERISA Industry Committee))
Senate HELP Committee Mixes Its Pension Funding Reform Message: Good For Funding Reform, Bad For Hybrid Plans
(American Benefits Council)
The SPARK Institute Working on Hurricane Katrina Relief Issues for Retirement Plan Sponsors, Participants and Service Providers
(SPARK Institute)
Treasury, IRS Announce Special Relief to Encourage Leave-Donation Programs for Victims of Hurricane Katrina
(U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service)
ICC Plan Solutions Pledges Support To Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts
(Metrics Partners)
ERISA Advisory Council Sets September 2005 Meetings
(U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Account Manager, Health & Welfare
for Stanton Group
in MN
Sales Manager
for ING US Financial Services
in CT
Annual Plan Reporting Services Manager - PA
for Vanguard
in PA
Project Manager
for ING US Financial Services
in CT
Channel Support Manager
for ING US Financial Services
in CT
Sr Market Research Analyst
for ING US Financial Services
in CT
Pension Administrator
for Pension Administrator
in GA
Qualified Retirement Plan Administrator
for BKD, LLP
in CO
Senior Account Manager/Account Manager, Health & Welfare
for Charles W. Cammack Associates, Inc.
in NY
Manager - Health Claims/Customer Service
for Zenith Administrators
in WA
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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