| BenefitsLink Welfare Plans Newsletter |   |
November 18, 2005
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How Some Innovative Employers Are Embracing Flexible Work Scheduling
Excerpt: "A few innovative employers are starting to hand out nontraditional work arrangements, including flextime, part-time hours and shorter workweeks, in a fairer, more systematic way. Some are opening up the option to all employees, rather than limiting flexibility to a privileged few, as has often been the case in the past. But they're also raising the bar for employees on nontraditional schedules by asking for more teamwork and accountability in return." (The Wall Street Journal Online via CareerJournal.com)
Employers Don't Hand Out Turkeys Anymore
Excerpt: "Employer practices for Thanksgiving time off and pay for holiday work haven't really changed, but the days of turkey-giving to employees seem to be gone. BNA's Holiday Practices Survey data showed that, while in each of the past 10 years 5% to 6% of employers have given their employees a turkey for Thanksgiving, for 2005 only 2% of employers plan to do so." (PLANSPONSOR.com: one-time registration required)
PricewaterhouseCoopers Details the Benefits of Scouring the Globe for Best Practices in Health
Excerpt: "HealthCast 2020: Creating a Sustainable Future, ... a survey of global health care executives, policymakers and employers, shows that many countries feel time is running out on their health care system. Therefore, says Jim Henry, PwC's health care leader, nations must work together to build on each other's strengths and improve health care throughout the world." (The Adviser)
To Fight Rising Costs, Hospitals Seek Allies in the Operating Room
Excerpt: "But hospital administrators and consultants say getting doctors to agree to use certain brands or waste fewer supplies can be difficult. The only way to make doctors cost-sensitive, the hospitals say, is to pay them to pay attention." (The New York Times; one-time registration required)
UAW and Ford in Talks over Retiree Health Benefits
Excerpt: "The United Auto Workers and Ford Motor Company officials have begun discussions about potential concessions on retiree health benefits, union President Ron Gettelfinger said on Wednesday, the Detroit Free Press reports." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Overview: DOL Form LM-10 Guidance
Excerpt: "A grace period will be extended to LM-10 filers for forms filed for fiscal years beginning on or after January 1, 2005. Except in extraordinary circumstances ..., the Department will not require 5 prior years of reporting if Form's LM-10 are filed for first time filers within the grace period." (Groom Law Group)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Overview: Federal Regulation of Corporate Jet Perk for Exective Use Takes Off (PDF)
12 pages. (Benefits Law Journal via Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham LLP)
Company Boards Tally Up Executive Pay
Excerpt: "Boards of directors are adopting a new tool, known as tally sheets, in an effort to tackle the increasingly confusing issue of how much they are paying their top executives. Executive pay has grown multi-layered over the years, going beyond base pay and bonuses to include various forms of stock grants, performance and severance payments." (AP via The New York Times; one-time registration required)
Survey Finds More Sponsors Minding Governance Ps and Qs
Excerpt: "A new survey has found that 85% of plan sponsors now have a written investment policy statement (IPS) indicating a continuing focus on improving the process for plan oversight." (PLANSPONSOR.com; one-time registration required)
Hewitt Federal Legislation Quick Guide Updated as of November 15, 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)
Newly Posted Events
401(k) Regulatory Update with speaker Sal Tripodi
in Connecticut on December 8, 2005
presented by National Institute of Pension Administrators-CT Chapter
Highlights of Deferred Compensation Regulations Under 409A
Nationwide on November 17, 2005
presented by Retirement Capital Group
Older and Out of Work: Jobs and Social Insurance for a Changing Economy
in District of Columbia on January 19, 2006
presented by National Academy of Social Insurance
Newly Posted Press Releases
ERIC Questions Senate Action on Pension Bill
(ERIC (ERISA Industry Committee))
Innoviant Introduces "Wise Choice Rx" to Propel Members into Consumer Role
(Fiserv, Inc.)
Former Secretary Tommy Thompson Makes Business Case for Medicare's New Drug Benefit at National Business Coalition on Health Conference
(National Business Coalition on Health)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
ERISA Consultant
for BISYS Retirement Services
in MN
Senior Plan Administrator
for WESPAC
in CA
Pension Professionals
for Associated Pension Consultants
in CA
Financial Planner/Investment Specialist (Part-Time)
for Diversified Investment Advisors
in CT
Handy Links:
- View Today's Active Message Threads
- Search BenefitsLink
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research (hypertext article)
- Employee Benefits Library
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