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| August 9, 2007 |
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Educational Reimbursement for College Degrees May Be Worst-Managed or Least-Beneficial HR Program
Excerpt: "In a true world-class organization, HR leaders would track key analytics to determine the ROI of all programs in their purview. In reality, few organizations officially track the best- and worst-managed programs in HR. If they did, educational reimbursements for college degrees would be a serious contender for the worst- managed -- or least beneficial -- program in HR.' (Workforce Management; free registration required)
A Summary of Key Findings of the Consumer Reports Health Care Survey
Excerpt: "A survey of the health care experiences of 2,905 nationally representative respondents was conducted in May, 2007. We focused on respondents' experiences of the past 12 months. The population sampled was U.S. residents between the ages of 18 to 64 who were covered by neither Medicare nor Medicaid." (Consumer Reports via Physicians for a National Health Program)
Hewitt Federal Legislation Quick Guide Updated August 7, 2007, for Health and Welfare Plans (PDF)
16 pages. This 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. (Hewitt Associates)
Fourth Circuit Holds Plaintiff Has Standing To Sue, State Law Claims ERISA Preempted
Excerpt: "Wilmington Shipping Co., a pension benefits case, provides a helpful analysis of ERISA preemption from the Fourth Circuit's point of view. In the court of its ruling, the Fourth Circuit also had occasion to rule on a standing issue as it pertained to terminated plans." (Health Plan Law blog by Attorney Roy F. Harmon III)
IMS Special Report: Medicare Part D - The First Year (PDF)
12 pages. Excerpt: "In this report, IMS presents an evidence-based perspective on the first year of the Medicare Part D program and its impact on pharma.ceutical usage. Our report is based on an analysis of our prescription and anonymized patient- and plan-level information by IMS consultants who have extensive experience helping industry stakeholders understand the effect of Medicare Part D." (IMS Health Incorporated)
Overview: The New Proposed Cafeteria Plan Rules
Excerpt: "The proposed rules include a variety of new guidance, including expanded written plan document requirements and easier to understand discrimination testing rules." (Wolters Kluwer Law & Business)
Calling for a Larger Stay-at-Home Federal Workforce
Excerpt: "During debate on an energy-efficiency bill, Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.) offered an amendment to require every federal agency to establish a telework policy. The measure would ensure that employees may telecommute 'to the maximum extent possible without diminishing employee performance or agency operations.'" (The Washington Post; free registration required)
Part D Plan Sponsors Must Now Prepare for CMS Audits
Excerpt: "Since Year 2 of Part D began, industry insiders have been saying that the reprieve from enforcement that Part D plans were given by CMS and the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) is coming to an end. . . . The years 2007 and 2008 will be the years 'prosecutions get going,' said Sara Kay Wheeler, a partner with the law firm Powell Goldstein. 'Patience with compliance is over,' she added, and at some point the 'dollars at stake are going to be too hard to ignore.'" (MEDICARE PART D COMPLIANCE NEWS via AISHealth.com)
Proposed Cafeteria Plan Regulations Would Affect Health, Other Benefit Plans
Excerpt: "The proposed rules also provide administrative guidance on a host of issues, including what information cafeteria plan documents must provide, how long a plan year is and who may participate in such plans. In addition, the proposed regulations detail how Flexible Spending Arrangements must operate." (Watson Wyatt Worldwide)
Widow Gets OK to Pursue Wrongful Benefits Denial Claim
Excerpt: "A federal judge in Delaware has cleared the way for a woman whose husband was killed in a car accident while on a partially business-related trip to pursue her wrongful benefit denial lawsuit." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)
Most People Satisfied With Their Health Insurance Plans, Consumer Reports Finds
Excerpt: "Sixty-seven percent of respondents to a Consumer Reports survey said they were completely or very satisfied with their health insurance plans, up from 64% last year, according to the September issue of the magazine . . . ." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Excellent Resource for Breaking Courts of Appeals Cases on ERISA Matters
The link we've provided for you sorts the cases by date; newest cases appear up top. Definitely one to bookmark! (FindLaw.com)
Opinion: FASB Should Revise Stock Options' Earnings Rule
Excerpt: "FASB should recognize that using a full 10-year term is unrealistic, and it should mandate a reasonable percentage discount from the full-term option value. That discount should be imposed on every company using 10-year options." (Graef Crystal via Bloomberg News)
Excellent Resource for Breaking Courts of Appeals Cases on Labor & Management Matters
The link we've provided for you sorts the cases by date; newest cases appear up top. Definitely one to bookmark! (FindLaw.com)
Hewitt Federal Legislation Quick Guide for August 7, 2007, on Human Resources & Employment Law (PDF)
13 pages. This 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 human resources and employment law. (Hewitt Associates)
ERISA Plan Record Retention: How Long Is Long Enough?
Excerpt: "Attorney Rush Nigot blogging about Document Retention and Electronic Discovery on his new Blog, Rush on Business, tells us that in today's business environment, organizations need to respond to an increasing number of document requests, from regulatory compliance issues to internal investigations to full-scale litigation." (Retirement Plan Blog)
Overview: IRS Clarifies 409A NQDC Rules' Impact on Teacher Compensation
Excerpt: "The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued new publications to explain how the 409A nonqualified deferred compensation rules may apply to school district employees who are able to elect to spread their school-year compensation over a 12-month pay period and similar arrangements of taxpayers with part-year work periods." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)
Newly Posted Events
Advanced ESOP Valuation
Nationwide on September 18, 2007
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
Communicating Your ESOP
Nationwide on September 27, 2007
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
ESOPs as a Business Transition Tool
Nationwide on October 11, 2007
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
Executive Compensation for ESOP Companies
Nationwide on November 20, 2007
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
Handling the ESOP Repurchase Obligation
Nationwide on December 11, 2007
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
Is an ESOP Right for You? Finance, Valuation, and Culture
Nationwide on December 6, 2007
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
Is an ESOP Right for You? The Basics
Nationwide on December 4, 2007
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
Navigating the 409A Deferred Compensation Plan Rules
Nationwide on November 29, 2007
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
Predictive Modeling for Population Health and Secondary Prevention
in California on September 5, 2007
presented by DST Health Solutions
S Corporation ESOPs
Nationwide on November 13, 2007
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
Using ESOPs as an Acquisition Strategy
Nationwide on November 6, 2007
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
What You Need to Know as an Internal ESOP Fiduciary
Nationwide on November 27, 2007
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
Newly Posted Press Releases
U.S. Labor Department Publishes Civil Penalty Rules Under Pension Protection Act
U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
Ambling Companies, Inc. and MassMutual Offer Free Life Insurance to Working Parents in Georgia
MassMutual
30-Day Open Enrollment Period Allows Self-Employed to Shop for Guaranteed Issue Health Insurance
Florida Association of Health Underwriters
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
(Post a Job | View All Jobs |
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401(k) Client Relationship Manager
for The Douglas Group
in CA, CO, MA, NJ, NY
Employee Benefits Consultant
for Shannon & Associates, LLP
in WA
Defined Contribution / 401-K Plan Administrator
for a Pension Actuarial Consulting Firm
in NY
Daily Record Keeping Specialist
for AKT Retirement Plan Services LLC
in OR
Handy Links:
- View Today's Active Message Threads
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research (hypertext article)
- Employee Benefits Library
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