Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter |
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| July 14, 2009 \ Compliance \ Costs \ Administration \ Design \ Policy | ||
International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (Advert.)
What Mauro Canori values about his International Foundation membership: "The networking opportunities . . . the ability to network with other benefit and compensation professionals has been outstanding. That’s one of the big reasons that I not only maintain my membership but also am a volunteer. I pick up the phone and call someone I’ve gotten to know through either membership or volunteering with the Foundation." |
Pressure on Obama Mounts Over Healthcare
Excerpt: "The president has been a cheerleader for reform, but he'll soon need to address specifics: how to pay for it, and whether government-run insurance should be involved." (Los Angeles Times)
Effects of Changes to the Health Insurance System on Labor Markets
Excerpt: "CBO released a brief that analyzes the effects of changes in the health insurance system on the U.S. labor market. In 2009, about three out of every five nonelderly American are expected to have health insurance that is provided through an employer or other job-related arrangement, such as a plan offered through a labor union. Changes to the health insurance system could affect labor markets by changing the cost of insurance offered through the workplace and by providing new options for obtaining coverage outside the workplace." (U.S. Congressional Budget Office)
Healthcare Costs for Overweight and Obese Patients Grow
Excerpt: "Healthcare payers spent a lot more per person to treat those who were obese and overweight in 2006 than they paid in 2001. That's the message from a new federal report that ranked spending on adult patients categorized by body mass index. The increased spending per person is attributed to greater expense of managing chronic conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure." (HealthLeaders Media)
Poll: Americans Want Health Care Bill, But Not the Cost
Excerpt: "When it comes to financing the costs, six of 10 favor the idea of requiring employers to provide health insurance for their workers or pay a fee instead. Increasing income taxes on upper-income Americans, an approach backed by House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., is endorsed by 58%." (USA TODAY)
Benefit Software Inc. (Advert.)
Need to cut costs and improve employee productivity? Download case studies describing how employers were able to cut costs and improve productivity of HR, benefits administration, and employees with full-service online benefits enrollment and communications services. You'll discover how these employers were able to: * simplify the entire benefits enrollment process * reduce errors * improve employee awareness & understanding of their benefits * increase profits * automate HRIS, payroll, and benefit provider data feeds * eliminate duplication of effort For more information contact sales@bsiweb.com or call 1-800-533-1388 |
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
[Guidance Overview]Negotiating Benefits Outsourcing Contracts (PDF)
6 pages. Excerpt: "Outsourcing vendors understand that the industry has matured into a multi-billion dollar business with comparable exposure for ERISA non-compliance or tax disqualification. Not surprisingly, many vendors employ teams of lawyers and business personnel working exclusively to secure the most pro-vendor contract possible. Surprisingly, and sometimes unfortunately, plan sponsors and in-house administrators do not always devote the same attention and resources to the contract. This imbalance can produce a contract that strips the plan sponsor or administrator of many of the benefits of outsourcing and can create liabilities for the plan and plan sponsor that would not otherwise exist." (Ivins, Phillips & Barker)
[Guidance Overview]
SEC Proposes Pay and Governance Disclosure Changes
Excerpt: "Proposed SEC rules on pay and corporate governance proxy disclosure would require discussion of overall compensation policies for all employees, if these policies affect company risk; replace the annual accounting expense of equity awards with their full grant-date fair value; and enhance disclosures about compensation consultants, director nominees and leadership structure." (Mercer)
Companies Get Good News as Pressure Mounts on Exec Comp Disclosure
Excerpt: "On July 1, the SEC voted to solicit comments on proposed changes to its proxy disclosure rules. Among the recommendations, the SEC is looking at reverting to its former stance on how companies disclose and value stock options granted to executives." (Workforce Management)
Proxy Changes Coming
Excerpt: "In a 137-page release of proposed proxy rules, the SEC is seeking comment on increased disclosure requirements about the potential incentivization of risky behavior. The proposal also would change the way stock options are reported, include more disclosure about board members and board structure, and add transparency to potential consultant conflicts-of-interest." (Human Resource Executive Online)
The Economic Crisis: Broader Executive Compensation Reforms Coming Soon
Excerpt: "The widely held view that compensation practices contributed to the economic meltdown has prompted Congress, Treasury and the SEC to engage in a renewed focus on several executive compensation reforms that will have a broad reach if enacted. Consider, for example, the following excerpt from a recent statement by Gene Sperling, Counselor to the Secretary of the Treasury . . . ." (K&L Gates)
Phyllis Borzi Confirmed by Senate as New EBSA Head
Excerpt: " The U.S. Senate has approved the nomination of Phyllis Borzi as assistant secretary of labor for the Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)." (PLANSPONSOR.com)
Webcasts and Conferences
2009 Web/Telephone Seminar: 403(b) PlansNationwide on August 25, 2009
presented by Ascensus
2009 Web/Telephone Seminar: Amending & Restating QPs for EGTRRA
Nationwide on August 27, 2009
presented by Ascensus
2009 Web/Telephone Seminar: Comparing Roth & Traditional IRAs
Nationwide on August 6, 2009
presented by Ascensus
2009 Web/Telephone Seminar: Coverdell Education Savings Accounts
Nationwide on August 6, 2009
presented by Ascensus
2009 Web/Telephone Seminar: IRA Beneficiary Distributions
Nationwide on August 13, 2009
presented by Ascensus
2009 Web/Telephone Seminar: IRA Required Minimum Distributions
Nationwide on August 11, 2009
presented by Ascensus
2009 Web/Telephone Seminar: Selecting the Best 401(k) Plan Design
Nationwide on August 20, 2009
presented by Ascensus
2009 Web/Telephone Seminar: SEP Plans
Nationwide on August 4, 2009
presented by Ascensus
2009 Web/Telephone Seminar: Traditional IRA Distributions
Nationwide on August 20, 2009
presented by Ascensus
ERISA Litigation, 19th Annual National Institute
in Illinois on November 16, 2009
presented by ABA Joint Committee on Employee Benefits
ESOP Company Case Studies : Employee Involvement and Communication
Nationwide on December 16, 2009
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
ESOP Feasibility
Nationwide on December 9, 2009
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
Handling the Repurchase Obligation - Legal Issues
Nationwide on December 1, 2009
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
How the Repurchase Obligation Affects Valuation
Nationwide on December 3, 2009
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
Planning for the Repurchase Obligation
Nationwide on December 2, 2009
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
What You Need to Know as an Internal ESOP Fiduciary
Nationwide on December 10, 2009
presented by National Center for Employee Ownership
(Click to post your webcast or conference)
Press Releases
Uncertain About Savings, Retirees Tighten Belts, Seek AdviceSociety of Actuaries
PBGC Protects Pensions at Mother's Cake & Cookie Co.
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)
U.S. Labor Department Seeks to Restore Employee Contributions Owed to Iowa SIMPLE IRA Plan and Appoint Independent Plan Fiduciary
U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
New Report Shows Employers Struggle with Ill-Prepared Workforce, as White House Highlights Future of Workforce Skills
Corporate Voices for Working Families
More than Half of All Americans Would Drop Employer-Sponsored Dental Plans If Taxed
National Association of Dental Plans (NADP)
(Click to post your press release)
Employee Benefits Jobs
Senior Defined Benefit Data Analystfor Diversified Investment Advisors, Inc.
in MA
Financial Specialist
for Schloss & Co, LLC
in NY
(Click to post your job opening | View all jobs |
RSS feed of all jobs )
EmployeeBenefitsJobs.com (Sponsor)
(Click on banner to learn more.)
| Where the best employers find the best candidates! |
Handy Links:
- View Today's Active Message Threads
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research (hypertext article)
- Employee Benefits Library
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