Health Reform Law Only Small Part of Insurance Rate Increases
Excerpt: "'To the extent that the insurance companies blame the new law for rate increases, they know better,' . . . . 'They've said themselves that the new law would only raise rates by between 1 and 2 percent.' And even those increases would pay for a number of new benefits.'"
(Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)

More Employers May Turn to Self-Insurance in Wake of Health Care Reform
Excerpt: "Employers weigh the difficulties of grandfathering their employee-health plans under new federal guidelines versus the opportunities of self-insurance."
(Human Resource Executive Online)

Health Care Reform May Be a No-Win Situation for Employers.
Excerpt: "[HR] leaders should not assume that dropping healthcare benefits will save their organizations money. Indeed, for most companies, dropping coverage will most likely end up costing them more than keeping it -- or it will until 2016, according to the [Corporate Executive Board]."
(Human Resource Executive Online)

Employees of Agriculture Department's Forest Service in Domestic Partnerships Now Eligible for Sick-Leave Benefits
Excerpt: "[It is] noted the Forest Service agreement is important because it defines a family member as anyone with a blood relationship or close affinity to the employee, including domestic partners, children's spouses and grandparents."
(Government Executive)

National Committee for Quality Assurance Draft 2011 Accountable Care Organizations' Criteria (PDF)
8 pages. Excerpt: "The . . . advisory provides a summary of the draft ACO criteria, as well as a list of issues on which NCQA requests feedback."
(Alston & Bird LLP)

Will Health Care Reform Rein in Health Care Spending? (PDF)
13 pages. Excerpt: "One of the main stated motivations for health care reform is 'bending the cost curve' -- reducing the high rate of growth of total U.S. health care spending."
(Towers Watson)

Make Vacation Mandatory to Avoid Employee Burnout
Excerpt: "American workers often do not take all their vacation days, according to the 'Wellness in Travel' study of 1,500 Americans undertaken by Westin Hotels & Resorts."
(Business & Legal Reports, Inc.)

Chaplains Bring Spiritual Aspect to Workplace
Excerpt: "Corporate Chaplains of America, a Christian non-denominational counseling service based in Raleigh, N.C., provides chaplain service as a workplace benefit."
(Sun Sentinel via The Kansas City Star)

[Opinion]
Courts Should Uphold Health Insurance Mandate That Was Crafted to Comply with Constitution and Is Central to Reform's Success
Excerpt: "The central issue being challenged is whether Congress's powers to raise taxes for the general welfare or to regulate interstate commerce allow it to impose a health insurance mandate and penalty."
(The New York Times; free registration required)

[Official Guidance]
Text of Proposed Rule on Shareholder Approval of Executive Compensation and Golden Parachute Compensation (PDF)
31 pages. Excerpt: "Section 951 of the Dodd-Frank Act amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by adding Section 14A, which requires companies to conduct a separate shareholder advisory vote to approve the compensation of executives, as disclosed pursuant to Item 402 of Regulation S-K or any successor to Item 402."
(U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission)

[Official Guidance]
Text of Proposed Rule on Reporting of Proxy Votes on Executive Compensation and Other Matters (PDF)
22 pages. Excerpt: "[SEC] is proposing rule and form amendments . . . that, if adopted, would require an institutional investment manager that is subject to Section 13(f) of the Securities Exchange Act to report annually how it voted proxies relating to executive compensation matters as required by Section 14A of the Securities Exchange Act . . . ."
(U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission)

New Fiduciary Regulations for IRA and 401(k)/403(b) Markets
Nationwide on November 3, 2011
presented by Convergent Retirement Plan Solutions, LLC

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Evolution Benefits Ranked Number 349 Fastest Growing Company in North America on Deloitte’s 2010 Technology Fast 500
Evolution Benefits

IRS Announces Pension Plan Limitations for 2011
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Diversified Investment Advisors Introduces Securepath For Life: A Guaranteed Lifetime Income Solution
Diversified Investment Advisors

Workers to Enjoy Less Thanksgiving Holiday Paid Time Off in 2010; However, Fewer Required to Work on Thanksgiving Day
BNA, Inc.

Soon Many Employees Will Be Asking, 'Hey, Boss, Which Long-Term Care Policy Should I Get?'
LTC Financial Partners

Only 19% of Defined Benefit Plan Participants are Very Confident in Receiving Pension Benefits - Mercer Workplace Survey
Mercer

FMLA Claims Up More Than 10 Percent in 2010 According to FMLASource, an Affiliate of ComPsych Corp.
ComPsych

AXA Equitable Airs Third Episode in 'Retirement Reality Show' Series
AXA Equitable

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