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July 21, 2011 Get Retirement News  |  Advertise  |  Unsubscribe  |  Past Issues  |  Search

Employee Benefits Jobs

Sr. Consultant, Business Development
for Milliman in TX

Vice President & Actuary - Retirement Plan Strategy
for Prudential in CT, IL

Mgr Customer Service
for The Standard in OR

Supv Disability Mgmt Resources
for The Standard in NY

Document Design Specialist
for Kidder Benefits Consultants, Inc in IA

Vice President of Learning and Development
for Charles Schwab in CA

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Webcasts and Conferences

Abandoned Plan Program Workshop
in California on July 28, 2011 presented by U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)

Best Practices and Practical Guidance on Prevailing Wage Plans
Nationwide on August 3, 2011 presented by AccuDraft, Inc.

Dispelling the Confusion of Government Plans
Nationwide on July 21, 2011 presented by AccuDraft, Inc.

Ethics for the Retirement Plan Professional with Bill Grossman
Nationwide on October 5, 2011 presented by McKay Hochman Co., Inc.

Implementing a Health Risk Assessment for Your Health Plan: What Works, What Doesn't, What's Legal
Nationwide on August 10, 2011 presented by Lorman Education Services

Recent Trends in Multiple Employer Plans and What They Mean for Your Firm
Nationwide on August 10, 2011 presented by AccuDraft, Inc.

Safe Harbor Plans – Revisiting the Rules
Nationwide on August 17, 2011 presented by AccuDraft, Inc.

Unpacking Investment and Administration Fees Webinar
Nationwide on August 17, 2011 presented by Roland|Criss Fiduciary Services

Updates in the World of Automatic Enrollment for 401(k) Plans
Nationwide on August 3, 2011 presented by Lorman Education Services

Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program Workshop
in California on July 28, 2011 presented by U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)


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[Guidance Overview]
Guidance on Form W-2 Reporting under Affordable Care Act Addresses Multiemployer Plan Coverage
"The guidance grants a delayed effective date for reporting, contains information on how the value of health coverage is calculated, and allows transitional relief for certain employers, including those that contribute to multiemployer plans, from the reporting obligations." (The Segal Group, Inc.)


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Medical Benefits to Manage Chronic Disease or Aid Recovery
"The article presents data on benefits for organ and tissue transplantation, physical therapy, durable medical equipment, prosthetics, diabetes care management, and kidney dialysis." (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Court Challenges to Health Care Reform Law Make for Uncertain Future
"A major issue concerns the constitutionality of the federal mandate that all individuals maintain adequate health-insurance coverage or pay a penalty to the Internal Revenue Service." (CFO Publishing LLC)

Open-Ended Vacation Policies Gain Momentum Among High-Tech, Professional-Services and Other White-Collar Employers
"Workers get no guaranteed amount, or official limit, of vacation time, but they have to get time off approved and generally have to make sure things go smoothly in their absence." (The Wall Street Journal)

EEOC Addresses Confidentiality of Employees' Health Information Under the ADA and GINA
"While the EEOC's caution about EMRs will not apply to all employers, this letter does provide a nice summary of the relevant rules under ADA and GINA. Of course, employers with health plans also must address rules under HIPAA (covering 'protected health information') and GINA Title I (covering genetic information).' (Thomson Reuters/EBIA)

[Opinion]
Do Americans Just Love Expensive Health Care?
"The basic model I have of the [American] health-care system is that health care is a product that individuals are uniquely incapable of refusing. If the doctor says your child needs something, then you'll do whatever it takes—mortgage the house, sell the dog, rob the bank—to get it. In other countries, the government is empowered to 'say no' in the form of driving extremely hard bargains with doctors, hospitals, drug manufacturers and others." (The Washington Post; free registration required)

[Opinion]
Estimating the Coverage Effects of the 2010 Affordable Care Act
"This new research suggests that neither the ACA's fiercest critics nor its most devout proponents are quite on point. If you are currently insured through your employer, you can decide to keep your plan—but, if you meet certain income requirements, you may not want to. As a consequence of two poorly understood factors, subsidies in the new law could incent millions of employees to willingly shift from an employer plan to a government-subsidized insurance exchange . . . ." (Employment Policies Institute)

Benefits in General; Executive Compensation

[Guidance Overview]
IRS Clarifies Rules under §162(m) of Internal Revenue Code on Deductibility of Certain Compensation
"[A]ny company attempting to avail itself of the special transition rules in the Section 162(m) Treasury Regulations should be aware that unless restricted stock units and phantom stock arrangements are paid out prior to the end of the Transition Period, such payments will be subject to the $1,000,000 deduction limit under Section 162(m)." (jackson lewis llp)

Risks of Equity Compensation Programs Rising
"Evolving rules around fair value, complex Sarbanes-Oxley requirements and employment laws, increasing pay-for-performance programs and the dynamism of fluctuating stock values can turn a poorly organized equity compensation program into a significant business risk." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required)

Senators' Bill Would End Tax Break on Stock Options
"[The bill] would end the ability for corporations to deduct expenses for stock options from their taxes at greater amounts than the expenses in their financial statements. The measure would reduce the federal budget deficit by $24.6 bil.lion over 10 years, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required)

Best Practices in Financial Education for Generation X
"Generation X employees are skeptical: Provide them with conflict- free communication and hands on tools." (Liz Davidson, founder and CEO of Financial Finesse, via 401khelpcenter.com)

Press Releases

The Segal Company Announces Executive Promotions
(The Segal Company)

Benefit Software Inc.'s Three-Year Study of Printed Benefit Statements Validates Importance of Streamlined Production and Delivery Processes
(Benefit Software Inc.)

Great-West Retirement Services Adds Staff To Further Grow Its Third-Party Administration Business
(Great-West Retirement Services)

Pension Rights Center Supports Proposed DOL Regulation on Definition of Fiduciary
(Pension Rights Center)

The SPARK Institute Creates Data Standards For Retirement Plan Participant Disclosures, Seeks Public Comment
(SPARK Institute)

Segal Advisors, Inc. Announces New Senior Vice President
(Segal Advisors)

Segal Advisors Ranked Among Top Investment Consultants: Pensions & Investments
(Segal Advisors)

Trustnode Increases Large California Employee Union's Participation Rates in Voluntary Benefits Offering 5X Versus Traditional Enrollment Methods
(Trustnode)

VALIC Selected By Three North Carolina Healthcare Providers
(VALIC)



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Jeanette Hull, News Editor
David Rhett Baker, J.D., Editor and Publisher
Lois Baker, J.D., President
Holly Horton, Business Manager

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