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September 6, 2011 Get Retirement News  |  Advertise  |  Unsubscribe  |  Past Issues  |  Search
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Employee Benefits Jobs

Defined Contribution Analyst
for Hooker & Holcombe, Inc. in CT

Programmer
for Pentegra Retirement Services in NY

Customer Service Associate
for Non-Profit Association in VA

Retirement Plan Specialist
for The Bassett Healthcare Network in NY

Director of Client Team
for Fidelity in NM

Client Service Manager
for Fidelity in NM

Trust Relationship Manager
for First Merchants Bank in OH

Operations/Business Analyst
for Fidelity in NM

Pension Analyst
for Fidelity in NM

Pension Manager
for Fidelity in NM

Defined Contribution Analyst
for Milliman, Inc. in OR

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Webcasts and Conferences

"ERISA Workshop 2011" presented by SunGard's Relius Education
Nationwide on October 19, 2011 presented by SunGard Relius

A Chat with Andy Zuckerman on Interim Amendment Changes, Determination Letter Processing, and ESOPs
Nationwide on September 20, 2011 presented by ABA Joint Committee on Employee Benefits

American Health Care Congress and Exhibition
in California on December 5, 2011 presented by World Congress

ASPPA Benefits Council/DFW - Half Day Seminar for Retirement Plan Professionals - 9/22/11
in Texas on September 22, 2011 presented by ASPPA Benefits Council of Dallas/Fort Worth

COBRA Compliance Workshop
in California on September 27, 2011 presented by U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)

Summaries of Benefits and Coverage under Health Care Reform: Your Guide to the New Requirements
Nationwide on September 21, 2011 presented by Practical Law Company


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[Guidance Overview]
COBRA Subsidy Ends 15 Months After COBRA Begins, EBSA Clarifies
"For most individuals, the COBRA premium reduction subsidy ended on Aug. 31, 2011, but there is one exception: workers laid off on or before May 31, 2010, whose COBRA coverage was postponed as a result of a severance agreement allowing them to continue active-employment coverage for a period after termination of employment." (Wolters Kluwer Law & Business / CCH)


6th Annual Obesity and Wellness Congress   [Advert.]

Sponsored by World Congress

Convening providers, payers, employers and public purchasers, the 6th Annual Obesity and Wellness Congress will discuss preventative and collaborative solutions to reverse the nationwide epidemic of obesity.


[Guidance Overview]
CMS's Updated Guidance on the ERRP Maintenance of Contribution Requirement (PDF)
"CMS has provided additional guidance on the satisfaction of the maintenance of contribution requirement for the use of ERRP reimbursements and has also updated the cost threshold and limit amounts for determining reimbursements." (Buck Consultants, LLC)

[Guidance Overview]
DOL FAQ Notes that COBRA Premium Subsidy Available to Some Individuals After August 2011
"The DOL has posted an FAQ on its website with a reminder that some individuals (e.g., those with a delayed COBRA start date under a severance agreement) could still be eligible to receive the COBRA premium subsidy after August 31, 2011." (Thomson Reuters/EBIA)

[Guidance Overview]
ERISA Regulations: Who Can Be Sued?
"Judges noted that a section of ERISA reads, 'A civil action may be brought . . . by a participant or beneficiary . . . to recover benefits due to him under the terms of his plan.'" (Business & Legal Reports, Inc.)

Stop-Loss Insurance Helps Control Employee Benefit Costs
"While stop-loss coverage seldom is used by the largest self-insured employers, it can be an effective strategy for middle-market employers that do not have the financial resources to withstand large claims. Understanding self-insurance and the issues associated with stop-loss coverage can be a powerful tool to take back control of this important expense . . . ." (Business Insurance)

Benefits in General; Executive Compensation

[Official Guidance]
Text of Treasury/IRS 2011–2012 Priority Guidance Plan (PDF)
33 pages. The list of 37 retirement plan projects starts on page 4 of the target page followed by Executive Compensation, Health Care and Other Benefits, and Employment Taxes on page 6. (U.S. Internal Revenue Service)

[Official Guidance]
IRS List of Nonbank Trustees and Custodians (PDF)
"The [target page] is a list of entities that have been approved by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, pursuant to § 1.408-2(e) of the Income Tax Regulations, to serve as a nonbank trustee or custodian." (U.S. Internal Revenue Service)

[Guidance Overview]
IRS Lists Approved Nonbank Trustees and Custodians for HSAs and Other Tax-Exempt Trusts
"The list of approved entities has dwindled from 255 at the end of 2006 to fewer than 100 (with only 10 entities approved after 2006).' (Thomson Reuters/EBIA)

[Guidance Overview]
New York's Marriage Equality Act and Employee Benefits Plans
"Employers with New York employees should review their benefit plans to determine the impact of the Marriage Equality Act. In addition, employers should contact their payroll administrators to confirm that New York state taxes are being properly withheld and reported." (Dorsey & Whitney LLP)

Upgrade Employee Benefit Plan Auditing, Says ERISA Advisory Council (PDF)
"The ERISA Advisory Council issued a report on employee benefit auditing and financial reporting models. The primary findings include: some auditors require more training despite available information; limited scope audits may be understood; the DOL should continue educational outreach efforts." (Thompson Publishing Group via ERISAdiagnostics Inc.)

Press Releases

Automated Group Administration Implements Benefit Informatics’ Data Integration and Analytics Technology
(Benefit Informatics)

Mercer Completes Acquisition Of The Health And Welfare And Qualified Plans Practices of Mahoney & Associates
(Mercer)

Agent's Sales Journal Announces Results of 2011 Employee Benefits Market Study
(Summit Business Media)

Government Deadline for Small Businesses to Start 401(k) Fast-Approaching
(ShareBuilder 401k)

TigerText and Manage Mobility Partner to Provide HIPAA Compliant Mobile Solution
(TigerText)

Survey of Working Adults Shows U.S. Employees Willing to Take Pay Cut for Workplace Flexibility
(Mom Corps)

Labor Day Milestone for AFL-CIO HIT: Union Pension Capital Helps Create More Than 11,000 New Construction Jobs in Two Years
(AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust)



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