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November 14, 2011 Get Retirement News  |  Advertise  |  Unsubscribe  |  Past Issues  |  Search

Employee Benefits Jobs

Retirement Plan Consultant
for Federated Investors, Inc. in PA

Compliance Solutions Analyst (Defined Contribution Analyst II or III)
for The Standard in OR

Pension Administrator
for Jordan & Associates Retirement Services in CA

Operations Manager - Contribution
for Prudential in PA

Director, Actuarial
for Prudential in NJ

Manager - Pension Risk Transfer (PRT) Pricing
for Prudential in NJ

Operations Manager - Disbursements
for Prudential in PA

Operations Manager - Plan/Participant Maintenance & Corrections
for Prudential in PA

Senior Actuary
for The Newport Group in FL, WI

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Webcasts and Conferences

401(k) Lessons Learned and Areas to Watch
Nationwide on December 15, 2011 presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans

401(k) Rekon Advisor Symposium- Baltimore
in Maryland on December 13, 2011 presented by 401(k) Rekon

Auditing Eligibility After Health Care Reform: Health Plan Compliance Issues (Including Health FSAs and HRAs)
Nationwide on November 10, 2011 presented by Thomson Reuters / EBIA

Ethics
Nationwide on December 13, 2011 presented by National Institute of Pension Administrators

The PPA Restatement & Revenue Procedure 2011-49
Nationwide on November 22, 2011 presented by McKay Hochman Co., Inc.


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U.S. Supreme Court Sets 5-1/2 Hour Hearing on Legality of Health Care Reform Legislation
"The Court will hold two hours of argument on the constitutionality of the requirement that virtually every American obtain health insurance by 2014, 90 minutes on whether some or all of the overall law must fail if the mandate is struck down, one hour on whether the Anti-Injunction Act bars some or all of the challenges to the insurance mandate, and one hour on the constitutionality of the expansion of the Medicaid program for the poor and disabled." (SCOTUSblog)


Advanced Education for all Taft-Hartley Trustees & Administrators   [Advert.]

Sponsored by Financial Research Associates

In a significantly changed investment climate, and with healthcare reform on the horizon, you can’t afford to miss hearing from the best minds in the business about the key strategies you’ll need to best manage your benefits in 2012 and beyond.


[Guidance Overview]
New HIPAA Regulations in the Works As HHS' Office for Civil Rights Ramps Up Enforcement
"HHS officials have stated that their goal is to get new HIPAA regulations out by the end of the year. If they succeed, these revised regulations will go into effect in the middle of 2012. Some of these revised regulations will impact employers who sponsor group health plans, such as new requirements for business associate agreements, revisions to the Notice of Privacy Practices and possibly some changes to breach notification procedures. Once the new rules come out, employers will likely have six months . . . ." (Warner Norcross & Judd LLP)

[Guidance Overview]
The Importance of Communicating with Employees on FMLA Leave
"Because the FMLA prohibits employers from 'interfering' with an employee's right to take leave under the Act or 'retaliating' against an employee who exercises his FMLA rights, employers must carefully manage communications with employees who take or wish to take time off under the Act. Several recent court cases bear this out." (Warner Norcross & Judd LLP)

[Guidance Overview]
Summary of Trade Adjustment Assistance Extension Act of 2011 Signed Into Law, Affecting Health Coverage Tax Credit and COBRA Continuation Coverage (PDF)
"Of note to employers, the 2011 Act modifies the health coverage tax credit . . ., as codified in section 35 of the [IRC] as well as the rules governing health care continuation coverage under [COBRA]." (American Benefits Council)

Everything You Wanted to Know About The Health Reform Lawsuits, But Were Afraid to Ask
"The U.S. Supreme Court announced today it will hear a lawsuit challenging the health reform law's constitutionality. Here are seven key questions and answers on where the lawsuits stand now, where they're headed and what it means for the Affordable Care Act: . . . ." (Washington Post)

Health Law Puts Focus on Limits of Federal Power
"If the federal government can require people to purchase health insurance, what else can it force them to do? More to the point, what can't the government compel citizens to do?" (The New York Times; free registration required)

Appeals Court Rules Health Law's Individual Mandate Constitutional, As Ohio Voters Reject It
"Despite the overwhelming vote, the amendment will not exempt Ohio from the individual mandate because federal law trumps state law. The constitutionality of the health care mandate will be decided by the Supreme Court, not Ohio voters." (Wolters Kluwer Law & Business / CCH)

2011 Survey of Employers Utilizing HSA Programs
(Free product.) "The survey [conducted by Buck Consultants on behalf of ACS/The HSA Solution] [involves] demographics, behaviors, and opinions of individuals that own accounts." (BuckSurveys.com; registration required)

2011 Survey of Health Savings Account Holders
"The survey [conducted by Buck Consultants on behalf of ACS/The HSA Solution] was divided into several categories that allowed for the analysis of account holder demographics, participation with their health plan, selection and use of the HSA, behavior related to medical service usage, and satisfaction with product features." (BuckSurveys.com)

Half of Working Women Who Gave Birth Did Not Receive Paid Maternity Leave, According to Census Report
"[A] higher percentage of women were being fired from their jobs either during or after their first pregnancy between 2006 and 2008 than had been over the prior 30 years, the report found." (Business Insurance)

HHS Announces Immediate HIPAA Audit Initiative
"The audit will focus on the HIPAA privacy and security requirements. The OCR will select a broad range of entities, including health plans and health care providers of all sizes. HIPAA audits begin immediately." (Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLP)

A Buoyed Health Care Law Reaches Supreme Court
"Only three of the 12 appellate judges who have reviewed the law have decided it is unconstitutional to require all Americans to have health insurance. Not a single appeals court judge has said the entire law must be tossed out, the position advocated by Florida and 25 other Republican states leading the legal assault." (Los Angeles Times)

37 States Allow Health Coverage Gender Bias
"In 37 states, it's legal to deny women health insurance because they're women, according to a report in the December edition of Prevention magazine. The same report says 95 percent of insurance companies that offer individual health plans practice 'gender rating,' or gender-related denials." (CBS Interactive Inc.)

Calculating FMLA Leave for Holidays, Breaks and Plant Shut Downs
"As we prepare for the holidays, here are a few basic rules to have handy next to your payroll sheet . . . ." (Franczek Radelet P.C.)

[Opinion]
Affirmation of Health Care Reform 'Notable for Its Authorship as for Its Legal Reasoning'
"The majority opinion in the 2-to-1 decision was written by Judge Laurence Silberman, a stalwart of conservative jurisprudence whose views are said to be enormously influential in conservative legal circles." (The New York Times; free registration required)

Benefits in General; Executive Compensation

[Guidance Overview]
No Individual Liability for Supervisors under Military Service Anti-Discrimination Law
"The court pointed out that some federal decisions impose liability for individuals under the federal USERRA. But the plaintiff was proceeding under state law, and the language of USERRA is different." (Shaw Valenza LLP)

Most Americans Say Top Managers Make More Than They Deserve
"[S]even in 10 Americans (69%) believe most top company managers make more than they deserve in salaries and all other benefits." (PLANSPONSOR.com)

House Panel Tries To Intervene in Same-S.ex Marriage Case
"The Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group of the U.S. House of Representatives asked a federal judge in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to grant it intervenor status, solely to defend section 3 of DOMA against challenges that it violates the equal protection clause, or substantive due process components, of the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution." (PG Publishing Co., Inc. )

EBSA Creates Web Page to Assist Benefit Plan Participants
"'The new consumer assistance Web page and electronic inquiry/complaint process will provide quick answers to the most frequently asked questions and connect workers to experienced benefits advisers if assistance is needed.'" (Littler Mendelson P.C.)

Press Releases



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