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Health and Safety: New Pandemic Flu Guidance for Healthcare Workers

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has unveiled new guidance for healthcare workers and their employers on preparing for and responding to a pandemic flu, such as the avian influenza. Avian influenza—also known as bird flu—is caused by a virus that attacks wild birds and domestic poultry. A dangerous strain is rapidly infecting […]

Age Bias: New Legislation Expands State Protections For Older Workers

Earlier this year, we reported on a major California Supreme Court opinion that state anti-bias law doesn’t bar discrimination against older workers in providing fringe benefits such as tuition assistance. Now Gov. Davis has inked into law an amendment to California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act that undoes the high court’s ruling and brings California in […]

Bulletin: U.S. Supreme Court rules on ERISA case

In a unanimous decision favorable to employees, the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that individual 401(k) plan participants can sue plan administrators under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) for breach of fiduciary duty. James LaRue had initiated the lawsuit after his employer failed to follow his investment instructions, which he said resulted […]

It’s Misconception: The Poor Economy Didn’t Make Hiring Any Easier

There may be a tendency for your hiring managers, and even HR recruiting professionals, to take a more relaxed attitude toward the hiring process in view of the current state of the employment market and the fact that many people are out of work. Thinking that they have more time to make decisions, employment recruiters […]

News Notes: Court Upholds San Francisco Domestic Partner Law

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld San Francisco’s landmark domestic partner benefits ordinance, which requires that companies doing business with the city must offer equal benefits to domestic partners and married spouses of employees. The court rejected a constitutional challenge by an Ohio company whose bid for a contract with the city was […]

H-2B Visa Cap Reached for 2006

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the cap has been reached for H-2B work visas for the final six months of 2006. The H-2B visa program allows employers to request foreign workers to fill a one-time, peak-load, intermittent, or seasonal need for labor when no workers are available in the local […]

Wellness Tipping Point—Employees Now Care About Costs

There’s been general agreement that wellness programs are effective at reducing employer healthcare costs, but survey results show that healthcare costs now matter to employees—something that’s been missing up to this point. The survey, the Principal Financial Well-Being Indexsm, covered more than 1,600 employees and retirees at growing businesses with 10-1,000 employees. Released in early […]

Sept. 23 Is the Key Date to Know the ABCs of SBCs

In some years, Sept. 23 represents the Autumn Equinox, but in 2012 for health plan sponsors and administrators, it triggers the compliance date for a key disclosure requirement under health reform: the distribution of summaries of benefits and coverage, beginning with open enrollment periods and/or plan years that begin on or after Sept. 23. Here […]