05/10/2013
The 20-month-long American Crystal Sugar lockout is finally over. In April, 55% of the members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Local 167G ratified a contract that closely resembles a deal they rejected on four previous votes.
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05/09/2013
Employees who steal from their employers violate their duty of loyalty. That makes them ineligible for unemployment compensation. That’s true even if the theft is small. But you must be prepared with clear testimony if you want to contest the worker’s right to unemployment benefits.
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05/09/2013
Tucked into the Affordable Care Act’s fine print is a requirement for most group health plans that provide major medical coverage to pay a reinsurance fee to the Department of Health and Human Services in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
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05/06/2013
Here’s some good news: As long as you are willing to accommodate an employee’s medical condition, you won’t face liability for unemployment compensation if she quits. And the employee has to tell you she needs that accommodation. If she just quits, she won’t be eligible.
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05/02/2013
The bottom line for you to avoid free-rider penalties under the Affordable Care Act is not to have employees obtain health insurance on the individual exchange and qualify for premium tax credits or other cost sharing reductions.
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05/01/2013
Q. After several large health insurance claims last year, our president decided to increase the premiums deducted from employees’ paychecks. However, the rate he has directed to be deducted is higher than the rate at which we are billed for the spouse and dependent coverage. Is it legal to make money off of the “premiums” we ask employees to pay?
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04/25/2013
With data showing how employee income and health-benefit plan participation are closely intertwined, a new study is sounding alarm bells for employers that must begin complying with the affordability mandates of the Affordable Care Act next year.
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04/23/2013
States will play an important role in implementing the provisions of the ACA, and state regulations will likely have a particularly significant effect on employers in the small-group market. For California employers with between 50 and 100 employees, recent legislative developments may add some complexity to ongoing discussions about the ACA’s “shared responsibility” or “play-or-pay” requirements.
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04/12/2013
In a tacit admission that the Affordable Care Act is suffering teething pains, the Department of Health and Human Services earlier this month postponed for a year plans to offer a variety of affordable health insurance plans to small businesses starting in 2014. In many states the Small Business Health Options Program will be limited to a single insurance plan in the first year.
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04/11/2013
Last summer, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the ACA. Since then, a primary concern for employers has been how to effectively prepare for the employer mandate requiring most employers to provide health insurance benefits. Although the mandate takes effect in 2014, implementation of several requirements will depend on circumstances that unfold this year.
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04/08/2013
More employers are turning to high-deductible health insurance plans. But don’t automatically assume that they’ll cut your organization’s costs.
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04/03/2013
The IRS has released regulations for determining the hefty penalties that apply when Affordable Care Act-covered employers fail to offer health insurance to employees starting in 2014. The rules seem daunting, but it’s critical to understand them.
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03/21/2013
Oddly, determining how many employees you have is one of the trickiest parts of the health care reform law. The answer matters: You could wind up paying big penalties next year if you miscalculate.
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03/18/2013
The Affordable Care Act requires employers of 50 or more full-time employees to offer them affordable health benefits—or pay free-rider penalties. Benefits are affordable if employees’ contributions don’t exceed 9.5% of their household income and employers pay at least 60%. The IRS has created three optional affordability safe harbors.
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03/12/2013
Q. Our business recently was forced to implement layoffs—and most of our remaining employees walked off the job. All were given a COBRA notice, but only one chose to take the coverage. Since this was a group insurance policy and only one person will now be insured, the insurer is canceling our policy. What’s our responsibility to that ex-employee?
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