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Insurance

Governor proposes health care overhaul for state workers

09/09/2008
Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently released a set of proposals designed to make the state’s health care system “market-driven, patient-centered and quality-focused.” Pawlenty said the plan will “lead the nation in the development of portable personal health records and expanded consumer-directed health care spending accounts for state employees.” …

Appeal to older workers with these 4 health plan ‘Extras’

09/05/2008

Health care coverage becomes increasingly important to employees as they get older. If you’re courting mature, experienced workers to join your team—or if you want to retain the ones you have—you might need to tweak your health benefits so they appeal more to over-50 employees. Here are four health-related perks that could help you seal the deal …

Take these 3 steps to help your employees prevent cancer

09/05/2008

It costs five times more to insure an employee who has cancer than one who doesn’t, a recent survey revealed. But it could cost your organization as little as $2.95 per employee, per month to cover the costs of early detection. Here is what your organization can do to help prevent cancer among your employees and lower the medical and lost-productivity costs associated with the disease …

Disability insurance kicks in on Day 1 at Virginia firm

09/05/2008

A short- and long-term disability-income protection plan kicks in the very day an employee starts work at Snagajob.com in Richmond, Va. The company pays 100% of the insurance, which lets employees receive 60% of their salary while on disability leave …

Budget for lower health cost growth in ’09

09/05/2008

Health care costs are expected to increase on average 10.6% in the next 12 months, the lowest percentage increase since 2001. That’s what Aon Consulting Worldwide found when it surveyed more than 70 health care insurers, representing more than 100 million insured individuals …

Rochester paralegal’s job goes up in smoke

09/03/2008

The Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division, upheld the firing of Karen Kridel, a former paralegal with Dibble & Miller, PC, in Rochester, for taking smoking breaks. Kridel customarily took two five-minute breaks from her work each day to smoke …

Arrests begin following enactment of workers’ comp law

09/03/2008

The president and CEO of the Kingsbridge Heights Care Center was arrested in August and charged with failing to provide workers’ compensation insurance for more than 400 employees …

Aspen joins Vail, Intrawest in offering domestic partner benefits

09/02/2008
The Aspen Skiing Company has announced that it will offer domestic-partner benefits to its employees this fall. Health insurance and ski passes are among the benefits the company will extend to employees’ partners, regardless of their sex … 

Handling layoffs with workers’ comp claims pending

09/02/2008
Q. We need to lay off an entire shift at our assembly plant. A few of these workers are off work or on temporary light-duty jobs as a result of on-the-job injuries. They have workers’ comp claims pending. If we lay off the entire shift, can we lay off the injured workers as well? …

Factor Lower Health Care Cost Growth into 2009 Budgets

08/26/2008
Health care costs are expected to increase on average 10.6% in the next 12 months, the lowest percentage increase since 2001. Here are the stats you need to make smart business decisions about the health plan  you choose for your employees.