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Insurance

‘Play or pay’ health care measure approved by Assembly

02/01/2008

The California State Assembly has approved omnibus health care reform legislation by a 46–31 vote. The measure, AB 1×1, would require all California residents to purchase health coverage by July 2010, compel individual health insurers to accept all applicants regardless of pre-existing medical conditions and impose a “play or pay” mandate on employers to provide health care coverage to their workers or pay into a state-run purchasing pool to subsidize coverage for low-income earners …

North Carolina gets high marks for pension management

02/01/2008

North Carolina is one of only a handful of states with a fully funded pension, according to a recent study by the Pew Center on the States, although the state’s obligations for retiree health care and other benefits is underfunded by $139 million …

Refusing to return from leave

02/01/2008

Q. A worker who was injured on the job but now is better is refusing to return from leave. What can we do? …

Lying about a work injury?

02/01/2008

Q. I suspect that an employee out on workers’ compensation is lying about the extent of her injury. May I require the employee to have another medical examination? …

Limits on workers’ comp leave?

02/01/2008

Q. Is there any limitation on how long workers’ compensation leave may go on? …

Health incentive plans must comply with HIPAA rules

02/01/2008

As another year of double-digit increases in health care costs looms, employers are looking to save money wherever they can. Recently, many have tried to do so by implementing incentive programs designed to improve the health of their employees. But health incentive plans must comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act’s privacy and nondiscrimination rules …

New Jersey partners with IRS on employment tax enforcement

02/01/2008

New Jersey is one of 29 states that have signed memoranda of understanding with the IRS to share enforcement information on employment tax collection matters. The move is part of the IRS’ Questionable Employment Tax Practices (QETP) initiative …

Despite ERISA workers’ comp plan, employee can still sue for negligence

02/01/2008

Texas employers that opt out of the state workers’ compensation system often adopt separate insurance plans to cover employees’ on-the-job injuries. Those plans usually provide no-fault benefits and are governed by ERISA. That doesn’t mean, however, that employees can’t sue under other state laws …

Colorado Employment Security Act

02/01/2008
Colorado’s unemployment compensation fund, like that of many other states, provides temporary payments to employees who lose their jobs through no fault of their own. The Colorado Department of Labor & Employment (CDLE) administers the Employment Security Act through its Division of Employment and Training …

Colorado Workers’ Compensation Act

02/01/2008
Colorado’s workers’ compensation system protects employees who are injured on the job by replacing lost wages while they recover. The state’s Division of Workers’ Compensation (www.coworkforce.com/DWC) administers the law …