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Insurance

By the Numbers: A look at health care cost containment

12/01/2007

Wellness programs and consumer-directed health plans will become twice as common over the next five years. Here’s how the numbers shake out on employer strategies for reining in health care costs …

Heart attack at work? Be prepared to prove stress wasn’t the cause

12/01/2007

The New York workers’ compensation system was set up as a no-fault system to compensate employees injured while working. There’s a powerful presumption under the system that any death that occurs during working hours is covered, at least if there’s an arguable claim that it was work-related. That’s why employees who have fatal heart attacks at work may sometimes be covered …

Applying for Special Disability Fund? Make sure you fill out forms correctly

12/01/2007

Employers and workers’ compensation carriers can sometimes be partially reimbursed for workers’ comp payments if prior injuries contributed to an employee’s inability to work. But applying to the Special Disability Fund requires careful completion of the application forms—the agency that handles such requests is often a stickler for details, and courts usually uphold the agency’s decisions …

With health trust fund, UAW-Chrysler contract echoes GM

12/01/2007

The contract reached in October by the United Auto Workers (UAW) and Chrysler closely resembled the UAW’s earlier agreement with General Motors, cutting wages for new workers and moving health care into a union-run health plan in exchange for job guarantees and bonuses …

Can an employee who quits receive unemployment compensation?

12/01/2007

Q. We told an employee we probably would be replacing him within the next month. He quit and filed for unemployment. Under what circumstances do we have to pay unemployment? …

Pharmacists may follow conscience on dispensing Plan B

12/01/2007

Pharmacists who oppose abortion and object to dispensing Plan B emergency contraception will not have to do so as a result of a binding agreement reached with the state in October …

Survey: Workers hate health care ‘System,’ but they love their health plans

12/01/2007

Surveys consistently show that Americans despise Congress, but are just fine with their own member of Congress. In the same way, a new survey says U.S. workers believe health care costs too much and the system is broken, but they’re pretty darn happy with their employers’ plans …

Workplace injuries and illnesses fall to lowest level on record

12/01/2007

Good news for your organization, employees and workers’ comp costs: U.S. workplace injury/illness rates have fallen to their lowest point since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking those numbers in 1972 …

Should you buy insurance for employees’ cars?

12/01/2007

Q. We often send employees on assignments to other locations and those employees drive their own vehicles. Should we provide liability insurance on our employees’ vehicles in case of an accident? — D.R., New York …

Salary deduction for part-Week absence doesn’t always destroy exemption

12/01/2007

Without a doubt, complying with California and federal wage-and-hour rules is difficult. For example, making deductions from the regular salary of exempt employees who are absent can destroy their exemptions and mean back pay for overtime. Thankfully, there is a safe harbor …