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Insurance

You can ban employee smoking, but can you ban smokers?

04/01/2007

Employers are always looking for ways to cut health care costs … and smoking and overweight employees may seem like ripe targets for change …

Solidify an independent contractor’s status by proving he turned down employee job offer

04/01/2007

Florida employers don’t have to pay workers’ compensation benefits for their independent contractors. Plus, they aren’t responsible for the on-the-job injuries of such workers. But make sure you keep enough “distance” from those workers so they’ll keep their independent-contractor status …

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

03/08/2007

HR Law 101: Workers’ compensation insurance provides compensation to employees who are injured or disabled on the job. It pays for medical treatment, loss of wages during a period of disability and compensation for permanent disability or disfigurement …

Use the right words to silence pay-Related gripes

03/01/2007

How do employees at your organization feel about their compensation? If the answer is “Not good,” a bit of explanation from you or their supervisors can calm those troubled waters and help reduce turnover …

Workers favor PPO, HMO over consumer-Directed plan

03/01/2007

Consumer-directed health plans may become all the rage in the future, but they’re slow to catch on so far …

When are overweight employees considered ‘Disabled’?

03/01/2007

Is obesity a disability? Until recently, the answer has been “Fat chance!” But that may be changing. A recent ADA court ruling opens the door to some types of obesity being defined as disabilities …

Check your subcontractor contracts for details of workers’ comp coverage

03/01/2007

If you subcontract work, double-check the contract’s provisions on which party pays for workers’ compensation coverage. If you don’t, you may find your organization on the hook for injuries to the subcontractor’s employees …

Employees injured during horseplay at work may be entitled to workers’ comp benefits

03/01/2007

Florida employers ordinarily don’t have to pay workers’ compensation benefits for employees who are hurt while engaging in horseplay. But that provision doesn’t provide much protection when workers’ comp judges split hairs over what’s technically off-duty horseplay and what’s just a momentary deviation from job duties …

Using independent contractors? Check your workers’ comp policy for legal time bombs

03/01/2007

If your organization routinely hires independent contractors, be aware that the language in your workers’ compensation insurance contracts could contain legal problems …

Employees’ ‘Injuries’ from Sexual Harassment May Make Them Eligible for Workers’ Comp Benefits

03/01/2007

Just when you thought you knew every reason to keep your workplace harassment-free, here’s yet another one: workers’ compensation …