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Insurance

Bankruptcy won’t shield you from COBRA claim.

04/01/2004
Don’t think you can escape your COBRA health-insurance continuation responsibilities simply because your organization files for Chapter 11. Recent case: A company filed for bankruptcy one month after it laid off …

Worker’s on-duty errand can spark liability

03/01/2004
Your organization is typically liable for injuries caused by employees when they’re “acting within the scope of employment.” You aren’t liable when employees cause injuries on their own free time. But …

Not complying with new COBRA notice rules yet? Don’t panic

03/01/2004
The U.S. Labor Department published new rules last year saying that companies offering health insurance must give employees more specifics on their rights to COBRA continuing health coverage.
The rules …

Use caution in firing employee after On-the-Job injury

03/01/2004

Q. An employee in our plant was directed by a replacement line supervisor to use a machine that he wasn’t trained to operate. The employee stuck his hand into the machine to clear a jam and was injured. The plant supervisor fired the employee while he was still in the hospital for operating machinery he hadn’t been trained on. Does the employee have a right to sue us if he was actually ordered by the line supervisor to do this job? —K.C.

Cut lost work days with earlier disability-claim notice

02/01/2004
Short-term disabilities don’t last as long at organizations where em-ployees report their disability claims quickly, a new report indicates.
CIGNA Group Insurance found that organizations whose claims are reported within …

Business trip injury qualifies for workers’ comp

02/01/2004

Q. One of our nonexempt employees was traveling with her boss to other company sites to conduct meetings. After one meeting, she and the boss went to dinner, which the company paid for. During the meal, the employee broke a crown on her front tooth, requiring emergency dental work. Would this fall under workers’ compensation? —R.B., Alabama

Your cost-saving plan of the year: Health Savings Accounts

01/01/2004
Issue: The new Medicare law allows employees to set up tax-free savings accounts to cover uninsured medical costs. Benefit: Setting up HSAs for employees could allow you to offer them …

Act quickly to bring back injured employees

01/01/2004
Issue: The longer an employee stays out on workers’ comp, the less likely he or she is to return to work. Risk: Higher workers’ comp and associated medical costs; plus …

Insurance: Steer clear of negligence claims

01/01/2004
Make sure you keep your insurance payments up to date. If you let your policy lapse and an employee files a claim, you open up yourself …

When does COBRA apply?

01/01/2004

Q. Our business has 14 employees, and we pay 100 percent of their health insurance costs. One employee is out on workers’ comp. Are we required to continue paying his health insurance, or can we offer him COBRA? —P.F., Delaware