Insurance

Noncompete violation means no unemployment

06/26/2018

When an employee is fired for violating the terms of a noncompete, he won’t receive unemployment compensation because he committed willful act of wrongdoing, which bars benefits. It doesn’t matter if the employee’s supervisor was involved in the breach.

New association health plans offer insurance options for small employers, with some caveats

06/20/2018

Critics panned the June 19 announcement, calling association plans an attempt to undercut ACA protections.

IRS issues 2019 limits for HSAs, high-deductible health plans

06/05/2018

The Internal Revenue Service has announced 2019 inflation-adjusted amounts for health savings accounts and high-deductible health plans.

Injured at company softball: Does he get workers’ comp?

05/21/2018

Advice: Draw a clear line between the activity and your organization’s involvement.

Fired for doing no work? No unemployment, either

05/16/2018

Employees who are fired for refusing to work can’t collect unemployment benefits. Failing to work is considered willful misconduct.

America’s Top 10 group health carriers

05/08/2018

Kaiser Permanente, the California-based managed care giant, is by far the nation’s largest group health insurance carrier, according to a new analysis by Employee Benefit News and data analytics firm miEdge.

Opioid addiction costs soar for employer-provided plans

05/01/2018

The annual cost of treating opioid addiction and overdose—stemming from both prescription and illicit use—has increased more than eight-fold since 2004, from $0.3 billion to $2.6 billion in 2016.

Genuine fear for safety may justify quitting

04/30/2018

If an employer reassures an applicant that she’s going to be working in a safe environment and that turns out to be incorrect, that worker may be justified in quitting.

To improve engagement, detail total rewards

04/24/2018

Don’t wait for employees to bolt before you communicate exactly how much their pay and benefits are really worth. Regularly give employees clear statements that spell out exactly how much their compensation is worth.

Get expert legal help when drafting retirement offers that include health benefits

04/16/2018

A federal court has granted a temporary injunction in a case involving continued health insurance coverage. The court concluded that a group of retired workers would likely succeed on the merits of their case.