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Compensation & Benefits

Self-insured plans, HSAs, HRAs must pay research fees

01/09/2013

To determine what works in providing medical care, the Affordable Care Act health care reform law created the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). For seven plan years, PCORI will be funded with fees on plan sponsors of self-insured plans, including retiree-only and COBRA plans. Now comes news that sponsors of insured plans that offer employees health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) and certain health flexible spending accounts (FSAs) must also pay fees.

First Republic settles FLSA suit for more than $1 million

01/09/2013
San Francisco-based First Republic Bank has agreed to pay $1,009,644 in overtime back wages for 392 First Republic Bank employees in New York, California, Connecticut, Mas­­sa­­chu­­setts and Oregon.

Blue Cross Blue Shield staff can access telecare

01/09/2013
When employees of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina don’t feel well, they can log onto the Internet and find out why. The company has partnered with Ameri­­can Well and Walgreens Take Care Health Systems to create a telehealth service for employees.

How to control expense account fraud

01/09/2013
When Dave or Julie comes back to the office from a weekend business trip, do you or other supervisors just sign off on their expense reports? What you may not know is that those mileage forms, taxi cab receipts and restaurant checks could be doctored or even phony. And are all those company credit card purchases business-related?

Self-insured plans, HSAs, HRAs must pay research fees

01/08/2013
To determine what works in providing medical care, the Affordable Care Act health care reform law created the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research In­­sti­­tute. For seven plan years, it will be funded with fees on plan sponsors of self-insured plans, including retiree-only and COBRA plans.

8 no-cost and low-cost perks that workers love

01/07/2013
When you think of rewards that retain employees, you might see only dollar signs. Lots of them. But keeping morale high and employees engaged need not rely only on pay raises. There are plenty of low-cost or even no-cost benefits you can offer to help keep employees engaged and committed.

Punch in, punch out: State appeals court allows time clock rounding

01/03/2013
If you use a time clock, you probably also use a rounding method so employees who clock in a little early or clock out slightly late are only paid for their scheduled time. The presumption is that over time, employees will clock in both early and late. Fortunately, a recent California appeals court decision sanctions this common-sense practice.

Nebraska cuts cost of employee health claims by millions

01/03/2013

The Nebraska state government reduced employee health claims by $4.2 million over three years after introducing a wellness program that features 100% coverage of preventive health care and lower premiums. The effort led Nebraska to become the first state to win the C. Everett Koop National Health Award.

Fiscal cliff averted: New law sets 2013 withholding rates; ‘payroll tax holiday’ expires

01/02/2013
In the waning hours of New Year’s Day, Congress passed legislation averting a plunge off the “fiscal cliff” and making permanent Bush-era tax rates for all but the highest earners. Now employers can finally make concrete plans for their 2013 payroll operations.

2012 FUTA credit reduction states announced

12/27/2012
The IRS has named the states that will be subject to FUTA credit reductions for 2012 FUTA taxes. FUTA credit reductions arise when states borrow from the federal government to pay regular unemployment benefits and fail to timely repay the loans.