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Retirement

Supreme Court decides Hulteen pregnancy discrimination case

06/08/2009

Claims of pregnancy discrimination have gained attention again with the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in AT&T Corp. v. Hulteen. In light of the decision, now is the time to conduct an audit of your practices, policies and plans to make sure they comply with the  Pregnancy Discrimination Act ’s requirements.

With eye on economy, 8 comp & benefits changes to watch

06/05/2009

The weak economy is forcing organizations and their employees to make some tough benefits choices. Here are eight trends to watch:

10 low-cost communication tips to start open enrollment right

06/05/2009
Here are 10 ways you can do a better job of communicating with your employees. None of them costs a fortune. All can help increase benefits plan participation.

Consider challenging disability application after discharge

06/05/2009

Public employees who become disabled may be entitled to disability retirement. But if the employee’s disability application coincides with discharge, consider aggressively challenging the application and asking for further medical review.

Chrysler prepares for recovery by offering worker buyouts

06/05/2009

The cost of retirement benefits are one of the flies in the ointment of Chrysler’s plan to close eight plants—including its Twinsburg, Ohio, stamping facility. To help cut long-term expenses, the bankrupt company plans to offer lump-sum buyout payments to some members of the United Auto Workers.

FMLA error costs employer more than $100,000

05/04/2009

A federal court has awarded more than $100,000—plus enhanced pension benefits—to an employee who was fired when the company wrongly believed his FMLA leave had expired.

Employers get clarification on family leave tax

04/27/2009

The New Jersey Legislature’s Office of Legislative Services has clarified that the state’s new family leave law isn’t to be funded with taxes on retirees’ pension payments.

8 ways to trim marginal benefits, max out those that work

04/14/2009

In today’s pared-to-the-bone business environment, you can’t waste time or money offering benefits no one cares about. If you haven’t already, now’s the time to take a magnifying glass to your benefits. Look for efficiencies in these eight places.

Dropping your 401(k) match? Watch employees drop the plan

04/07/2009

Suspending contributions to employees’ retirement accounts can immediately save an organization some cash. As the recession wears on, more businesses are looking at that option. Still, few are actually taking this step, and the ones that are have said it is temporary.

ESOP’s fable: The tightwad and the vanishing money

04/02/2009

According to a complaint filed with the DOL, Kellogg Auto Supply of Cortland disbursed ESOP benefits in 1999 based on the stock’s 1998 valuation. But it made no further distributions until 2008. The DOL filed suit charging the company and its president, Richard Coates, with violating ERISA.