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Insurance

Employers sue over tapping unemployment fund for family leave

08/01/2000
This month a U.S. Labor Department regulation is set to take effect allowing states to use unemployment insurance to pay employees who take leave for birth or adoption. But it faces …

Employee doesn’t need to show actual injury to earn workers’ comp

07/01/2000
When Patsy Evenson, a K-Mart manager, came to the aid of a wheelchair-bound man, she got his blood and feces on her hands. He had HIV, and she had sores on …

Workers’ comp benefits restrict some FMLA options

07/01/2000

Q. Can the time spent on workers’ comp leave be counted against family and medical leave? —D.H., Arizona

Watch for warning signs of workers’ comp fraud

06/01/2000

Q. We’ve had a number of suspicious injuries at work this year. We don’t want to jump to conclusions, but how can we determine if these injuries are part of a workers’ comp insurance fraud scheme? —K.H., Mississippi

At-home workers are entitled to workers’ comp

05/01/2000
At-home workers are entitled to workers’ comp – even if they’re injured during activities only marginally related to their job. A sales rep for an auto supply company was seriously injured after he slipped while spreading salt on his …

Keep your nose out of employees’ off-duty activities

04/01/2000
The more you consider limiting the actions of workers while they’re off the clock, the closer you step toward a lawsuit. More than half the states have laws protecting …

Not everyone counts for COBRA threshold

04/01/2000

Q. This year our company may exceed 20 employees for the first time. Is it true that employers of 20 or more employees have to offer COBRA? Do part-time employees and independent contractors count toward that total? —M.K., Minnesota

Poor performers still may collect unemployment

04/01/2000

Q. The job performance of one of our employees no longer meets our standards. While she used to be a good worker, she’s now making a lot of errors, coming in late from time to time and not getting along with her co-workers. We’ve talked to her about these issues, but her performance has not improved. If we fire her for poor performance—which we would consider termination for cause—will she be eligible to collect unemployment compensation? —W.T., District of Columbia

Violating wage law can entitle former workers to benefits

03/01/2000
Michael Martini voluntarily quit his job as a driver, but he still may be able to collect unemployment benefits. Why? The company violated the law, in this case, not guaranteeing …

Don’t let COBRA bite you

03/01/2000
Nothing about COBRA is simple. Even the name of the law is not straightforward. It comes from the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act under …