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Insurance

Texas ‘gig’ workers soon ineligible for unemployment comp

06/10/2019
It’s a hot legal issue: What are workers who utilize online digital platforms to obtain business and deliver services to third parties? Are they employees or independent contractors? Some federal agencies have already weighed in. Now Texas may be reducing some uncertainty, at least where unemployment benefits are concerned.

In L.A., a cautionary tale of self-insured health coverage

06/06/2019
Most employers worry about how to contain their health care costs. But some seemingly innovative solutions, such as multi-employer self-insurance plans, may not be as good as they appear to be—if they are irresponsibly administered.

Wellness may help workers more than employers

04/30/2019
Workplace wellness programs may benefit employees, but they don’t necessarily improve organizational effectiveness.

Employer health costs set to grow at 4.8% annual rate

04/16/2019
Employers can expect annual health care spending growth of 4.8% between now and 2027.

Benefits cost big bucks for Uncle Sam

04/09/2019
The tax-favored status of employer-provided health and retirement benefits costs the federal government far more than the biggest personal income-tax deduction.

Does post-traumatic stress disorder qualify for workers’ comp benefits?

04/02/2019
Q. I’ve heard that the first responders we employ can receive workers’ compensation benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder. Is that true?

Fired harasser can’t collect unemployment

04/02/2019
If you have a robust harassment policy that prohibits even a single incident of unwanted touching, rest assured that a fired harasser won’t be eligible for unemployment benefits.

No unemployment comp after bizarre threats

04/02/2019
Workers who are fired for willful misconduct are not eligible for unemployment compensation benefits. Breaking a rule against making threats or committing violence generally meets the requirement of willful misconduct as long as the employee knew or should have known about the rule.

Federal court nixes Trump’s ‘association health plans’

04/02/2019
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., ruled March 28 that a Trump administration effort to facilitate bare-bones health plans was an illegal violation of the Affordable Care Act and ERISA, the law that governs employee benefits.

Employers back ACA rule on pre-existing conditions

04/02/2019
Employers of all sizes overwhelmingly support preserving the Affordable Care Act’s mandate for health insurance plans to cover individuals with pre-existing conditions, according to a new survey by the Mercer consulting firm.