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Compensation & Benefits

New York partners with IRS on employment tax enforcement

03/01/2008

New York is one of 29 states that have signed memoranda of understanding with the IRS to share enforcement information on employment tax collection matters. The move is part of the IRS’ Questionable Employment Tax Practices initiative …

Unreported tips could spell high workers’ compensation payout

03/01/2008

Employers and employees in cash businesses often bluff, wink and nod their way around the edge of wage-and-hour law legality. But when it’s time to settle workers’ compensation claims, all the cards must go on the table. A recent Florida workers’ compensation case shows just how wrong things can go when employers give their employees unrequested advice on reporting income …

Ilios Partners announces novel health care approach

03/01/2008
Nick Trikolas, CEO of Ilios Partners of Chicago, has announced plans to move its 100 employees from group to individual health insurance coverage this year. “This may be the future of health insurance,” Trikolas said …

Employee must prove work caused psychiatric injuries

03/01/2008
California employees who claim their jobs have caused them psychiatric problems have to meet a higher standard than they would for physical injuries. They must prove that “actual events of employment” were the “predominant” cause. Now a California appeals court has clarified that workers’ comp does not cover psychological or psychiatric injuries that an employee herself caused …

Labor unions concerned about compulsory health care measure

03/01/2008
A growing number of labor unions have recently expressed opposition to A.B.X. 11, which would require all California residents to purchase health coverage by July 2010. Labor leaders argue that the bill doesn’t sufficiently control how much health plans and insurers can charge for coverage …

Upcoming IRS regs will bring cafeteria plan admin up to date

03/01/2008
 Nearly a quarter century after the Internal Revenue Service started releasing piecemeal proposed regulations on cafeteria plans, employers now have new, updated guidance on important topics such as nondiscrimination testing and debit card programs. They’re not final IRS regulations, mind you. But at least a new set of coordinated proposals is on tap to replace the old ones …

Benefits plan administrator drained plumbers’ fund

03/01/2008
The U.S. Labor Department has ordered Marc Meixner of GPTA Benefits Group Inc. to restore more than $500,000 to the Georgia Plumbers Trade Association Health Plan …

Know the rules for Georgia’s drug-Free workplace program

03/01/2008
Georgia employers participating in the state’s drug-free workplace (DFW) program must be careful to strictly follow the program’s guidelines or risk incurring workers’ compensation benefit liability they never intended …

Cutting health care costs: Is it time to switch to a ‘Mini-Med’ plan?

03/01/2008

Providing affordable employee health insurance is tough for many small companies and those employing lots of part-time workers. If that sounds like your organization, it may be time to consider offering a “mini-med” plan that covers limited health care expenses at a relatively low cost. Here’s what you need to know …

Must you provide leave to domestic violence victims?

03/01/2008
In 1999, California and Maine became the first states to enact laws providing protection or leave to employees who are victims of domestic violence. Since then, nearly half of the states have enacted similar laws …