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Compensation & Benefits

Independence Blue Cross plans changes to drug program

11/01/2006

Philadelphia-based Independence Blue Cross plans to unveil its new prescription plan provided through Future Scripts. The pharmacy benefits management company will administer Independence Blue Cross prescription benefit plans …

State sets 2007 benefit levels for UI, disability and workers’ comp

11/01/2006

The New Jersey Department of Labor recently announced the 2007 benefit levels for unemployment insurance, disability insurance and workers’ compensation. Under New Jersey law, those benefits are adjusted annually, based on fluctuations in the statewide average weekly wage …

More states require insurance firms to cover certain medical tests, treatments

11/01/2006

Despite calls for a moratorium on such mandates, state legislatures continue to require that insurance companies cover specific tests and treatments, which leads to increases in employer health premiums …

Workers’ comp liability for aging employees

11/01/2006

Q. One of our employees is over age 70 and has had a broken foot, memory problems and a recent car wreck that caused some residual problems. Should we allow her to work? What can we do (if anything) to protect ourselves from potential workers’ comp claims should she injure herself?

How to prevent employees from abusing PTO leave

11/01/2006

A reader of our weekly e-mail newsletter, The HR Specialist Weekly, recently posed this question: "We allow employees to take paid time off (PTO) in hourly increments, but they often use their PTO when running late in the morning or for unexpected ‘appointments.’ How can we get a rein on our PTO leave?" …

Paying staff for volunteer work = lower absenteeism

11/01/2006

Want employees to take less sick leave? Consider letting them volunteer on company time …

EEOC pursues full day of rest as a religious accommodation

11/01/2006

The EEOC filed a religious discrimination lawsuit last month against the Aldi supermarket chain after the two parties failed to reach a settlement …

Pregnancy of employee’s child may trigger FMLA leave

11/01/2006

The FMLA allows employees to take job-protected leave for the birth or adoption of their child. But can an employee legally take FMLA leave when his or her child is having a baby? In most situations, the answer is "no." But that’s not always the case …

Tracking time off for salaried employees

11/01/2006

Q. If a company tracks employees’ vacation, sick and personal time off, can we make deductions from accumulated time for everyone who takes time off, including salaried employees? I’m talking about deducting it from the accrual, not the pay. I’ve heard that I can’t deduct vacation, sick leave or personal time if the salaried employee worked at least four hours during that day. —S.W., Florida

Florida minimum wage to rise to $6.67 at start of year

11/01/2006

This coming holiday season, the state of Florida has a gift planned for workers. Effective Jan. 1, 2007, the Florida minimum wage is set to increase in accordance with the state constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2004 …