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California Expands Health Insurance Protection for Pregnant Workers

Starting Jan. 1, 2012, employers in California with five or more employees must continue paying their share of health insurance premiums for female employees taking leave under the Pregnancy Disability Leave law for up to four months in any 12-month period. Employers will also be liable for interfering with, restraining or denying the exercise of […]

Coverage of Dementia Services Bodes Well for Employer LTC Insurance

Why should a recent tax court decision that caretaker services provided to a dementia patient are qualified long-term care (LTC) expenses be of interest to employers? Well, if you see employee benefits as a way to attract and retain good employees, and don’t yet offer LTC insurance, the ruling —  which means those services could […]

Whistleblower Complaints: OSHA Issues Final Rules for Whistleblower Complaints Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Law

In 2002, President Bush signed into law the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, designed to deter corporate corruption and protect employees who blow the whistle on corporate transgressions. Now the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the agency designated to handle whistleblower complaints under the act, has released final rules regarding the complaint filing and investigation process. […]

2nd Circuit Reverses Xerox Plan’s Use of ‘Phantom’ Offset

For the third time in eight years, a federal district court decision endorsing Xerox’s pension plan interpretation has been reversed, setting aside judicial deference usually granted to these interpretations under ERISA and moving Xerox retirees closer to winning final benefits. The issue in the case is how an earlier lump-sum distribution to some employees affects […]

Ohio Jury Awards $22.5M in Pregnancy Accommodation/Wrongful Death Case

A recent Ohio jury verdict underscores the legal and operational risks employers face when responding to accommodation requests involving pregnancy-related medical conditions. The jury awarded approximately $22.5 million in a wrongful death action arising from an employer’s denial of a work-from-home request. Facts According to the complaint, the employee was a claims associate for a […]

Compensation 2013–Not Where We Wanted to Be

Unfortunately, there’s a place where we hoped to be in 2013, and that’s not where we are, but there are still strategies that will serve us well, says consultant Terry Pasteris. Where We’ve Been First of all, let’s look at where we’ve been, says Pasteris, who is president of TLMP Consulting Group. She offered her […]

Washington state latest to pass social media privacy law

Employers in Washington state should take note of a new law prohibiting them from requiring current or prospective employees to provide access to their social media accounts. Washington is the eighth state to pass such a law, and the National Conference of State Legislatures says 33 states are considering similar bills this year. The federal […]