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HHS Approves Almost 2,000 Early Retiree Reinsurance Program Applications

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced that almost 2,000 employers were accepted into the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program created by the health care reform legislation. These employers will start receiving reimbursements for employee claims from the program this fall. The approved applicants represent the broad spectrum of the economy, including […]

Overcoming Language, Hearing Obstacles for Safety’s Sake

By Jason Bohanan Communicating with employees is essential to the health of any business. Daily communication between management, supervisors, and front-line employees helps keep every aspect of the business running, from planning meetings to ensuring everyday assignments are completed. Unfortunately, no method of communication is perfect. Communication breakdowns, such as lost memos and unchecked voicemails, […]

Telecommuting Not Required for Worker With Chemical Sensitivity

While some employees with chemical sensitivity may be entitled to work from home, that remedy is not always available, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio has ruled in Core v. Champaign County, 2012 WL 4959444 (Oct. 17, 2012). The court had ruled on July 30 in Core v. Champaign County that […]

Employment Law Tip: Bets Are Off for Online Gambling

Gambling exists, in one form or another, in most workplaces. And now that gambling can be done over the Internet, it has become even easier for employees to gamble while at work, accessing online casinos and placing bets, which can really cut into business productivity. To curtail online gambling, as well as other Internet abuses, […]

Health Care—What Happens in 2011

By Stephen D. Bruce, PHR Managing Editor, HR Daily Advisor Just My E-pinion The enactment of the health care reform bills launched an extended period of far-reaching changes that impact every employer. BLR’s hot-off-the-press Special Report details what’s happening in 2011 (and beyond to 2018). Here’s what you need to be thinking about in 2011: […]

Professor’s Biased Rants Not Unlawful Harassment

Latino employees at an Arizona community college were understandably offended when a professor broadly distributed e-mail messages exalting the “superiority of Western Civilization” and deriding the contributions of nonwhite immigrants and Native Americans. But did the professor’s messages create a racially hostile work environment? The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (which covers Alaska, Arizona, […]

Updated SBC Template Requires Coverage & Value

Employer-sponsored health plans and insurers are required to make two changes to the summary of benefits and coverage, which must be distributed to all health plan participants under health reform. They must add statements of whether their coverage: (1) provides minimum essential coverage; and (2) meets the minimum value requirements. The specific language to be […]