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News Notes: Health Care Costs Expected To Jump In 1999-2000

Health care premiums are predicted to rise as much as 12% in the coming 12 months, according to a new survey by the human resource consulting firm Buck Consultants. Although managed care has come under attack recently for failing to live up to its promise of keeping health care costs in check, health maintenance organizations […]

Civil Unions Available Now in Illinois, and Soon in Delaware

Employers in Illinois that have not done so may need to adjust their plan documents to reflect the new legality of civil unions in that state. Civil unions are legal in Illinois, Hawaii and New Jersey — and will be available in Delaware next year. The Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act went […]

Youth Workers: New Law Will Bar Cell Phone Use by Teen Drivers

Governor Schwarzenegger has signed a new law that will prohibit teen drivers from using cell phones. Come July 1, 2008, the new measure, S.B. 33, will make it illegal for teens under age 18 to use wireless phones or other wireless communication devices while driving, even if a hands-free device is used. Note that this […]

Hiring: EEOC Issues New Guidance on Tests and Selection Procedures

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued a new fact sheet explaining how federal nondiscrimination laws—including Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act—apply to employer tests and other selection procedures used to screen applicants for hire and employees for promotion.

FedEx May Owe Huge Tab for Diver Misclassification

FedEx Corp., which has been in the hot seat lately over allegations of misclassifying delivery drivers as independent contractors (see CWHA October 2007 and October 2006), could owe a whopping $319 million in back taxes and penalties because of the classification problems, the IRS has tentatively concluded. The IRS assessment, which pertains only to 2002, […]

What Motivates Teams? Again, It’s Not the Money

In yesterday’s Advisor, we looked at 8 factors that promote individual “happiness” at work. Today we’ll see how that plays out in a team setting, courtesy of BLR’s HR Department of One. Managing teams is different from managing individual contributors. Although there is clearly overlap in the “happiness factors,” there is also a clearly a different […]

Government Proposal Refines Reform Fees on Health Plans

A proposed rule put on public display Nov. 26 adjusts Transitional Reinsurance Program rules and tries to put out fires left burning by the ever-moving target of health care reform. For example, it proposes a lower contribution level insurers and self-funded plans would pay in 2015 to a transitional reinsurance fund, and gives employers the […]

9 Ways to Reduce FMLA Leave Abuse

We know that FMLA is one of your biggest HR headaches. And intermittent leave abuse just makes your job that much tougher. It’s a problem to be sure, but there is good news. We’ve tallied up the top 9 ways you can limit leave abuse at your company, all while staying compliant. Go to Tip […]