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A new report from the U.S. Department of Labor finds that 28.8% of the nation’s full-time employees now have flexible work schedules that permit them to vary the time they start or end work—nearly double the number of flex-time workers a decade ago. Managers, professionals and sales employees were the most likely to be able […]
As we reported in an earlier article, the government recently released new privacy regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). As the April 14, 2003, compliance deadline approaches, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued guidance (available on our website), including frequently asked questions, explaining significant aspects of the […]
At the 11th hour, a joint committee of the state Assembly passed a bill that is intended to reign in the increasing costs of workers’ compensation. Although it remains to be seen whether the measure will achieve the projected up-front savings of $5.3 billion and annual savings of about $5 billion, the changes are far-reaching […]
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on June 25 to decide whether an employee health plan is subject to equitable limits when it demands reimbursement of benefits paid to care for a covered employee who also recovers money from third parties. A 2011 ruling on this issue by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals troubled […]
April Chapman sued Sonoma County, claiming she was sexually harassed by her supervisor, Brian Enos. A trial court found that the county wasn’t automatically liable for Enos’s conduct because he didn’t qualify as a supervisor under California’s sexual harassment law. Now a California appeal court has reversed that ruling. To be considered a supervisor, an […]
Results from a recent survey of small business owners conducted by Survey Monkey and CNBC found that “16% of small business owners (but 41% of small businesses with 50 employees or more) have had open positions for at least three months.” That’s a pretty big number for those 50+-employee companies. And those businesses have some thoughts on […]
According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, age discrimination charges are the fastest growing type of bias case. From 1999 to 2001, the number of age complaints filed with the agency increased 23.5%. The EEOC points out that age charges—most of which involve employment termination—typically spike in a poor economy as layoffs increase.
In the October 2007 issue of CWHA, we reported on a California appeals court decision finding that claims adjusters for Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. didn’t qualify for the administrative exemption from overtime under California law.1 In particular, the court ruled, the adjusters duties mostly consisted of “production” work, as opposed to work at the policy […]
The California HealthCare Foundation has launched a new website to help small businesses make informed decisions about health benefits. The website, www.healthcoverageguide.org, includes a comprehensive checklist to guide you through the coverage selection process—from gathering the business records you’ll need to choosing a broker, comparing policies, estimating costs, and much more.
The Internal Revenue Service has issued new regulations which clarify that plan administrators must provide 15 days’ written notice before the effective date of retirement plan amendments which result in a significant reduction in future benefit accrual. The rules apply to both defined benefit and money purchase plans. If some plan participants don’t receive notice […]