Taxes: Changes in Law Affect the Workplace
President Bush has signed the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004 and the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, both of which make important tax changes employers need to keep in mind.
Tag: benefits
Taxes: New IRS Ruling Could Affect Your Holiday Gift Plan; What You Need to Know
What’ll it be this year, a holiday ham for your employees or a holiday gift coupon for a comparable amount? It would seem reasonable to view these presents as more or less the same, at least for tax purposes. But, as we’ll explain, the IRS said otherwise in a recent decision.
Health Insurance: Employee to Collect More Than $300,000 After Not Getting Proper COBRA Notice
A new case underscores just how costly a mistake it can be to not provide departing employees with timely notice of their rights under COBRA to continue their group health coverage.
News Bulletin: Contraceptives Can’t Be Bumped From Health-Care Plans
The state Supreme Court has left in place a ruling that forces some church-backed institutions—such as hospitals and charity organizations—to pay for workers’ contraceptive health insurance benefits. Justices turned down an appeal from a Roman Catholic organization asking the court to overturn a requirement that employers who offer prescription benefits to employees also must cover […]
Employee Benefits: Supreme Court Puts the Brakes on Employee Lawsuits Against HMOs in State Courts
The nation’s high court has unanimously ruled that workers with employer-sponsored health insurance can’t sue their health maintenance organization (HMO) in state courts when their HMO won’t cover a recommended treatment. The decision is generally being hailed as good news for employers who provide health benefits.
News Notes: Living Wage Law Survives Constitutional Challenge
The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal has upheld the City of Berkeley’s living wage law in the face of a challenge to its constitutionality.1Berkeley’s law, enacted in 2000, requires certain city contractors and lessees to pay workers a minimum hourly wage a few dollars higher than state and federal minimums, plus health benefits. […]
Retirement Benefits: Keeping it SIMPLE; Learn All About This IRA Plan for Small Employers
A SIMPLE IRA Plan Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees of Small Employers allows employees and employers to contribute to individual employee retirement accounts. As the name implies, it’s a simplified plan geared toward small employers, which means it’s relatively easy to set up and operate, with lower administrative costs than for more complicated types […]
News Notes: High Court Lets Stand San Francisco’s Domestic Partner Benefits Ordinance
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to review a Ninth Circuit ruling upholding a San Francisco ordinance requiring contractors to provide domestic partner benefits. The case involved S.D. Myers Inc., an Ohio company that was denied a city contract because it refused to provide its employees with domestic partner benefits. The company unsuccessfully charged that […]
Bulletin Item: Workers’ Compensation Reform Bill Signed
With Gov. Schwarzenegger poised to deliver enough voter signatures to place workers’ compensation reform on the November ballot, the Legislature reached a compromise with the governor and passed its own workers’ comp reform legislation—which the governor has now signed into law. The measure (SB 899) is expected to save employers several billion dollars a year […]
Age Discrimination: U.S. Supreme Court Says ADEA Doesn’t Bar “Reverse” Age Bias
Courts have long acknowledged the validity of reverse discrimination cases when gender or race is concerned. But the validity of a reverse age bias claim has been less clear. In particular, could a worker in the over-40 protected class bring an age discrimination lawsuit if an older employee was favored at work? According to a […]