Practice management

Employers can be liable under a cat’s paw theory if an employee is terminated, suspended, etc. because of the discriminatory bias of another employee even if the manager/supervisor who made the disciplinary decision had no idea about the other employee’s bias.

Commentary: Employers need to tread carefully when developing policies regarding their employees’ use of social media. In particular, employers who have employees in multiple states should familiarize themselves with the rules governing the areas in which they operate.

Carving out FSAs, HSAs and HRAs from the Affordable Care Act’s excise tax would be a good compromise, enabling Americans to set aside money for health care while still allowing employers to control costs.

California becomes the first state in the country to mandate 45-day notice for any material changes to agent agreements. The law comes in response to two insurers cutting commission with little notice mid-enrollment season.

More choice through private exchanges means more complexity for employers, employees and brokers. What can be done to improve the process for all involved?

Commentary: Statistics show this is an industry that doesn’t believe in social selling. Too many agencies are not meeting goals at the same time they are rejecting social selling business practices.

Flexible spending accounts have long been a favorite tool among working Americans to help budget for out-of-pocket costs but they could be an unintended casualty of health care reform.

Advisers hoping to remain relevant in a changing health care and benefits landscape must shift product offerings to meet industry trends. Rick Lindquist, president of Zane Benefits, discusses 6 key industry trends to watch.

The NLRB’s new standard on the types of organizations it considers joint employers could potentially be applied in other types of business relationships, including franchisor-franchisee, contractor-subcontractor, parent-subsidiary, lessor-lessee and user-supplier.

Teams of benefit experts debated each other on which type of plan is the future of employer-paid health care during a discussion Tuesday at EBA’s Workplace Benefits Summit in Orlando.