Employer Strategies

The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance announced last week that it will publish its third consumer-focused advertorial section, entitled “Fresh Perspectives on Long-Term Care Planning" in the December issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.

Amidst resistance and apparent confusion surrounding its new employee rights notice-posting rule, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has pushed back the rule’s effective date by more than two months. Employers affected by the rule must now post the notice by January 31, 2012. The rule, which requires employers to post a notice of workplace employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act, was previously slated to go into effect November 14, 2011. The NLRB…

Wells Fargo & Co plans to cut costs by moving its workers into insurance plans that encourage them to spend less on health care.

An Iowa administrative law judge has blasted QC Mart convenience store owner William Ernst for operating a "firing contest."

Sponsors will fund rising contributions to private pension plans that are still recovering from the investment nosedives of 2008, according to a report released yesterday by the Society of Actuaries and American Academy of Actuaries.

Independent and insurance brokers/dealers are the strongest sales channels for variable annuities, according to The Insured Retirement Institute’s “2011 Portfolio Construction Dynamics” report. But, generating income throughout these broker/dealers’ clients’ retirement doesn’t come without challenges. The report from IRI — in partnership with Cerulli Associates — explores these challenges and offers insight on how to grow adviser acceptance of variable annuities as a retirement income solution.

An advisory group urged U.S. officials to formulate a set of essential health benefits under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul that is in line with cost of insurance in a typical small employer plan.

Employees need time to make big benefits decisions. Most benefits managers know this; what might not be known is more communication methods are needed to allow for the best decision making.

The IRS recently issued Notice 2011‐72 and a Memorandum for All Field Examination Operations, which provide a road‐map for employers to avoid taxing employees on cell phone expenses. Following the de‐listing of cell phones as "listed property" from Code section 274(d) last year, there has continued to be some uncertainty on the proper tax treatment of employer‐provided cell phones (and reimbursements of cell phone costs). This guidance, summarized below, clarifies the proper tax treatment and…

Investors appear to have switched gears from focusing on replenishing their balances from 2008’s market downturn to taking all of the responsible steps to prepare for retirement, according to Principal Financial Group’s analysis of retirement plan participants’ behavior in 2010.