Final fiduciary rule rests in DOLs hands
John Engler, president of Business Roundtable, called on Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez to consider changes to the fiduciary proposal.
Compliance
NY to shut ACA co-op with $265 million in loans
Health Republic Insurance of New York, the Affordable Care Act insurer that got $265 million in U.S. loans, will stop selling policies and eventually cease operations under orders from New York and federal regulators.
Benefits Think 4 tips for starting accommodation conversations
Asking questions is a vital first step for helping an employee with a medical condition at work, but how do you start that conversation and stay in compliance with ADA regulations?
Benefits Think The ACA: Know your number
When it comes to benefits management, the most important number for any small to mid-sized business to know is how many full-time employees plus full-time equivalent employees it averaged in calendar year 2014.
Zack Pace
CBIZ
Benefits Think Do you need to pay minimum wage or overtime to your commission-paid employees?
Companies will sometimes take a chance on a new (or old) salesperson by allowing him/her to work on pure commission. This eat what you kill compensation system seemingly creates an incentive to sell with little risk to the company. But is there really little risk?
Bennett Epstein
Foley & Lardner
The HIPAA auditors are coming
Commentary: HHS is starting to roll out the second phase of HIPAA audits, and now is the time for employers to assess compliance with HIPAAs security rule. If your organization is selected for a Phase II Audit, are you ready?
IRS unveils health care page for large employers
The IRS has posted a webpage, dubbed the ACA Information Center for Applicable Large Employers, which features information and resources for employers on how the health care law may affect them.
Court rules fixed indemnity sales can continue, despite ACA restrictions
The ruling is not likely to affect demand for individual fixed indemnity products, which have been on the decline, nor to have impact on overall health insurance market, experts say.
Benefits Think Support heats up for Cadillac tax repeal
Commentary: The employer community has made its voice clear on the Affordable Care Acts excise tax. Legislators seem to have heard. Will it make a difference?
Andrea Davis
Employee Benefit News
Uber drivers certify California class action
While Uber is fighting hard on all fronts to prove its drivers are correctly characterized as independent contractors, there are examples of other successful app-driven on-demand start-ups that have either converted contractors to employee status or characterized all workers as employees from the get-go.
Benefits Think An employee stole your trade secrets but you cannot prove it. Now what?
Consider the following, relatively uncommon scenario: An employee stole your trade secrets and went to work for a competitor. You know the employee did it, you just can't prove it. What do you do?
Gregory Snell
Foley & Lardner
Fitbit wellness platform now HIPAA compliant
Fitness device maker Fitbit now will enter into HIPAA business associate agreements with corporations, health plans and self-insured employers that want to offer its wellness platform to employees.
Benefits Think Plan sponsors: Investment menus are not designed in a vacuum
Commentary: Many plan sponsors believe that just by hiring an adviser they do not have a fiduciary obligation to understand the investments in their plans. This is fundamentally wrong.
John Ludwig
LHD Retirement
GAO expresses concerns with unclear QDIA regulations
Retirement plan sponsors need more clarity with QDIA regulations, says the Government Accountability Office.
Benefits Think Avoiding FMLA interference claims: Walking a fine line between permissible, impermissible comments
When it comes to FMLA leave, not all comments are treated equally. Some comments may discourage an employee from using FMLA leave, thereby interfering with the employees FMLA rights and creating employer liability.
Jeffrey Kopp
Foley & Lardner
NAIFA president asks Congress to urge DOL to re-propose fiduciary rule
The DOLs proposed fiduciary rule presents complex challenges to advisers, clients and will exacerbate the savings crisis in America, NAIFA warned Congress Thursday two weeks before the comment period on the controversial rule closes.
IRS allows employers to test run ACA reporting
The IRS says employers can now do a trial run of their electronic form filing for reporting requirements under the ACA, giving nervous employers and their benefit advisers a way to test for readiness in advance of the reporting deadlines.
Insurers can’t deny gender transition treatment under U.S. plan
Transgender individuals would gain new health care protections in rules proposed Thursday by U.S. regulators.
Brokers arent serving up what employers want
Notable gap exists between what employers are demanding and what brokers are supplying
Uber class action suit on employee status moves forward
Uber will have to defend a group lawsuit brought by drivers seeking the pay and benefits of employees.