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Blogs / Tags / Benefits

In conjunction with the Temporary Extension Act of 2010 that provides for the extension of the COBRA subsidy period to March 31, 2010, the DOL has published new model notices for COBRA and for application for the subsidy. The notices are a... More...

The following was passed on to me by Susan Jordan, a partner in our Pittsburgh office: Taxpayers who have attained age 70-1/2 and are obligated to take required minimum distributions from their IRAs may exclude those distributions from gross income b... More...

Because the COBRA subsidy continues to be a very hot topic in conjunction with the various efforts to pass jobs legislation, Congress continues to fiddle with it. The extension of the COBRA subsidy to March 31, 2010, brings a new twist that wil... More...

A frequent complaint I hear about multiemployer pension plans is that employers cannot get information from plan administrators. The primary problem has always been that ERISA requires plan administrators to provide information to participants,... More...

These days everyone wants to be creative, to "think out of the box." But how do you walk the talk? As a workshop leader who often tries to give organizations a "Jolt of CPR: Being Creative, Passionate and Risk-Taking," let me share one concept that j... More...

A look back at employees' financial issues in 2009 Financial Finesse , the leading provider of unbiased financial education, just released its 2009 findings on employee financial issues. The report analyzes direct calls to the company’s helplin... More...

Last night, President Obama signed a stop-gap bill that extends the COBRA subsidy eligibility through March 31. So employees who are involuntarily terminated between March 1 and March 31, 2010, would be eligible for subsidy participation. We will hav... More...

The U. S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) announced new outreach and compliance assistance efforts for 403(b) pension plans subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The of... More...

As previously posted, eligibility for the COBRA subsidy was extended through February 28, 2010, and the subsidy period goes for up to 15 months. Of course, individuals who have been denied the subsidy are entitled to appeal the denial and ... More...

What’s in a Word? Part III by Rebecca Harris, MA, LPC The subtle difference between the verbs “to try” and “to do”. When I was a young person, and I was told “We’ll see”, in response to a request I made, I usually expected the outcome to be nega... More...

I created a poll so we can view how many have a discount program. Please let me know if you have any suggestions or comments about the group. I would love to hear them. More...

Here is a list of a few companies I have seen that offer discounts for employees: GiftTree.com Contact Name: Sarah Dunlap Phone: 800-931-3620 ext 258 Email: sarah@gifttree.com Web Address: www.gifttree.com Discount: 10% - 15% off Spri... More...

With all of the changes to COBRA and questions about the subsidy for COBRA participants, it is important to keep in mind that accuracy of information is still very significant. Plan administrators should keep in mind that the $110 a day penalty... More...

Human Resource Management (HRM) has never been as significant as it is today. Companies want to attract, retain and motivate brains to meet objectives. Today Humans are regarded as one of every company’s assets so they need to be efficiently and effe... More...

Before the east coast started digging out from under all the snow this week, the Department of Labor published the Model Notice for Employers to Use Regarding Eligibility for Premium Assistance Under Medicaid or CHIP. By way of background, on Februar... More...

There are a number of “Free Prescription Cards” being offered in the marketplace today and most people when presented with the opportunity to acquire a card become very skeptical about something being offered that is “free”. “What’s the catch?”… Is ... More...

By: John Schinnerer Anger Management: How Prayer And Forgiveness Can Reduce Your Rage <http://drjohnblog.guidetoself.com/2010/02/02/anger-management-101-new-study-shows-how-forgiveness-and-prayer-can-reduce-rage/> All of us have made mist... More...

What’s in a Word? Part I by Rebecca Harris, MA, LPC Week one: Excuse or Reason. Were you ever told, “you are what you eat”? That always sounded rather ridiculous to me, because I felt fine after eating anything, and thought tha... More...

“There is nothing to fear but fear itself.” Franklin D. Roosevelt said this in his first inaugural address in 1933, speaking of The Depression and the country’s prospect of turning the U.S. economy around. It still seems fi... More...

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA), which amended the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code, generally is effective for plan years beginning on or ... More...

By Kelly Huffman, MS, LPC, CEAP Solutions EAP Counselor at Middlesex Hospital Treatment for Anxiety Disorders Anxiety disorders are real, serious, and treatable. If symptoms of an anxiety disorder are present, it is important to rule out any oth... More...

Employee contributions to retirement plan have to be treated as plan assets and submitted to the plan in a timely manner. The old rule required that while employee contributions had to be segregated from the employer's general assets, there was... More...

I recently was reading an article from Metlife titled "METLIFE STUDY REVEALS EMPLOYERS OF ALL SIZES CLOSELY FOLLOWING HEALTH CARE REFORM" It got the idea to do a little snap study on how HR Departments perceived Health Care Reform. I have a littl... More...

Boldly Bring Your Inner Chutzpah Over lunch, my agent posed a provocative challenge: “Write an article on chutzpah.” He believes the timing is right. In this difficult economy and uncertain times it’s certainly tempting to withdraw into a... More...

As of November 30, 2009, 15 states had proposed mandatory sick-leave laws to require employers to provide paid sick days to employees. San Francisco, Milwaukee and Washington DC have municipal ordinances that require some mandatory sick leave a... More...

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News

DOL Issues Three New Notices and Revised Model Notices for COBRA Subsidy

IRA Distributions to Charity Excluded from Gross Income

COBRA Subsidy Extension With a Twist: A Change in Eligibility

Give Me The Information! New Disclosure Rules for Multiemployer Pension Plans

Transforming the Conventional into the Creative: Discovering and Designing the "Bright Crystals" of Contradiction

2009: The Year of Failure and Redemption for American Employees

COBRA Subsidy Extended Again

Help is Here at Last: EBSA Announces Assistance for 403(b) Plan Administrators

New Request for Expedited Review posted for COBRA Subsidy Appeals

What's In A Word? Part III

Employee Discount Program Poll

Having trouble finding companies to add to your employee discount program?

The Importance of Being Accurate: Misstated COBRA Date Leads to Penalties

Compensation and Benefits: Definition and Importance

DOL Publishes Another Model Notice: Premium Assistance Under Medicaid or CHIP

How “Free Prescription Cards” really work!

Anger Management: How Prayer And Forgiveness Can Reduce Your Rage

What’s in a Word? Part I

Anxiety: What is it and what to do about it

DOL Issues Interim Rules for the Mental Health Parity Act

Anxiety: Part III

DOL's New "Safe Harbor Rule" for Employee Contributions: 7 Days

Heathcare Reform

In Challenging Times, No More “Inner Child”:

Sick Pay Plans: Does ERISA Care?