www.thinkhr.com OSHA Penalties Increasing by 78 Percent After August 1, 2016 Section 701 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 contains the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Improvements Act of 2015, which requires the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and most other federal agencies to implement inflation-adjusted civil penalty increases. The Inflation Adjustment Act … Continued
By Mary Drueke-Collins, FSA Vice President of Employee Benefits for Swartzbaugh-Farber & Associates, Inc. A UBA Partner Firm Mail order has always been a convenient way for individuals to keep their maintenance drug prescriptions filled. Employers often wonder, are there other advantages to using mail order other than convenience? As an employer, should we be … Continued
By Carol Taylor Director of Compliance and Health Plan Collaborative, D & S Agency, A UBA Partner Firm The new Department of Labor (DOL) overtime exemption rules increase the salary threshold from $23,660 a year to $47,476 annually, beginning December 1, 2016. This means that employees earning less than the threshold can no longer be … Continued
Abridged from www.healthcare.gov A change in your situation – like getting married, having a baby, or losing health coverage – that can make you eligible for a Special Enrollment Period, allowing you to enroll in health insurance outside the yearly Open Enrollment Period. There are 4 basic types of qualifying life events. (The following are … Continued
By Danielle Capilla Chief Compliance Officer at United Benefit Advisors Applicable large employers and self-funded employers of all sizes have now completed the first round of required IRS reporting under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA requires individuals to have health insurance, while applicable large employers (ALEs) are required to offer … Continued
By Nancy Bourque HR Practice Leader at United Benefit Advisors The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued sweeping changes to record-keeping and reporting rules. Starting in 2017, employers with as few as 20 employees may be required to electronically report workplace injuries and illnesses on an annual basis, and the information from those … Continued
By Michelle Kulas www.livestrong.com The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all adults get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week. Going to the gym every day is one way to accomplish this goal. Regular exercise carries many physical and mental health benefits. Do not begin any new exercise … Continued
By Nancy Bourque HR Practice Leader at United Benefit Advisors Beginning in 2017, certain employers with as few as 20 employees at a single site will be required to electronically file information about employee injuries and accidents that occurred in the prior year. This means that, for many employers, injuries and illnesses occurring in 2016 … Continued
By Danielle Capilla Chief Compliance Officer at United Benefit Advisors Beginning in early 2016, many employers received letters from the IRS-SSA-CMS Data Match program. These letters are addressed to the employer and begin by stating that “Medicare needs your cooperation.” Employers are directed to report information on the IRS/SSA/CMS Data Match Secure Web Site (https://www.cob.cms.hhs.gov/DataMatch/). … Continued
Marvin H. Feldman www.lifehappens.org Some people equate life insurance with tragedy and death. In truth, life insurance is for the living. Without it, the sudden demise of a key breadwinner could leave a family stranded without the resources to maintain their lifestyle—or even retain their home. Not so long ago, professionals recommended that families carry … Continued