In a recent case, a federal district court ruled that an employer didn’t violate the Comprehensive Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) — even though an employee who resigned from the company claimed that she never received notices that she was entitled to continue her health insurance benefits. Under the law: A plan administrator is required to […]
As a valued client, we like to keep you in the loop with pertinent FMLA cases that come across our desks. Many times you hear about these cases, they seem far-fetched and it’s easy to think the employer should have known better. This one, not so much. For most of you, overtime is an everyday […]
Portage, MI. (July 13, 2016) – BASIC (Benefit Administrative Services International Corporation), the country’s leading provider for third-party employee benefits administration, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Gatekeepers Business Solutions, Inc. Established in 1989 and headquartered in Portage, Michigan, BASIC has grown into one of the largest third party administrators in the nation with offices […]
Absenteeism is one of the most common problems employers battle with in the workplace and without a doubt you face it too. Employee absenteeism can result from reasons like personal illness, personal needs, family issues, and stress or habitual absenteeism can result from reasons like poor morale or entitlement mentality. Regardless of the reason for the […]
Under construction in the US Congress, spearheaded by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI), is a proposal that stands to limit or even eliminate employer tax exclusion on employer-sponsored health insurance. The employer exclusion allows an employer’s contributions to an employee’s health insurance to be excluded from that employee’s compensation for income and payroll […]
The 360-degree feedback mechanism (also called “multi-rater”) has been in use for decades, thus long enough that it’s been subjected to a battery of academic studies highlighting its benefits and pitfalls. The research has identified both. First, consider the limitations of the traditional supervisor-only evaluation, particularly for employees who work in teams or who have subordinates […]
A change in the rules governing overtime has been coming for two years, with a sneak preview of proposed modifications last year. But on May 18, the Department of Labor (DOL) came out with its new final rules, which take effect on December 1, 2016. The rules will significantly raise the salary level used to determine […]
On 04/28/2016, Helen Applewhaite, the FMLA Branch Chief of the Department of Labor (DOL), spoke at the 2016 DMEC FMLA/ADA Employer Compliance Conference concerning the administration of FMLA. During her presentation, she announced a new FMLA Employer Guide. This guide was three years in the making. The 76-page guide is designed to provide essential information about the FMLA […]
The $7.25 per hour federal minimum wage has been in place since 1991. To have the same purchasing power today, the inflation-adjusted wage would have to be $12.68, according to the CPI Inflation Calculator from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. President Obama has been supporting an increase in the federal minimum wage to $12 […]
Inflation adjusted amounts for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) Health Savings Accounts 2017 2016 Self-only coverage Self-only coverage annual minimum deductible $1,300 $1,300 Self-only coverage maximum out of pocket $6,550 $6,550 Self-only coverage maximum HSA contribution $3,400 $3,350 Family coverage Family coverage annual minimum deductible (Family coverage can include a spouse and any dependents) $2,600 $2,600 […]
