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| A bill barring employers and
insurers from discriminating against people based on their genetics won unanimous passage in the
U.S. Senate, moving one step from final congressional approval. The measure would prohibit health
insurers from rejecting coverage or raising premiums for healthy people based on their genetic
predisposition to develop a disease. |
| (Source: Reuters, 2008-04-24) |
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| The Supreme Court struggled
with how much weight to give an insurance company's potential conflict of interest when it denies an
employee's health or disability benefits claim. The dispute is being closely watched by insurance
companies and business groups. Depending on how the justices rule, the dispute could make it easier
for employees to win benefit payments in court. |
| (Source: BusinessWeek, 2008-04-23) |
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| The government's plan to crack
down on illegal workers could cost employers more than $1 billion a year and legal workers billions
in lost wages, a study commissioned by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says. Those costs are enough to
trigger a federal law that would require the Homeland Security Department to analyze more thoroughly
the effect of its proposal, said Richard Belzer, a consultant hired by the chamber to do the
study. |
| (Source: BusinessWeek, 2008-04-25) |
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| This year marks the 15th
anniversary of the landmark Family and Medical Leave Act, which made it possible for many workers to
take unpaid job-protected time off to care for their newborn children or sick relatives. But instead
of celebrating, workers' rights advocates and the Bush administration are battling over what would
be the most sweeping revisions ever to the law. |
| (Source: The Washington Post (free reg. req'd),
2008-04-24) |
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| Employers around the country
who thrive on seasonal business are preparing to lose thousands of foreign workers they've hired in
past summers to work in restaurants, hotels, landscaping and other industries. New visa controls are
cutting the number of temporary foreign workers eligible to return to the country, so employers are
scouring job fairs for replacements, lobbying Congress for help and bracing for staff shortages they
say will make business tough. |
| (Source: MSN Money, 2008-04-27) |
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| With Memorial Day weeks away,
many people are thinking about taking time off during the summer. Small-business owners need to be
doing some planning, too, to be sure employee vacations don't cause strife in the workplace or a
drop in productivity. |
| (Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (free reg. req'd), 2008-04-29) |
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| Senate Republicans blocked
legislation to make it easier for women and others alleging discrimination to sue their employers
over unequal pay, blasting the measure as an attempt by Democrats to score political points before
the fall presidential campaign. The White House has threatened to veto the bill, saying it would
effectively eliminate the deadline for filing lawsuits over pay discrimination and subject
businesses to claims over decisions long past. |
| (Source: The Washington Post (free reg. req'd),
2008-04-24) |
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| Some companies are offering
shorter hours, flexible locations and lighter duties, hoping to keep older workers on board longer.
"They're letting older employees wind down gradually, so they can transfer their knowledge before it
leaves for good," said Deborah Russell, director of work-force issues for AARP. |
| (Source: The New York Times (free reg. req'd),
2008-04-23) |
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| A Whirlpool Corp. factory in
Evansville, Ind., suspended 39 workers who signed insurance paperwork claiming they don't use
tobacco and then were seen smoking or chewing tobacco on company property. Now, some could be fired
for lying, company spokeswoman Debby Castrale said. |
| (Source: USA Today (free reg. req'd),
2008-04-24) |
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| A growing number of 401(k)
plan executives are demanding to know how much in excess revenue is generated by their plans and how
they can get their hands on that money to cut costs and enhance services to participants. Plans can
save substantially through portfolio redesign and revenue-recapture programs that result from fee
studies and analyses, said Matthew Gnabasik, managing director of Blue Prairie Group in
Chicago. |
| (Source: Workforce Management,
2008-04-24) |
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.jpg) |
| Kathleen
Shortridge |
Ann
Stewart |
The message is clear by now – workplace bullying can be harmful to your company's financial
health. An employee who is bullied by a co-employer, a supervisor, or even a customer, may file a
worker's compensation claim for mental stress, depression or anxiety. Such mental stress claims can
be compensable, and your company can end up paying temporary or even permanent disability, permanent
impairment, and medical bills for psychological and psychiatric counseling.
Read the article that discusses workplace
bullying and workers compensation.
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The annual quota for H-1B visas was
exhausted on the first date of filing again this year requiring United States Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS) to conduct a lottery to select petitions for processing. As a result of
the insufficient number of H-1B visas available, U.S. employers who identify highly-qualified and
capable foreign students face challenges in employing them beyond Optional Practical Training (OPT).
But now, under a recently announced new USCIS rule, certain eligible students may have two possible
opportunities for relief.
Read the article about the challenges and
possible relief for foreign students.
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Control Your Medical
Costs!
Employers and their insurers are fortunate to have the choice of physician in Indiana. If you
are working with an occupational physician to control medical costs, keep in mind that the cost of a
course of treatment results from the price of the treatment and how much it is utilized.
Cost = Price X Utilization.
For example, if a drug costs 10¢ per pill, and the doctor prescribes 500 of them (regular
utilization) the cost of that treatment is $50.
If you are using the cheapest physical therapy facility in town, but it takes twice as many
visits to get results, you may not be saving any money. Work with your physicians to control both
the price and the utilization of treatments.
Please contact Kathleen Shortridge or Ann
Stewart if you have any worker's comp questions.
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