Tip Tuesday! ACA reporting for employers and the IRS' new draft forms

By Keith McMurdy

Under the Affordable Care Act, there are two unique reporting requirements. The first is the individual mandate reporting requirement under Section 6055 of the Code. The second is the “pay or play” reporting requirement under Section 6056. Many employers have been wondering about how onerous these reporting requirements may be and while not finalized, the IRS did release draft forms that will apply to these requirements. There have not been any instructions issued (although they are expected in August) and they are not final and probably will not be until sometime later this year. But for now, they provide some insight into what information employers will have to collect.

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Tip Tuesday! Frequently Asked Questions about Grandfathered Health Plans

By Linda Rowings

As employers determine their plan designs for the coming year, those with grandfathered status need to decide if maintaining grandfathered status is their best option. Following are some frequently asked questions, and answers, about grandfathering a group health plan. 

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Second-richest man proposes 3-day workweek (and it’s not as crazy as it sounds)

By Christian Schappel

At a business conference in Paraguay, business tycoon Carlos Slim made a pitch that will certainly the eyebrows of your employees.

The CEO of the Mexico-based telecom company Telmex said it was time for a “radical overhaul” of the traditional work-life system.

His suggestion: A three-day workweek should be the new norm.

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One thing companies, managers should stop doing to poor performers

By Christian Schappel

Don’t be ambiguous with poor and underperforming employees when it comes to their standing with your company. 

Uncertainty breeds even worse performance and behavior, according to two noted researchers Tinne Vander Elst, a postdoctoral researcher in organizational and personnel psychology at the University of Leuven in Belgium, and Tahira M. Probst, a professor of psychology at Washington State University.

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Tip Tuesday! Why HSAs Linked to HDHPs are Making a Comeback

By Elizabeth Kay

According to new information from United Benefit Advisors (UBA), health savings accounts (HSAs) are outpacing health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) in both adoption and participation rates. And now that metal tier health plans  [e.g., platinum, gold, silver, etc.] are allowed higher deductibles, employers are increasingly looking at HSA qualified plans for their upcoming plan year. Here’s a look at why this trend is unfolding.

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Telecommuters vs on-siters: Who’s more productive?

By Jared Bilski

For as long as employers have been allowing their staffers to work from home, opponents of this practice have said it’s guaranteed to produce a drop in productivity. And new research puts that theory to the test.

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A cheat sheet on EEOC’s extensive pregnancy guidance

By Christian Schappel

For the first time since 1983, the feds have issued comprehensive guidance on how employers are required to treat pregnant employees. 
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) did this by issuing guidance on the application of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Quick & dirty recap

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