HR Elements^SM Bulletin

COMPLIANCE UPDATES  (top)

08-25-10 - 3rd Quarter 2010 Benefits and Employment Briefing Newsletter 

07-13-10 - Regulations Issued on Lifetime and Annual Limits 

06-21-10 - Agencies Clafiry Grandfathering Under Health Care Reform 

05-27-10 - 401(k) Compliance Questionaire May Trap Unwary Plan Sponsors 

05/20/10 - DOL Announces Form 5500 Electronic Filing Requirement Changes 

05-19-10 - 2nd Quarter 2010 Benefits and Employment Briefing Newsletter 

04-22-10 - COBRA Premium Subsidy Extended Again 

03-31-10 - 1st Quarter 2010 Benefits and Employment Briefing Newsletter 

03-08-10 - Latest Extension of COBRA Premium Subsidy Comes With a Twist 

The CDHP Dilemma 

02-11-10 Agencies Issue Regulations Under Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act 

01-14-10 DOL Updates COBRA Notices 

12-22-09 Cobra Premium Subsidy Extended to 15 Months 

4th Quarter Benefits & Employment Briefing Newsletter 

Dec 8 HIPAA Policy and Security Update 

Nov. 20, 2009 - Congress Expands Military Family Leave Coverage 

Nov. 9, 2009 - Deadline for Determining How to Handle 2009 Required Minimum Distributions 

NEW GINA 10-13-09 

HHS Issues Final Rule On HIPAA Breach Notification 9-29-09 

3rd Quarter Benefits and Employment Briefing Newsletter 

2nd Quarter Benefits and Employment Briefing Newsletter 

5/26/09 DOL Releases Application For Review Of Cobra Subsidy Denial 

5/22/09 IRS Announces 2010 HSA And HDHP DOLLAR AMOUNTS 

4/14/09 Administering 65% COBRA Premium Subsidy Compliance Alert 

4/3/09 NEW 1-9 Form Compliance Alert 

3/25/09 DOL COBRA Compliance Alert 

3/19/09 ARRA HIPAA Compliance Alert 

3/4/09 CHIP Compliance Alert 

1st Quarter Benefits and Employment Briefing Newsletter 

2/17/09 - Cobra Premium Compliance 

2/4/09 - Compliance Alert  

WEBINARS  (top)

10/12/10 - Participant Notices Required to Administer Employer Health Plans 

09/21/10 - Social Media 2.0: Lessons Learned and Applied to Electronics in the Workplace 

08/10/10 - The Effect of Health Care Reform on Employers 
Power Point Presentation - view now

07/13/10 - The Basics of Cafeteria Plans 
Power Point Presentation - view now

06-15-10 - Compliance 201 for Plan Administration  
Power Point Presentation - view now

05/11/10 - Webinar Presentation: 2009 Form 5500: Are You Ready? 

05/11/10 - Form 5500 Annual Reports for 2009 

04/13/10 - Fair Labor Standards Act Crackdown 

03/9/10 - Complying With the New Mental Health Parity 
Audio for March 9, 2010 Webinar

01/12/10 - GINA Reshuffles the Deck 
click here to listen to audio from this presentation

12/08/09 - HIPAA Privacy and Security Updates 
click here to listen to audio from this presentation

11/10/09 Compliance 101 for Plan Administrators 
Power Point Presentation - view now

10/6/09 Automatic Enrollment in 401(k) Plans 
Power Point Presentation - view now

9/01/09 - Employee Wellness Programs 
Power Point Presentation - view now

8/11/09 Electronic SPDs  
Power Point Presentation - view now

7/14/09 Welfare Plan Changes for 2010 
click here to listen to audio from this presentation

5/12/09 CHIP Expansion 
Power Point Presentation - view now

4/14/09 Administering 65% COBRA Premium Subsidy 
click here to listen to audio from this presentation

3/17/09 COBRA Basics 

3/3/09 - New Year, New Changes to ADA 

02/17/09 FMLA Ð What Every Employer Must Know 

ARTICLES  (top)

UBA NAMES GARNER MEMBER OF THE YEAR

Rising Health Care Costs Put Pressure on Small Businesses

John C. Garner as an Expert in Benefit Plan Design

Long-Term Care Coverage

Voluntary Benefits

Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs)

Garner Consulting Discusses New Strategies for Insurance Benefits on Alexander Haig’s World Business Review TV Series

Predicting the Future of Health Savings Accounts

What is Absence Management and Why Should I Care?
Written by John C. Garner

Health Care Costs: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Written by John C. Garner

LINKS TO JOHN GARNER'S BLOG POSTINGS  (top)

IRS Provides Guidance on Over-the-Counter Medicines and Drugs

Agencies Create Safe Harbor for Mental Health Parity

Use of "Fitness for Duty Exam" Does Not Violate ADA or FMLA

Ohio Military Family Leave Act

Guidance and Interim Procedures for Federal External Review

Disregard of FMLA Requirements Brings About Inevitable Judgment

Sixth Circuit Rejects Sovereign Immunity Argument

Agencies Issue Regulations on Claims and Appeals

Guidance About Nursing Mothers

Agencies Issue Regulations on Preventive Services

HHS Issues Proposed Regulations Under HITECH Act

Ohio Court Decision Affects Future Pregnancy Leave Cases

New York Proposes Regulations Adopting Medical Treatment Guidelines

Regulations Implement "Patient's Bill of Rights" Under Reform

Regulations Released on Grandfathered Status Under Reform

Wage & Hour Division Interprets "In Loco Parentis" Status

Altered Paperwork Nullifies Employee's Entitlement to FMLA

Reasonable Break Time for Nursing Mothers

IRS Releases Guidance on Small Business Tax Credit

California Supreme Court Says Kin Care Rule Does Not Apply to Unlimited Leave

Some Details on Reinsurance Program for Early Retiree Plans

Details on Dependant Coverage to Age 26 Under Reform

New Guidance on Health Care Reform

IRS Issues Guidance on Health Care Coverage for Young Adults

Washington Update

More Details on Health Care Reform

Process, Policy and Uproar in Final Health Push

President Signs Health Care Reform Legislation

More FMLA Regulations Coming Soon?

Defendant Offers Little in The Way of Evidence

Failure to Follow Timely Filing Requirements Nearly Brings a Failing Grade to Tenured Professor

Washington Update

Court Rejects Estoppel in Government Case

Washington Update

Court Says All Arguments Fall Short When Claiming FMLA Retaliation

Washington Update

Rules Issued Under the Mental Health Parity & Equity Act of 2009

Health Care Reform - What Happens Now?

Leave Need not Commence to Invoke Protection of FMLA Rights

Update on House-Senate Health Reform Negotiations

Department of Labor Releases Model COBRA Notices

Health Care Reform Legislation - What's Happening Now

COBRA Continuation Coverage Assistance Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Update

FMLA and Discrimination Evidence Susceptible to More Than One Interpretation

FMLA Amended to Expand Applicability to Flight Crews

Employer Violated ADA by Failing to Accommodate SAD

Senate Passes Historic Health Care Reform Bill

Busy Saturday for Senate as Reform and COBRA Subsidy Advance

Court Finds Equitable Estoppel Should Not Bar FMLA Non-Eligibility as a Defense

Senate Health Care Debate

Court: FMLA Authorizes Claims Based on Action Motivated by Use of FMLA

St. John Health System Settles EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit

Court Says Timing of Termination Offers Significant Probative Force

Senate Democratic Leadership Unveils Health Reform Bill. What Happens Next?

Employers Respond to GINA Ban on HRAs

House Passes Health Care Reform

HHS Expands HIPAA Penalties Under the HITECH Act

New California Worker's Compensation Law

Military Family Leave Expanded

Government Misses Deadline for Mental Health Parity Regulations

Appeals Court Rules on Definition of "Medical Examination"