Benefits for Domestic Partners: The Legal Basics
November 12, 2004—If you are considering offering domestic partnership benefits, what are the
legal requirements? How does the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) treat benefits
to a domestic partner and what requirements does the employer have to meet?
Is income subject to withholding for federal FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions
Act) and FUTA (Federal Unemployment Tax Act)? What about health insurance and
the Consolidated Omnibus Budget and Reconciliation Act (COBRA)?
Flexibility in the Workplace: The Benefits Are in the Numbers
November 02, 2004—When it comes to the effectiveness of flexible workplaces, opinions have been a lot easier to come by than hard data--until now. A new report documents what happens when employees are given flexibility in such things as their hours and ability to work from home.
New IRS Guidance Liberalizes Code Requirements for Health Savings Accounts
October 26, 2004—Health savings accounts (HSAs) allow individuals to accumulate tax-exempt money to pay for medical expenses. Certain requirements have to be met, however. They are found in Section 223 of the Internal Revenue Code. This year, the IRS has issued several notices and rulings clarifying the requirements of Code Section 223.
Managing Obesity Helps Manage Healthcare Costs
October 19, 2004—Quick, what do heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and diabetes have in common?
Besides being serious, debilitating illnesses, all are potential results of
one problem that is overwhelming Americans: obesity.
Executive Severance Policies Help to Avoid Litigation
October 19, 2004—A comprehensive executive severance policy can help employers avoid
litigation and bad press when an
executive is terminated. Although
75 percent of companies report that they have such policies, only half of those
companies formally define the conditions, events, and terms for payment, according
to a recent survey by Hay Group.
When Do ESOPs Work, and What Do They Offer? (Part II)
October 12, 2004—This is the second of a two-part series by guest writer Christopher A. Kramer,
CFA, ASA, on Employee Stock Ownership Plans and their possible benefits for
companies that implement them.
Were 'Independent Contractors' Actually Employees?
October 05, 2004—Time Auto terminated its independent contractor agreements with two truck drivers on the basis of their involvement with a union. However, an administrative law judge found that the two drivers were actually employees of Time Auto and, in terminating them because of their union activities, the company was in violation of the National Labor Relations Act. The company appealed to a federal appeals court, claiming the drivers weren?t employees. Who was right?
When Do ESOPs Work, and What Do They Offer?
September 21, 2004—One of the key attributes of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) that make them attractive to many companies
is the ability to structure the plans to meet the specific goals and objectives of the parties involved. The flexibility inherent in ESOPs enables them to be used in a variety of ways.
