While the proposed rate is less than projected inflation for 2009, the increase is expected to bring in an additional $57 million for the only state in which workers pay a substantial portion of premiums.
The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) recently announced the results of the 2008 election for the Academy of Industrial Hygiene Council.
Included in the latest revision is a cost-justification chapter that reviews the economic impact of the program on the 10 charter cities by calculating occupational claims and costs.
"The bill strikes the right balance between protections for individuals with disabilities and the obligations and requirements of employers," said NAM Executive VP Jay Timmons.
The assistant secretary of labor for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration testified before a Senate Committee Wednesday about proposing initiatives that would require 401(k)-type plans to become more transparent.
Imagine this: A small-town retail store owner struggling to find responsible, dedicated employees is approached by a key employee who generally is engaged in her job and has tenure. She asks for four weeks off for what in the employer’s mind is minor surgery.
U.S. Department of Transportation Chief Economist Jack Wells yesterday noted that increasing transportation spending does not immediately create new jobs. Unemployment rates and the way the money is spent are factors.
The Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, known as the ERISA Advisory Council, will convene by teleconference Sept. 29 to discuss reports and recommendations by its working groups to be submitted to the secretary of labor.
In its 19th National Health Care Trend Survey, Buck Consultants found that health insurers reported an average prescription drug trend of 11.4 percent, down slightly from the 11.7 percent reported in the prior survey; however, the most popular types of health plans continue to increase more than 10 percent.
"After decades of chemical attack, it may take another 50 years or so for the ozone layer to recover fully," said U.N. Sectretary-General Ban Ki-moon. "As the Montreal Protocol has taught us, when we degrade our environment too far, nursing it back to health tends to be a long journey, not a quick fix."
"The Institute of Medicine placed fragrance in the same category as secondhand smoke in triggering asthma in adults and school age children," said Evie Bain, RN, COHN-S, FAAOHN, a presenter for an upcoming webcast addressing fragrance-free work environments.
Employers increasingly use incentives to motivate their workers to participate in health and wellness programs.Participation is only half of the story, however: A greater variety of incentives is being offered, and more of them are awarded for completing a program (such as weight loss, smoking cessation, or a health risk assessment) than in the past.
Managers are looking for simplified ways to promote safe work practices while maintaining production levels. Too often, current safety programs that begin with great intentions turn into a paper-tracking nightmare or the documentation becomes the ends to the means rather than having a positive impact on employee performance.
Other leaders in Texas worker's compensation will also be on hand to present updates on HB 7 reforms, claims-management strategies, case studies, and the latest developments on the burning issues facing the Texas worker's comp system.
Researchers analyzed a group of 890 overweight or obese employees participating in an obesity management program called Healthyroads. Over one year, the participants had reductions in seven of ten health risk factors, including poor eating habits and poor physical activity.
The U.S. Department of Labor has entered into a settlement with Encore Management Co. in Arlington to resolve findings by OSHA that the company illegally terminated an employee because she complained about safety and health issues.
Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month (CHWM), Sept. 29 - Oct. 26, is a celebration designed to introduce workplace health to organizations and support those who are already promoting healthy workplaces.
A recent study discovered wellness programs benefit companies beyond lower health costs.
Participants also are more engaged employees.
Only Kentucky currently requires alcohol testing for miners, according to today's proposed rule, for which comments are due Oct. 8.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued a comprehensive question-and-answer guide addressing how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to a wide variety of performance and conduct issues.