Tag: benefits

Fitbit Hopping aboard the HIPAA Bandwagon

You’ve probably noticed more and more employees sporting Fitbit devices lately—wearable gadgets that track everything from steps to sleep time to heart rate and more. As with almost anything that tracks personal health-related data, however, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) comes into play.

HIPAA Privacy Violations Costly for Triple-S Management: $3.5 Million Settlement

Triple-S Management Corporation (“TRIPLE-S”) has agreed to settle potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rules with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (OCR). TRIPLE-S will pay $3.5 million and will adopt a robust corrective action plan to correct deficiencies […]

IRS Issues Welcome Clarification on ACA Safe Harbors

By Jennifer Carsen, JD The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) really kicked things into high gear at the very end of 2015. While the rest of us were winding down, hanging out with friends and family, and eating far too many gingerbread men (or perhaps that was just me), the industrious tax elves slipped a few […]

What is the One Thing Employees Want Even More Than a Pay Raise?

According to Glassdoor’s Q3 2015 Employment Confidence Survey, nearly four in five employees (79%) would prefer new or additional benefits to a pay increase. Specifically, more women (82%) than men (76%) prefer benefits or perks to a pay raise. Additionally, younger employees aged 18 to 34 (89%) and 35 to 44 (84%) prefer benefits or […]

What is Leave Sharing or Leave Donation?

Have you heard of a leave donation or leave sharing program? In this type of program, employers allow employees to donate some of their accrued paid leave time to other employees who have already used all of theirs but who need additional hours or days to cover an emergency.

Even When Relieved of Duty, You Can Still Be Terminated

By Beth A. Kahn and James H. Demerjian A former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy tried to take a “can’t touch this” position when he challenged his employer’s decision to terminate him for drunk driving and driving with a suspended license while he was on unpaid relieved-of-duty status. It didn’t work out for him […]

Latino Workers Have Difficulty Making Benefits Decisions, Study Concludes

New research from Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) finds that Latino workers claim to be knowledgeable about their employer-provided benefits—yet they find it difficult to select their benefits. Additionally, learning more about their finances is perceived by Latinos to be too complicated, confusing, and time-intensive.\

Technology Can Help Employees Keep Their Health-Related New Year’s Resolutions

It’s that time of year again when employees make resolutions to be a better—and healthier—person in the New Year by changing some of their behavior. According to a recent Marist Poll, health-related resolutions ranked at the top with respondents, including losing weight, exercising more, quitting smoking, improving overall health, and eating healthier foods.