In This Issue
New I-9 Form
Defining Essential Health Benefits
Union Membership Declined
PA Extends Unemployment Benefits
Elements of Successful Health Management Programs
New FMLA Forms and Posters
New I-9 Form Available
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has published a revised Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 for use. All employers are required to complete a Form I-9 for each employee hired in the United States. Changes to the Form I-9 include new fields, reformatting to reduce errors, and clearer instructions to both employees and employers. Although employers should begin using the 03/08/13 dated form immediately, older forms dated 02/02/09 and 08/07/09 will be accepted until May 7, 2013. After May 7, 2013, only the 03/08/13 form will be accepted. The revision date is on the lower left corner of the form.
HHS Issues Rules Defining Essential Health Benefits
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has published final rules outlining essential health benefits (EHBs) for non-grandfathered group health plans and health insurance coverage in the individual and small group markets. Beginning in 2014, all non-grandfathered health insurance coverage in the individual and small group markets will cover EHBs, which include items and services in 10 statutory benefit categories including hospitalization, prescription drugs, and maternity and newborn care, and are equal in scope to a typical employer health plan. In addition to offering EHB, non-grandfathered health insurance plans will meet specific actuarial values (AVs): 60 percent for a bronze plan, 70 percent for a silver plan, 80 percent for a gold plan, and 90 percent for a platinum plan. These AVs, called "metal levels," will assist consumers in comparing and selecting health plans by allowing a potential enrollee to compare the relative payment generosity of available plans. Taken together, EHB and AV will significantly increase consumers' ability to compare and make an informed choice about health plans.
BLS Reports Union Membership Declined in 2012
According to a report issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), union membership, identified as the percent of wage and salary workers who were members of a union, declined to 11.3 percent in 2012, down from 11.8 percent in 2011. BLS also reported that the number of wage and salary workers belonging to unions stood at 14.4 million in 2012, down from 14.8 million in 2011. In the industry sector, HealthCare and Social Assistance membership was 1.1 million or 7.0 percent in 2012, down from 1.2 million members or 7.5 percent in 2011. That industry sector includes hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities, ambulatory health care services, and social assistance organizations.
PA Extends Unemployment Benefits to Voluntary Early Retirement Separations
In a 5-2 ruling, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has held that an employee's voluntary acceptance of an early retirement plan offered through an employer-initiated workforce reduction equates to a "layoff" under Section 402(b) of the Unemployment Compensation Law, resulting in the employee's eligibility for unemployment benefits. In Diehl v. Unemployment Compensation Board of Review, the Court held that the voluntary layoff provisions of the Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation law apply to both temporary and permanent separations from employment, and that employees who accept early retirement offers as part of a general reduction in force are therefore eligible for unemployment compensation benefits, overruling a long line of cases that held such claimants were not eligible unless they could prove that continuing employment was not available to them.
Report Details Elements of Successful Health Management Programs
Employers that follow best practices for workplace wellness programs are more likely to report improvements in lowering medical cost trends and improving employee health status, according to the Employee Health Management Best Practices Scorecard published by the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO) and consulting firm Mercer. The basic assumption behind the Scorecard is that employee health management programs based on best practices will produce better outcomes, greater employee participation, improved health risks and better medical plan cost experience. The analysis of almost 800 employers was conducted in July 2012. Key influences in program participation rates include: incentives to participants, conducting an employee health needs assessment, active participation of senior leaders, use of branded communications, and benefits design that supports risk reduction through participation. Key influences in achieving medical savings include: spousal involvement, use of branded communications, existence of a formal written strategic plan for the program, outcome objectives are included in the strategic plan, and senior leaders actively participate.
New FMLA Forms & Poster Published
The US Department of Labor has updated its model FMLA forms and notice poster, amending to February 28, 2015 the forms' expiration dates. Effective March 8, 2013, employers will be required to post a new FMLA workplace poster. The new poster has an updated section regarding Employee Rights and Responsibilities. The poster must be displayed in a conspicuous place where employees can see it and must be displayed at all locations even if there are no FMLA eligible employees. (See "Posters" and "Forms".)
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