Expert Compliance Insights & Tips for Businesses

January 2, 2013

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New Health Care Taxes Take Effect

Most Americans may have avoided the so-called "fiscal cliff" that would've plunged them into higher tax brackets, but at the dawn of the New Year, two health care levies took hold that could affect a lot of taxpayers. First, a new 3.8 percent Net Investment Income Tax now applies to individuals, estates and trusts that have certain investment income above certain threshold amounts...

December 21, 2012

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Five Major Health Care Reforms Take Effect in 2013

As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), commonly known as Obamacare, more changes in health care are slated to take hold starting New Year's Day. On Jan. 1, the pay rate for doctors treating Medicaid patients will rise to match the payments for Medicare patients. Currently, many doctors won't accept Medicaid patients because of the disparity with Medicare, and...

December 20, 2012

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USCIS Launches E-Verify Employer Search Tool

E-Verify

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is replacing the lists of E-Verify employers and federal contractors that previously appeared on the E-Verify Website with a brand new online search tool. The E-Verify Employer Search Tool, which gives the public the ability to search and view E-Verify employers, includes several new features. Individuals can now search, filter, sort, and export...

December 18, 2012

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HHS Seeking Public Commentary on Proposed Essential Health Benefits Rule

Obamacare

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking public commentary through Dec. 26, 2012, on a proposed rule covering Essential Health Benefits (EHB) under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). EHB define what health insurance plans must offer under PPACA to be sold through state and federal exchanges, which will begin operating in 2014. In addition, the policies m...

December 17, 2012

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Supreme Courts Lets Ruling Stand on Private FLSA Settlements

The Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal on a 5th Circuit Court's ruling that allowed a private settlement of an overtime dispute. Previously, claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) could only be resolved by a court or the Department of Labor (DOL). The Supreme Court's declining to rule on the private FLSA settlement issue means that future private settlements are possi...

December 14, 2012

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SBA and DOL Launch an Entrepreneurship Website

The Department of Labor (DOL) and Small Business Administration (SBA) have teamed up to launch a website to offer both financial and professional assistance to those on unemployment insurance who wish to go into business for themselves. On the website, you’ll find model legislation that your state can use to enact these programs, as well as a new online toolkit from the Small Business Adm...

December 12, 2012

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Most Employers Plan to Keep Offering Health Insurance After 2014

A survey of employers conducted after the presidential election indicates that 84 percent of all employers plan to continue offering health insurance coverage once the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) takes full effect in 2014. The survey, conducted Dec. 3 and 4 by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, showed an uptick in positive responses of seven percent s...

December 11, 2012

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DOL Fact Sheet Points Out FMLA Posting Requirements

The Department of Labor (DOL) has posted a new Fact Sheet on employers' requirement to inform employees of their rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The notice says: To meet the general notice requirements of the FMLA, covered employers must display a poster in plain view for all workers and applicants to see, notifying them of the FMLA provisions and providing i...

December 10, 2012

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DOL Targeting L.A., San Francisco Restaurants for FLSA Violations

The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the Department of Labor (DOL) is conducting a sweep of Los Angeles and San Francisco restaurants after investigations along the West Coast found 71 percent of all restaurants were in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Common violations in the restaurant industry include not paying employees for all hours worked, having employees work off the cl...

December 7, 2012

37 view(s)

OSHA Seeks Input on Improving Health and Safety Standards

OSHA is initiating a regulatory review of its existing safety and health standards in response to the President’s Executive Order 13563, ‘‘Improving Regulations and Regulatory Review’’ (76 FR 38210). The agency conducted similar regulatory reviews of its existing standards previously as ‘‘standards improvement pro...

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