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Insurance

Employees with HDHPs more engaged in their care

01/08/2019
Employees enrolled in high-deductible health plans are significantly more engaged in their health care than employees who have lower deductibles.

Court: ACA requires plans to cover gender reassignment

01/02/2019
A recent decision by the federal court in charge of Minnesota cases has ruled that health plans that exclude gender reassignment coverage violate the Affordable Care Act.

Advise unemployment authorities if you are still paying commissions to former employee

01/02/2019
If a former employee is collecting on your unemployment account, be sure to let the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development know, so it can adjust the benefit amount.

Key question for unemployment benefits: Did employee quit or was he fired?

11/28/2018
Employees who quit their jobs aren’t eligible for unemployment compensation benefits. But if the employee believed the employer had already terminated him, then not showing up for work won’t count as quitting. He may be eligible for benefits.

Child-care needs may qualify for unemployment

11/28/2018
Employees who lose access to child-care services and who request an accommodation from their employer in order to keep working are eligible for unemployment benefits if their employer does not make the accommodation and the employee has to quit because she can’t find alternative care.

Assignment to work extra hours isn’t grounds to quit and collect unemployment

10/29/2018
When employees have their hours drastically cut, they may be able to quit and still receive unemployment compensation. It doesn’t always work the other way around. An employee who is asked to work additional hours can’t quit and still receive benefits.

DOL offers employer advice on association health plans

10/10/2018
The U.S. Department of Labor has published compliance assistance materials on association health plans.

Premiums up modestly, while deductibles soar

10/10/2018
Annual family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose 5% to average $19,616 in 2018, extending a seven-year run of moderate increases.

The ‘S’ in HSA stands for ‘spending,’ not ‘savings’

10/10/2018
Benefits brokers tout health savings accounts as a way to sock away money to pay for health care expenses down the road. But that’s not how employees use HSAs today, according to a new survey.

DOL weighs in: Pay for participating in wellness activities?

10/09/2018
More and more employers are providing various wellness incentives as part of their medical insurance plans to promote healthier lifestyles and choices. A new opinion letter addressed whether employees should be paid when they participate in certain activities.