Benefits Professionals Telephone Seminars

When The Military Comes Home: USERRA, VEVRRA, FMLA, COBRA & More BenefitsAs a result of the continuing global war on terrorism, including our actions in Iraq and Afghanistan, employers are faced with an unprecedented level of impact of military service on the workplace. What must an employer do when an employee gets orders to be activated? Do you have to hold the job open? What if it's an employee's family member with the orders - what are an employer's  more...

International Payroll Compliance Issues BenefitsThe emergence of the global economy has created opportunities for a large number of companies to expand internationally. This has resulted in an increase in cross-border transfer of their employees, thereby creating a host of challenges for companies that must administer payrolls in different jurisdictions with a myriad of reporting and tax withholding rules. Companies must find a way to  more...

Common Injuries in Workers' Compensation BenefitsThis live audio conference 'Common Injuries in Workers' Compensation,' presented by John W. Valente, Esq., will discuss some of the solutions and strategies used by employers to both prevent and control common workplace injury claims. A review of common injuries employers face every day in the workplace injury realm, ranging from slip and fall claims to back injuries from lifting, and  more...

Common Injuries in Workers' Compensation BenefitsThis live audio conference 'Common Injuries in Workers' Compensation,' presented by John W. Valente, Esq., will discuss some of the solutions and strategies used by employers to both prevent and control common workplace injury claims. A review of common injuries employers face every day in the workplace injury realm, ranging from slip and fall claims to back injuries from lifting, and  more...

Flexible Spending Accounts BenefitsMany employee benefit plan sponsors are unaware of all the complex rules governing flexible spending accounts. In this session you will receive a thorough overview of the numerous plan design considerations and legal requirements of flexible spending accounts. This knowledge will enable you to avoid running afoul of rules that could jeopardize the tax-favored status of your plans. This  more...

Medicare Secondary Payer Act: Protecting Medicare's Interest In Insurance Settlements BenefitsPursuant to 42 USC Section 1395y(b)(2), commonly known as the Medicare Secondary Payer Act, Medicare may not make payment for medical benefits where payment has been made or can reasonably be expected to be made under a workers' compensation law or plan of the United States or a state, or under an automobile or liability insurance policy or plan (including a self-insured plan), or under no  more...

Intellectual Disabilities and Employer ADA Obligation BenefitsWith the dramatic expansion of the American With Disabilities Act (ADA) by the ADA Amendment Act of 2008 (ADAAA) and the EEOC's ADAAA final regulations effective as of May 24, 2011, ADA claims are skyrocketing. A great many of the burgeoning claims concern matters formerly called mental disabilities and which are now called intellectual disabilities. Intellectual disabilities, which may  more...

Portal to Portal Act: Determining Hours Worked at the Start and End of the Work Day BenefitsEmployees and their counsel continue to pursue class action claims for off-the-clock work and unpaid overtime wages at a fever pitch. Thousands of wage and hour class actions asserting violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act or parallel state laws are filed each year and the costs of defending these matters and the damages claimed and paid, whether through trial or settlement, are  more...

Portal to Portal Act: Determining Hours Worked at the Start and End of the Work Day BenefitsEmployees and their counsel continue to pursue class action claims for off-the-clock work and unpaid overtime wages at a fever pitch. Thousands of wage and hour class actions asserting violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act or parallel state laws are filed each year and the costs of defending these matters and the damages claimed and paid, whether through trial or settlement, are  more...

Creating and Using a Salary Increase Matrix BenefitsThis live audio conference will discuss the concept, implementation and best practices associated with a merit matrix. Implementing a merit matrix is one of the easiest and most direct ways to link pay with performance and manage turnover. Sharing of pitfalls that many companies encounter when implementing a matrix and how to avoid them will be addressed. The live audio conference will  more...

Successful PTO Programs BenefitsPTO programs have become quite popular over the years as an alternative to traditional vacation, sick leave and other policies. Done right, PTO can be a powerful recruiting and retention tool. Done wrong, PTO can negatively impact morale and productivity and be a trap for the unwary employer. This live audio conference helps those persons responsible for designing and implementing employee  more...

Workers' Compensation: Return to Work Issues BenefitsBy attending this program you will learn the fundamentals of managing the employee returning to work from a compensable injury. In addition to an understanding of the interplay between federal laws prohibiting discrimination against health conditions and state workers' compensation laws, you will learn strategies to make the most of functional capacity evaluations and rehabilitation  more...

Employment Law Compliance: Disciplining or Terminating a Workers' Comp Claimant BenefitsThis live audio conference will address many of the difficult issues that arise when considering whether to discipline or terminate an employee who is also a workers' compensation claimant. The program will cover the core concepts underpinning workers' compensation statutes and the primary types of anti-retaliation provisions found in workers' compensation statutes. The live audio  more...

Americans With Disabilities Act - The Reasonable Accommodation Process BenefitsThis live audio conference will review practical issues you have to handle when it comes to the Americans With Disabilities Act. This audio conference will review what employment policies should be contained in your employee handbook, when you can make a medical inquiry, what is a disability-related inquiry, how you should handle a reasonable accommodation request under the Americans With  more...

Satisfying OFCCP's Internet Applicant Rules BenefitsThe Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs continues to clarify the definition of an Internet applicant and the evolving guidance gives employers additional direction and assistance. Moreover, the OFCCP has initiated a systematic process for monitoring adherence to the Internet Applicant Rule. This live audio conference will review the continuously developing OFCCP guidance and  more...

Control Costs and Increase Efficiency With P&C Claims Predictive Models BenefitsNearly every P C insurance company has a latent 6 to 8 loss ratio point improvement available to them through better claims handling with predictive models. Up until recently, insurance companies have focused the vast majority of their analytics horsepower on the front end of the insurance equation - underwriting predictive models. However, with the soft market continuing to adversely  more...

Advanced Applicant Tracking Strategies For Government Contractors: Effective Tools To Avoid Claims of Discrimination BenefitsFederal contractors and subcontractors are required to track applicant data for their affirmative action plans. However, even companies who properly track applicant data treat the process as a purely recordkeeping exercise. Failure to maintain proper and robust information regarding applicant disposition is the most common error employers can make which results in Office of Federal  more...

Curbing FMLA Abuse: How to Manage Manipulative Employees BenefitsAbout 62% of workers nationally qualify to take leave under the FMLA, and over 50 million employees have taken advantage of leave under the Act. Managing FMLA leave can be extremely challenging for employers, especially in the face of rampant employee abuse. However, there are tools available to employers seeking to minimize abuse of the protections provided by the FMLA. While there is no  more...

COBRA: A Little of Everything is Changing BenefitsThis live audio conference is for agents and new employee benefit specialists or the seasoned specialist that want to double check the basics and the most recent changes in the COBRA law. We will discuss who has the compliance responsibilities and what an employer must do every day to be in compliance! How do all of the employee benefit laws work together - when do they work separately.  more...

Workers' Compensation Metrics: Assessing and Reporting on the Success of Your Program BenefitsEmployers struggle with finding a way to measure the effectiveness of their occupational health programs and crafting reporting packages that are relevant and action-focused. Often data is difficult to collect, or overwhelmingly detailed. Vendor-supplied reports are generally focused on tactics, not strategy outcomes. This leaves many employers unable to answer some of the most critical  more...

2011 Affirmative Action Compliance Update BenefitsWhen was the last time you updated your narrative plan documents, your applicant self-identification forms, and your statistical and adverse impact analysis? As you update your plan documents for 2011, take an hour for an in-depth review of recent changes to the regulatory requirements and best practices that affect each aspect of your plan and related forms. If a letter from the OFCCP is  more...

Managing Employees' Pre-Existing Conditions: Strategies for Reducing Injury Losses BenefitsAttend this audio conference to learn the fundamentals of managing employees with pre-existing health conditions. In addition to an understanding of the interplay between federal laws prohibiting discrimination against health conditions and state workers' compensation laws, you will learn the nuances of distinguishing between pre-existing conditions and new work-related injuries. You will  more...

Requirements for Providing E-Forms W-2 and W-2c BenefitsMany organizations recognize the benefits of electronic W-2 and W-2c form distribution, but do not understand the IRS regulations and internal business elements surrounding this online implementation. Several online W-2 projects have failed and were delayed due to not knowing all of the essential information regarding online form distribution. This audio conference will explore all the  more...

Today's Multigenerational Workforce: Transitioning from Baby Boomers to the Next Generations BenefitsPeople change. This includes changes in the culture and value systems of the different generations of workers. From tattoos, to iPhones , to flex hours, to work ethics, to worker capabilities, things are different. As leadership transitions from the baby boomers to Generations X and Y, there are issues that will unavoidably arise as a result of cultural differences between the  more...

Creating a Payroll Manual: Putting Your Procedures Into Writing BenefitsThe Sarbanes-Oxley Act made it abundantly clear that all areas of accounting within a company should have well documented policies and procedures. These are an integral part of every function and that includes payroll. During this audio conference, we will discuss the steps you can take to ensure your procedures are well documented, clear and concise. During the program, we will discuss  more...

Health Care Reform Update BenefitsPresident Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law on March 23, 2010. This legislation will effectively restructure one-sixth of our economy and have a significant impact on our personal lives. Beyond the partisan politics and media hype are the practical concerns of employers, HR professionals, attorneys, third-party administrators, and other consultants and  more...

Texas Nonsubscriber Claims 101: Perspectives From Employees and Employers BenefitsTexas is the only state in the union that permits employers to opt-out of worker's compensation insurance. Employers who opt-out are known as nonsubscribers. Some nonsubscriber employers purchase insurance products that pay for medical care, lost wages and indemnify the employer if a claim is filed. Other employers self-insure and handle claims in-house or send them to third-party claim  more...

Best Practices in Managing FMLA Leave BenefitsEmployers are continually faced with the problem of FMLA abuse. Unfortunately, many employers are unaware of the tools at their disposal to effectively manage FMLA leave. This teleconference will help you understand lawful methods you can use to restrict unwarranted use of leave. You'll get a firm grasp of the most effective FMLA policies that may be instituted. Failing to adhere to FMLA  more...

How to Save Millions in Claims Through Ergonomics and Injury Prevention BenefitsWe all know how to do our jobs, but no one has ever taught us how to work 'safely.' While there have been attempts to federally regulate ergonomics, these have failed in all but one state, California, which has the only active OSHA regulation to protect workers from repetitive motion injuries. With this in mind, employers are encouraged to voluntarily support an active ergonomics process  more...

Code Section 409A BenefitsThe IRS is giving employers one last chance to fix their plan documents and compensation agreements for Code Section 409A. However, the IRS has also announced some new interpretations of Section 409A provisions that will require most employers to make changes to their plans and agreements. Employers that make these changes before January 1, 2011, can avoid IRS penalties, in most cases. In  more...

Understanding the HIRE Act and Form 941 BenefitsWith all of the new legislation that has affected employers, it is becoming difficult to keep up with the new requirements. During this teleconference, you will obtain the knowledge on how to make sure that your company can take tax benefits being offered to employers for producing jobs and hiring new employees. We will explain in detail the HIRE Act from how to determine what employees  more...

Using Payroll Audits to Detect Errors and Fraud BenefitsAs a finance professional, you probably are expected to safeguard your company's money. Unfortunately, there is no typical picture of the fraud perpetrator and embezzlement of funds is all too common place, so you have your work cut out for you! An excellent place to start is with Jeffrey G. Matthews' 'Using Payroll Audits to Detect Errors and Fraud' teleconference. You will learn about  more...

EEO-1 Form: Reporting for 2010 BenefitsIn this interactive teleconference, you will learn the EEO-1 reporting requirements as well as practical, easy to use approaches to completing and submitting the EEO-1 report by the filing deadline. This engaging teleconference will also explain the EEOC's and OFCCP's systemic discrimination enforcement initiatives. From understanding the EEOC's and OFCCP's new focus on these issues to  more...

Evaluating Your Third-Party Administrator: Are You Getting What You're Paying For? BenefitsUsing a third-party administrator is ubiquitous with health and welfare, and retirement plans. However, proper administration by TPAs should not be taken for granted. As with all facets of employee benefit plans, TPAs need to be monitored and evaluated to ensure proper plan administration and fulfillment of a plan sponsor's fiduciary responsibility. This teleconference explores the key  more...

End of Employment Payroll Issues BenefitsThis will be a comprehensive look into issues that arise when an employee terminates. Topics that will be discussed will go from when an employee needs to receive their final pay to how an employee death's final pay best practices and taxation. This teleconference will cover special situations when an employee terminates such as benefit deductions, state minimum hours requirements and  more...

Low Back Claims: From Injury to MMI BenefitsLow back pain is the leading cause of work-related disorders that present to a medical provider or occupational clinic. It is estimated that complaints regarding the low back account for up to one-third of all workers' compensation costs. Additionally, occupationally-induced low back disorders can lead to loss of an employee, lost time, diminished productivity, and the cost of hiring and  more...

Rewards Transformation: A Unique Approach to Total Rewards Strategy and Design in the Current Economy BenefitsIn the current economic environment, organizations are concerned with reducing costs while retaining top talent. Total rewards costs can often exceed 40 percent of company's revenue and in many cases it is difficult to demonstrate ROI. This teleconference presents a unique approach to total rewards strategy, design and cost management called rewards transformation. Rewards transformation  more...

Return on Investment for Wellness Programs BenefitsMounting evidence indicates that worksite wellness should be part of every strategic health plan. These plans can offer a valuable tool for employers to promote a fit and health-conscious work force that will save employers money by keeping health insurance premiums down, reducing workers' compensation costs, and by increasing productivity and decreasing lost time. Implementing a plan  more...

Employee Safety and Health Systems: Cutting Injuries Using the Team Approach BenefitsTraditional safety committees involve a small number of employees and are often managed by the individual responsible for the facility safety and health system. The problem is that the success of the committee, and thus the system success, is predicated by the authority given to the committee and its leadership which in most cases is low to nonexistent. The bottom line is that employee  more...

Unique Workers' Compensation Aspects of Independent Contractors and Traveling Employees BenefitsHear experienced attorneys discuss the complex issues that arise when dealing with independent contractors and traveling employees. Take advantage of this opportunity to gain professional knowledge and advanced insight on this important workers' compensation issue. Workers' compensation administrators, human resource managers, benefits professionals, safety and compliance managers,  more...

Top 5 Joint Employer Questions Answered BenefitsIn an economic environment where business must find creative staffing solutions to get work done, how do they recognize the hidden dangers in having workers with different types of working relationships? This teleconference helps responsible employers understand the different types of employment relationships, the pros and cons of each, and how to avoid unknowingly changing an individual's  more...

Case Study: What Makes Dixon Schwabl One of the "Best Small Companies to Work for in America" BenefitsLearn how to motivate, empower and excite employees to build a great place to work. Dixon Schwabl, Inc., CEO Lauren Dixon will share her experiences developing a company culture built on flexibility, freedom and respect for employees, inspiring an innovative approach to everyday workplace practices. No matter the size, geography or industry - any company can be a great place to work. Ms.  more...

Workplace Accident Investigations for the HR Professional BenefitsAttend this teleconference and learn how to conduct a workplace accident investigation as well as how to conduct an effective investigation and protect the company's interests. Many written investigative reports are used against the company because they are too conclusory or did not have sufficient information, and should have included certain language for risk management purposes. Learn  more...

Providing Investment Advice to Retirement Plan Participants Without Triggering Liability ...onference provides practical advice to human resource and benefits professionals, along with their consultants and attorneys, as to how to comply with ERISA's rules regarding investment advice, including the new investment advice exemptions under the Pension Protection Act. Regulation of investment advice is rapidly changing. The Obama Administration has twice delayed the effective date of  more...

Fundamentals of Form W-2 Processing BenefitsThe main priority for the payroll department is getting the pay checks to associates acutely and timely to employees. But a critical function for the payroll department is to pull all the payroll information together and produce a Form W-2 for all employees. This produces a great challenge to payroll departments to ensure that all elements of the W-2 are complete and accurate along with  more...

Employee Engagement in Troubled Times BenefitsEngaging and retaining valued employees is particularly critical amid periods of economic uncertainty if organizations are to maintain product and service quality, and lay a foundation for future growth. Yet while challenging economic environments make employee motivation more critical, they also make employee engagement more difficult to achieve. Belt tightening often results in  more...

Properly Handling Employee Complaints of Discrimination BenefitsThe existence of effectively enforced rules, the fair and thorough investigation of complaints and misconduct, and an understanding of the legal process relating to claims are critical to enabling a company to limit potential charges and lawsuits asserting discrimination. This teleconference will afford practical guidance in analyzing and responding to charges effectively and lawfully.  more...

Avoiding Costly Mistakes In Harassment Policies and Investigations BenefitsSexual and other forms of harassment remain a significant problem for employers. Courts and legislatures continue to create new obligations for employers and continue to increase the potential for liability for employers. Many employers continue to have policies and procedures for harassment that are outdated or that actually create potential liability. This teleconference will help you  more...

Current Issues in H-1B Visas BenefitsThis teleconference will outline key issues applicable to company's that employ H-1B temporary workers. Detailed guidance on current H-1B trends, new labor conditional application procedures and H-1B visa issuance will be provided. Special attention will be given to changes in H-1B employment with common scenarios outlined. The teleconference will also present strategies for compliance  more...

Implementing a Health Risk Assessment for Your Health Plan: What Works, What Doesn't, What's Legal BenefitsMaybe you've heard about health risk assessments and wonder if they're a good idea for your organization. Or you've been tasked with implementing a health risk assessment as part of your health plan and don't know much about them. You have a lot of questions such as 'How can a health risk assessment help control health care costs?,' 'What makes for an effective health risk assessment?,'  more...

Managing Benefit Options for Part-Time Employees BenefitsAs the U.S. economy recovers and restructures, many employers find themselves employing more of their workforce on a part time basis. Additionally, in hard to recruit fields such as health care, or with entry level employers such as retailers, part-time employment is the norm and may account for more than 50% of the workforce. Employers struggle with how to design a program that will  more...

Changes of Status Checklist BenefitsIf you are an employer who sponsors a cafeteria plan or other health and welfare plans, it can be confusing to administer your plan when an employee has a change in status. This teleconference will assist you in determining when you can allow an employee to change their election under your cafeteria plan. It will also cover what happens when an individual has a change in status while on  more...

Can Medical Tourism Lower Your Healthcare Costs? BenefitsThis teleconference will address a myriad of legal issues associated with persons traveling abroad for their medical care. Medical travel, or medical tourism, has become a major focus of interest as a potential means for helping to mitigate the high cost of health care in the United States. It is no longer really about tourism but substantially more about the nature of medical care that  more...

Work-Related Stress Claims: Overview, the Law and Strategies for Defense BenefitsPerhaps the most nebulous and ill-defined workplace injury involves the claim of mental disability as the result of stressful working conditions. Unlike the garden variety orthopedic injury and even pulmonary injury, there is no objective medical evidence that can unequivocally establish psychiatric disability, let alone its relationship to workplace stress. This teleconference will solely  more...

Total Compensation Statements as a Tool to Communicate Total Value BenefitsOften employees look at their base salary as the total value provided by your organization. During these challenging economic times when salary increases are low or nonexistent, creating customized compensation statements for your organization can be a valuable communication tool. Generally, total compensation ranges from 30 to 50 percent above base compensation for an organization and  more...

ADA Update: Overview of Americans with Disabilities Act and Practical Implications for Employers BenefitsThe ADA Amendments Act of 2008 takes effect January 1, 2009. The new amendments substantially alter and expand the definition of disabled under the ADA and who might be protected. This teleconference will review the ADA amendments and related issues, provide you with practical advice on how to comply with the ADA, and address common ADA and employment issues that may be impacted by the new  more...

Paid Sick Leave Update: Policies and Procedures in an Evolving Workplace nMany employers voluntarily provide their employees with paid sick leave. Increasingly, however, states and localities are dictating that employers allow employees to use these voluntarily-provided paid sick leave benefits for reasons beyond those covered by the employer's program. In some cases, states and localities have begun to mandate that employers provide employees with a minimum paid sick  more...

California Employment Law Update nCompanies with employees in California face a bewildering and complicated set of employment laws, which are often inconsistent with federal law. This three-hour teleconference will address the most important and current issues facing California employers (or out-of-state companies with employees in California), including wage and hour compliance and litigation trends, California's unique  more...

Labor Law Update: Preparing for Upcoming Regulations nAttend this teleconference and learn the new laws and strategies regarding a variety of employment-related laws that are in effect or are expected to be in effect for 2009. From the new COBRA rules, FMLA regulations, EFCA and union initiatives, issues involving wage and hour and independent contractors, the latest drug and alcohol testing, confidentiality and security of personnel data,  more...

Form I-9: Updates and Compliance Strategies for Employers nThe Department of Homeland Security recently issued new employment verification rules and Form I-9. Join us as we examine these changes. A wide range of Form I-9 issues and compliance tips will be addressed, including E-Verify program considerations.  more...

The Do's and Don'ts of Telephone Monitoring nMany employers monitor or record employee telephone conversations as a routine part of doing business. This monitoring must comply not only with the federal wiretap statute, but with a variety of differing requirements imposed by state statutes. Since courts in California have changed the rules for telephone monitoring for anyone who makes a call into California and other states with mutual  more...

Using Medical Certifications to Minimize Employer Liability: FMLA, ADA and Workers' Comp nSince the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990, proactive and proper use of medical certifications has proven to be a valuable tool to protect employers from liability under the ADA, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1994, and state workers' compensation statutes. But the legal landscape for managing employee health issues has had many changes in recent months. Amendments to the  more...

Answers to Top 10 Common Payroll Questions nEvery week, unsuspecting employers throughout the country are hit with wage/house lawsuits, resulting in protracted litigation, business interruptions and costly settlements. Employers are often shocked to learn that their payroll practices, which may be entirely compliant under federal regulations, do not comply with differing state laws and regulations. Register for this teleconference and  more...

Occupational Noise Induced Hearing Loss nThis teleconference will bring you up to speed on issues related to hazardous occupational noise. Understand the intricacies of the effects noise exposure have on hearing. Get a handle on complicated issues surrounding the calculation of hearing impairment. Avoid problems down the road by getting to know state-specific workers' compensation issues. You'll gain the practical insight you need to  more...