Pregnancy and Maternity: Avoid Costly Discrimination Claims

May 14 2012 Women comprised 46.8 percent of the total U.S. labor force in 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Many of these working women will become pregnant at least once during their careers. Improper handling of ... more ›

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Saver’s Credit Makes Saving for Retirement More Attractive

May 6 2012 Looking to boost employee participation in your retirement plans? Remind them of the retirement savings contributions credit (saver’s credit), which allows qualifying individuals to take a tax credit of up to $1... more ›

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COBRA Benefits: What You Need to Know

May 1 2012 COBRA, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, allows workers and family members who would otherwise lose their benefits to temporarily continue health coverage at group rates. If you had 20 or mor... more ›

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Safety Tips for Your Boat Trailer

May 1 2012 When purchasing a trailer in Oregon or elsewhere, stay within recommended capacity guidelines. When determining capacity, remember to include the weight of fuel and accessories in addition to the weight of the craft. ... more ›

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Retirement Account Limits for 2012

Apr 25 2012 The Internal Revenue Service has announced dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement accounts for Tax Year 2012. In general, many of the pension plan limitations will change because the increase in the... more ›

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Wellness Programs: Why, What, Who and How

Apr 18 2012 As healthcare costs continue to rise faster than inflation, wellness programs have gotten a lot of attention lately. What exactly is a wellness program, and how do you start one?   Why wellness? First off, l... more ›

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Housekeeping for Retirement Plans

Apr 13 2012 As with nearly everything else, retirement plans require periodic maintenance to keep running smoothly. Here are some suggestions to ensure your plan complies with all laws and regulations and meets the goals of your ... more ›

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Healthcare Reform Update

Apr 10 2012 In late March, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on several provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) essentially determining its fate. Most attention centered on the minimum coverage provision, the so-called &... more ›

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Telecommuting as a Benefit

Apr 7 2012 With employees working harder than ever before, many say it’s becoming more difficult to find a balance between work and home life. If you want a low-cost way to improve job satisfaction and increase productivit... more ›

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FMLA Administration

Apr 5 2012 The good news is employers are doing a better job of complying with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Between 2001 and 2008, the number of complaints the U.S. Department of Labor received dropped by one-third, ... more ›

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Be Safe on Your Motorcycle

Apr 2 2012 To stay safe on our Oregon streets and highways, you need the right skills to control your ride, and the best safety equipment for just-in-case. Rhodes-Warden Insurance cares about your safety – so keep these he... more ›

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How FSAs Help Employers and Employees Save Money

Mar 30 2012 If your organization doesn’t already offer healthcare flexible spending accounts, year-end is the perfect time to start. And if your organization does offer employees this valuable benefit, now is the time to re... more ›

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Retain Top Talent with“Golden Handcuffs”

Mar 3 2012 Even in a difficult economic environment, employers need to attract and retain top talent. One way to do this is by offering high-level executives a non-qualified deferred bonus plan, also known as a supplemental exec... more ›

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Spring is Coming!

Mar 1 2012 With the days getting longer and the weather getting warmer, we're starting to think about spring. (Or at least hoping that springtime is coming, anyway.) And whether spring arrives on time, we've got you covered with... more ›

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The Care and Feeding of Consumer-Driven Health Plans

Feb 27 2012 Employers like CDHPs because these plans help them slash the cost of providing medical benefits. When used well, consumer-driven health plans help individuals and families get better healthcare while reducing the cost... more ›

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Disabilities: Myths and Realities

Feb 22 2012 Here are the top misperceptions employees have about disability, according to The Council for Disability Awareness:  It’s not going to happen to me. A disabling accident occurs every two seconds in the U... more ›

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Why Everyone Needs Long-Term Disability Insurance

Feb 17 2012 What would your employees do if they became injured or ill and couldn’t work for an extended period of time?   By the time people reach age 35, they have a one in three chance of being disabled for mo... more ›

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The Pros and Cons of AD&D

Feb 13 2012 Accidents can happen in an instant, but the consequences can last a lifetime. Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance gives your employees added financial security in sudden and tragic circumstances.&n... more ›

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ERISA and Your Voluntary Benefits

Feb 7 2012 ERISA, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, governs any “employee welfare benefit plan” that is “established or maintained by an employer” for the purpose of providing benefits to the p... more ›

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It’s Time to Battle Obesity in the Workplace

Jan 31 2012 People who are obese are 42% more like to require medical care than normal weight people as found by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.  And the problem is getting worse:  Two-thirds of adults are now eit... more ›

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Voluntary Benefits Meet Diverse Employee Needs

Jan 26 2012 Small businesses might be missing an opportunity to enhance their benefit programs and employee loyalty!  In a 2009 survey by the nonprofit International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, 84 percent of emplo... more ›

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Design Your Own Health Plan with an HRA

Jan 23 2012 What healthcare plan allows employers to set their own maximum for employee healthcare costs, can be structured to cover 100 percent of preventive care for most employees, and gives employees greater incentive to mana... more ›

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Housekeeping For Retirement Plans

Jan 18 2012 As with nearly everything else, retirement plans require periodic maintenance to keep running smoothly. Here are some suggestions to ensure your plan complies with all laws and ... more ›

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Five Retirement Plan Problems And What You Can Do About Them

Jan 17 2012 Low enrollments and low contributions not only mean that you’re not getting your money’s worth out of your administrative dollars; they can also translate into decreased employee loyalty and failure of non... more ›

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No Slip-Sliding Away: How To Stay On The Road

Jan 16 2012 One thing is easy to foretell: Unpredictable weather can cause reduced visibility and hazardous driving conditions that make it challenging for even the most experienced drivers. Fortunately, there are ways to pro... more ›

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Things to Keep in Mind When Buying a Car

Jan 3 2012 Buying a new car is an exciting time - but it can also be stressful. After all, you're trying to get the best deal on price, while also deciding on the make, model and features you need. We can't really help you be... more ›

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