Posts Tagged "May 2019"

By Brandi Bowers on May 1, 2019 in Newsletters | 0 comments

Dear Valued Clients and Associates, Happy May! To all the Mothers, Grandmothers, Aunts, Sisters and Friends who nurture and love the children in their lives, whether they gave birth to them or not, I hope you had a wonderful MOTHER’S DAY! Please give me a call or contact me now to schedule a time to discuss your employee benefit goals and how we will work hard to ensure you and your employees are satisfied. Here is your May 2019 Newsletter with a combination of HR and Health related news. I hope you enjoy! If you would like to make suggestions on how I can improve this newsletter, please email me!     Parts of AHP Final Rule Are Struck Down by Federal Court On March 28, 2019, a federal judge ruled that parts of the Trump administration’s 2018 final rule on association health plans (AHPs) were invalid. The court directed the Department of Labor (DOL) to reconsider how the remaining provisions of the final rule are affected. In its ruling, the court stated that the final rule was an “end-run” around the ACA and that the DOL exceeded its authority under ERISA. The court specifically struck down two parts of the rule: The provision defining “employer” to include associations of disparate employers The provision expanding membership in these associations to include working owners without employees Employers and business owners without employees that have joined an AHP, or are considering doing so, should review how their plans may be affected by the court’s ruling.     Why One Plant May Be Fueling the Spread of Lyme Disease ColonialPest.com According to the CDC, Lyme disease is the fastest growing vector-borne, infectious disease in the United States. Ever heard of a Japanese barberry plant? It’s a small shrub, common in home and commercial landscaping. It is also a non-native invasive species. We actually just removed the one we had in back yard. Acres of it grow wild in the tri-state woods. Deer avoid it. Ticks, however, do not. To read more, click here.     Creative and Compliant Ways to Check References SHM.org Make the candidate part of the process. Reference checking is a necessary evil of the hiring process, but it’s...