Be ready to weather any storm
No matter where you live in the United States, a storm's aftermath could leave you scrambling if you aren't prepared. Most people cover the basics in their storm preparation: fill your gas tank, flashlight, portable radio and stock up on non-perishable items.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends having 3 days worth of food and water on hand. But which foods are best? And what can you buy now that will keep?
Health.com offers a list of "18 Crucial Foods and Health Supplies You Need Before a Big Storm". We've boiled the list down to four main categories.
Water
Winter storms and hurricanes can sometimes make access to drinking water a tough find. It's suggested to store 1 gallon of water per person in your home for a three-day supply. That's because the average person drinks 1 gallon of water per day depending on age, physical activity level, and overall health. You may need more than 1 gallon per person if it's hot outside.
And to make sure your bottles of water are used for drinking, fill up a bathtub or sink with water for washing, bathing and flushing the toilet.
Food
Non-perishable food items can be kept on hand for weeks or months. And if you're stocked, there will be no reason to go out in the last minute rush to fill your pantry.
Suggested foods:
- Apples and oranges can hold for several weeks and are both more than 80 percent water, and are rich in nutrients.
- Dried, canned fruits with no gels, syrups or added sugar are the next best thing to fresh fruit.
- Ready-to-eat canned vegetables are a quick grab when you need a snack. But be sure to grab the "low sodium" options.
- Canned tuna, salmon and sardines may not be your first choice, but it can make a quick an easy meal when natural disaster is looming. Not to mention the long shelf life.
- Comfort foods aren't very nutritious, but it's called comfort food for a reason. FEMA recommends having some on hand to soothe you and your family during a potentially stressful situation.
- Nut butter and nuts can help fill you up on protein and healthy fats. Just be sure to buy unsalted nuts. No need to increase your thirst.
- Protein bars offer a big dose of calories when you can't cook full meals.
First-Aid
- A first-aid kit is a must all year round. But when disaster is looming it's best to check your supplies. Make sure to have band-aids, bandages, and antibiotic cream.
- Hand sanitizer is great way to fight germs when the water supply is limited. A bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer that's 60-95 percent alcohol is recommended.
- Body wipes are a great way to clean up when a shower may not be an option.
Miscellaneous
- A dust mask is a good add to your emergency kit. It can protect your lungs if the air around becomes contaminated.
- Garbage bags aren't just for containing the trash. The bags can be used for ponchos, to cover broken windows, carry supplies and even collect rainwater.
- A portable battery charger is a sure way to keep your phone and tablets charged when the electricity is out.
- Paper plates and plastic utensils
- A good book, playing cards, and board games are great ways to fill the time
Can employers access an employee’s social media account?
Original post ebn.benefitnews.com
The water cooler, it seems, is a thing of the past. Or at least the actual physical water cooler is. These days, many of the office conversations take place online. Employees air their grievances, connect with each other and catch up on each other’s lives through social media.
As technology plays a bigger role in our lives and simple statements that were previously private now become public, employers have an increased interest in what their employees are doing and saying online. Are they disparaging the company? Are they harassing other employees? Are they divulging company secrets?
While these are all valid questions that an employer may want answered, employers need to tread carefully when developing policies regarding their employees’ use of social media. As the technological landscape and employee behavior is changing, so too are the laws governing permissible employer actions in relation to social media.
It is a temping proposition for employers to want access to their employees’ social media accounts. There are some valid reasons that an employer may want and need to know about their workforce’s social media activities. However, there is a growing population of states that have prohibited employers from asking employees for their social media account information.
Most of these state laws, where they exist, prohibit an employer from requiring, or requesting the employee’s social media username and password. Many, including California, Connecticut, Oregon and others also prohibit the employer from asking the employee to access the social media account while the employer is present.
Still others, like New Hampshire, Maine and Delaware, prohibit the employer from asking or requiring employees to add the employer as a friend or to invite the employer to a group that gives the company access to non-public information. In addition to prohibitions on requesting or requiring employee social media account access, nearly all these laws also have an anti-retaliation provision prohibiting employers from taking adverse action against an employee who refuses to divulge his or her social media account information.
Some exceptions exist
Nevertheless, in a nod to the legitimate reasons an employer may have to access information an employee has posted on social media, many of these laws have exceptions for formal internal investigations of employee violations of law or company policy. The laws also frequently make exceptions for social media accounts created by the employee on behalf of the employer, at the request of the employer and/or that are used for company purposes.
Many of the laws also specifically state that a company retains the right to review any publicly available information that an employee has posted on social media, an important exception in light of the fact that many employers research applicants online prior to hiring. As long as all of the information is publicly available, this practice is still permitted under the laws discussed here.
Because so much employee activity now occurs online, employers are wise to stay knowledgeable not only on various new technologies, but also the developing law surrounding protecting the privacy of employees’ online lives. States continue to add these types of laws — the latest being a Connecticut law prohibiting employer requests for social media account access that goes into effect in October of this year.
These laws, while similar, are not all alike, and not all states have them. Employers, especially those with employees in multiple states, should familiarize themselves with the rules governing the areas in which they operate because employee use of social media is likely to only increase as time goes on.
O’Connor, an associate and litigation lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP, is a member of the labor and employment practice and the automotive industry team. The information in this legal alert is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as specific legal advice.
EEOC proposes amendment related to Genetic Information and Wellness Programs
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commision (EEOC) issued a proposed rule amending Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) to allow employers to offer financial incentives and inducements to spouses as part of a wellness program. The rule proposed on Oct. 30, 2015 is currently open for public comment.
The proposed regulations would clarify that GINA does not prohibit employers from offering limited inducements for the provision by spouses of information about their current or past health status as part of an HRA. This may include a medical questionnaire, a medical examination (e.g. to detect high blood pressure or high cholesteral) or both. However, the provision of genetic information must be voluntary with written authorization.
The EEOC further proposes to add a requirement that any health or genetic services in connection with which an employer requests genetic information be reasonably designed to promote health or prevent disease. This addition will make the revised GINA regulations consistent with the proposed rule amending the ADA's regulations as they relate to wellness programs, which permits employers to collect medical information as part of a wellness program only if the program are reasonably designed to promote health or prevent disease.
This proposal would not alter the absolute prohibition against the use of genetic information in making employment decisions.
There are 6 substantive changes to the GINA regulations. Click here to read through those changes.
The EEOC invites the public to comment on the proposed regulation amendment.
Work culture trumps benefits for millennials
Original post benefitspro.com
Millennials don’t just work for money. They also like doing things that they believe in.
That’s according to a new report from Virgin Pulse, which surveyed over 1,000 full-time millennial employees to get a sense of what they’re looking for in a job.
That’s not to say that today’s youth are all devoted philanthropists. In fact, only 39 percent believe that charity is very important at work.
But what they do want is a culture and mission they can get behind. The report found that 77 percent of young workers believe that company culture is at least as important as pay and benefits. Three-quarters of them can identify their company’s mission and nearly just as many believe it is important that their employer have one.
The survey also suggested that most millennials aren’t stressed that technology is eroding the barrier between work and personal time. Ninety-three percent said that it’s OK to work during off-hours. Two-thirds of them say they have texted with their boss about work. And a slight majority — 55 percent — say that tech helps balance their work-life priorities.
And yet, the survey suggests that millennials expect their responsiveness to emails and texts to be rewarded with some slack from their boss, as 80 percent identified flexible work hours as important.
The report warns employers to watch out for burnout among young workers, no matter how infinite their energy or availability may appear: “24/7 accessibility does a number on their stress levels and your business, so encourage employees to put up some tech parameters.”
ACA's auto-enrollment requirement repealed
President Barack Obama signed the "Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015" on Monday.
The bill's main focus is a two-year budget deal increasing spending limits to averg a damaging deficit.
Nestled in the fine print of the bill is a change to the Affordable Care Act. The bill repeals the ACA's auto-enrollment requirement. This means, employers with more than 200 employees and more than one health benefit plan will not automatically enroll full-time employees into one of the health plans.
Employers are still free to use default or negative elections for employee enrollment.
RELATED: Congress passes budget bill, what does it mean for employers?
Over-screening could be killing your wellness program
Wellness programs are seen as a way to hold down healthcare costs for companies. The idea is you give employees a helping hand to better their health and eventually their need for doctor visits and medications lessen.
But is it working?
Al Lewis, CEO of Quizzify and author of Surviving Workplace Wellness, believes the U.S. is "drowning" in over-diagnosis and over-treatment and wellness programs are partly to blame, according to EBA's article, 'Wellness programs ‘massively over-screening’ people'.
“This country is drowning in over-diagnosis and over-treatment, raising health care costs,” Lewis said.
Lewis believes the over-testing done on employees as a requirement in a company's wellness program could lead to false positives, unneeded medications or higher expenses for employers and employees.
Ron Goetzel, senior scientist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, agrees there are a lot of lousy wellness programs out there, but there are some good programs too.
“What we’re trying to do is figure out what works,” Goetzel said. “The most effective way is creating cultures of health where people go to work every day and come out healthier because of the culture, through leadership support and commitment, and a culture of doing everything to promote health.”
Lewis and Goetzel comments come from debate during the Population Health Alliance Conference in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 2, 2015.
What can an on-site or near-site clinic do for your company?
Some companies are redefining how their employees visit the doctor by providing on-site or near-site clinics.
MillerCoors' clinic employs 10 people, including a full-time physician, a full-time physical therapist and a part-time physician assistant. The clinic offers convenience with appointments scheduled for a minimum of 20 minutes.
Last year, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the clinic had about 2,600 patient visits for primary care, 1,900 visists for physical therapy and 2,20 ancillary visits, such as getting a blood-pressure test.
"We think it's been quite effective in slowing the rise in health care costs," said James Sheeran, director of corporate benefits for MillerCoors. "We are very confident of that."
The MillerCoors clinic is run by QuadMed which emerged from a clinic Quad/Graphics opened almost 25 years ago. QuadMed president Sue Buettner explained the savings can vary by employer, because they depend on the workforce and services offered.
Near-site clinics are also a growing trend. These clinics are shared by several employers. For example, Wisconsin's West Bend School District has a clinic at the school district's central office.
The clinic is open 30 hours a waeek and staffed by a physician assistant. The majority of the PA's time is spent on wellness and providing basic primary care.
The school district's health plan covers a visit to the clinic and includes lab tests and prescription drugs from the clinic's limited pharmacy.
Valley Elliehausen, chief operating officer of the West Bend School District, said a visit to the clinic costs on average $129 compared to $226 for an office visit.
But, Elliehausen said, the real savings are expected to come from helping some employees and family members change their behavior and live healthier lives.
RELATED: Employers' on-site health clinics provide convenience and control costs
Congress passes budget bill, what does it mean for employers?
Congress passed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. President Obama released a statement Friday morning applauding Democrats and Republicans for their passing votes.
“I applaud the Democrats and Republicans who came together this morning to pass a responsible, long-term budget agreement that reflects our values, grows our economy and creates jobs,” President Obama said in the statement. “This agreement is a reminder that Washington can still choose to help, rather than hinder, America’s progress.”
The big picture on the bill approved a two-year budget deal that would increase spending limits and avert a damging default.
RELATED: Senate approves two year bipartisan budget agreement
What does the budget bill mean for employers?
The bill repealed the Affordable Care Act's provision requiring employers with more than 20 employees to automatically enroll a ful-time employee in a health plan if overage wasn't voluntarily chosen or declined by an employee. However, since 2012 regulators have not put great emphasis on the provision.
“Striking this redundant requirement off the books puts health decision-making back in the hands of American workers and their families, and provides employers with relief from potentially problematic and burdensome regulations,” Christine Pollack, vice president of government affairs at Retail Industry Leaders, told Employe Benefit Adviser. The RILA is a trade association representing more than 200 of the world’s largest retail companies, including Wal-Mart, Walgreens and Apple.
The bill also provides that the single-employer fixed Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) premium would be raised to $68 for 2017, $73 for 2018 and $78 for 2019, and then re-indexed for inflation. The bill also bumps the due date up to the ninth calendar month beginning on or after the first day of the premium payment year. It was the tenth calendar month.
RELATED: Changes employers would see with the budget bill
IRS proposed regulations recognize same-sex marriage
The Supreme Court's June 2015 ruling in Obergefell v Hodges holds that no state can refuse to recognize a lawful same-sex mariage performed in another state. States are also unable to distinguish between marriage and same-sex-marriage.
Supreme Court justices ruled that the 14th amendment requires a state to license a marriage betwen two poeple of the same sex. States must also treat same-sex marriages no differently than heterosexual marriages.
The IRS' proposed regulations based on the ruling will impact married couples, employers, sponsors, and administrators of employee benefit plans and executors.
Here's what to know abut the IRS Proposed rule changes and clarifications:
- terms indicating sex - such as "husband", "wife", and "husband and wife" - will be interpreted in a neutral way to include same-sex and opposite-sex spouses
- marriages recognized by any state, possession or territory of the United States will be recognized for federal tax purposes. Marriages in foreign jurisdiction will be recognized if the marriage would be recognized in at least one state, possession, or territory of the United States.
- the term "marriage" does not include registered domestic partnerhips, civil unions or similar relationships recognized under state law.
- couples choose between relationship types deliberately, and for some there are benefits to being in a relationship that provies some but not all protections and responsibilities of marriage.
Comments on changes stemming from Obergefell v Hodges will be accepted through Dec. 7, 2015.
To read the Proposed rule as outlined in the Federal Register, click here.
Is self-care the new health care?
Allowing employees more access to self diagnosis and treatment could reduce unproductive work time and save on healthcare costs.
John Scorza, an associate editor of HR Magazine, explains how selfcare could work for you via shrm.org.
Ten percent of visits to the doctor’s office are unnecessary, according to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA). Those appointments cost U.S. employers billions of dollars in lost productivity and unnecessary health care costs. But what if employees knew how to recognize routine medical issues that they can treat themselves? And what if companies encouraged such self-treatment?
While no one expects to turn employees into diagnosticians, providing a little education and access to health information as part of workplace wellness efforts can mitigate the need to visit a doctor for a number of common ailments.
That’s precisely what some participants at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Annual Health Care Summit want employers to do.
“Unhealthy workers are unproductive workers—and they’re expensive,” according to Scott Wallace, distinguished fellow at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth University. The cost of poor health is estimated to be 3 to 10 times the total cost of all employee benefits, he noted at the Oct. 20 summit in Washington, D.C.
“It’s essential that we continue our search for value,” added Scott Melville, CEO of the CHPA, an industry trade group.
The largest cost to employers is presenteeism: People who are at work but are unproductive because of their health problems. The cost of presenteeism is higher than the combined costs of medical care, prescription drugs and absenteeism. “By some estimates, it accounts for an estimated 10 percent of all labor costs,” according to Sean Sullivan, CEO of the Institute for Health and Productivity Management (IHPM), a nonprofit organization that advocates treating employee health as a business asset.
Promoting Self-Care, When Appropriate
The good news is that employers are in an ideal position to help employees change their behavior, Sullivan said. This is where self-care comes in. Self-care is defined by the World Health Organization as “personal health maintenance to improve or restore health and to treat preventative diseases.”
Self-care comes in various forms, according to Melville. These include:
- Prevention methods.
- Exercise.
- Healthy eating.
- Taking dietary supplements.
- Treatment of chronic conditions.
- Taking over-the-counter (OTC) medicines.
OTC drugs are a critical component of self-care because they can be an effective option to manage minor ailments and chronic conditions. One study cited by the IHPM estimated that every $1 spent on OTC medicines saved the U.S. health care system $6 to $7 due to fewer physician visits and less spending on medical care.
Lisle, Ill.-based Navistar International, which manufactures commercial trucks, buses and defense vehicles, has successfully used self-care as a strategy to manage employee wellness and productivity, according to an IHPM white paper. The company gave its 16,500 employees self-care manuals that encourage the use of OTC medicines for common health problems. As a result, the company said it has saved between $1 million and $2 million annually (excluding savings from reduced presenteeism) for more than 10 years. (Wallace suggested that www.knowyourotcs.org is a useful website for employers and employees to learn about the proper use of OTC drugs.)
Common Conditions
A handful of conditions account for the bulk of the costs of presenteeism and reduced productivity on the job. These include:
- Mental health issues, chiefly depression.
- Musculoskeletal pain, such as lower back pain and repetitive motion strain
- Respiratory problems, primarily allergies.
- Gastrointestinal problems, including heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
But all of these conditions (excluding mental health) are ripe for self-treatment, Sullivan said.
And that could add up to significant savings. Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin, a global aerospace firm with 112,000 employees, determined that lower back pain, allergies and GERD cost the company $3.25 million every year in lost productivity at work.
While brand-name pharmaceutical companies run pricey TV ads encouraging consumers to visit their doctors and ask for the latest, frequently expensive treatment (especially for GERD), these conditions generally can be self-managed by employees cost-effectively through the use of OTC medicines, Sullivan remarked.
Before making a self-care program part of a health and wellness strategy, employers first need to know the health care needs of their employees, Wallace advised. Similarly, Sullivan suggested targeting the population of workers who have common conditions that cause presenteeism. “These are all really treatable,” he said.