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RISK MANAGEMENT

GALLERY: Tornado damage at Joplin, Mo.'s St. John's Medical Center

On the one-year anniversary of the EF-5 tornado that struck Joplin, Mo., we look back at the kind of damage such a natural disaster can cause.


GALLERY: Our most popular Off Beat stories from May

This month: The riskiest pooches, Siri unwelcome at IBM, nudist colony mail deliveries and more


This week's Top 10 features on BusinessInsurance.com

Find out which of this week's features on BusinessInsurance.com were the most popular.


Most U.S. workers have little confidence in employers' natural disaster preparation

A new study suggests that the vast majority of U.S. workers have little confidence in their employers' preparation for dealing with natural disasters.

SPECIALTY RISKS

Defense of Marriage Act struck down by U.S. appeals court

BOSTON—The controversial federal law that effectively denies married same-sex couples the same federal benefits afforded to heterosexual couples violates constitutional guarantee of equal protection, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday.


Connecticut governor signs new medical marijuana bill into law

HARTFORD, Conn.—Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed new medical marijuana legislation into law Friday that expands its previously permitted use.


NLRB reports on overbroad, unlawful social media policies

The National Labor Relations Board has issued another report on social media policies in which it cites six cases where it contends employers' policies and rules were overbroad and unlawful.


JPMorgan not triggering major regulatory rethink

NEW YORK (Reuters)—U.S. bank regulators are holding daily, high-level calls to try to understand how a seemingly low-risk unit at JPMorgan Chase & Co. was able to amass a $2 billion trading loss, but there are no immediate plans to revamp…

BENEFITS MANAGEMENT

Health savings account enrollment surges 18%: AHIP

Enrollment in health savings accounts linked to high-deductible health insurance plans leaped more than 18% to 13.5 million as of Jan. 1, according to an annual census released Wednesday.


GM offers lump sums, passes benefit payments to Prudential

DETROIT—In a move to “de-risk” its pension liabilities that is unprecedented in scope, General Motors Co. said Friday that it will terminate its pension plan for salaried employees and retirees and buy a group annuity policy…


House panel approves bill to ease FSA ‘use-it-or-lose-it' rule

WASHINGTON—A decades-old Internal Revenue Service rule that requires forfeiture of unused flexible spending account balances would be eased, and health care reform law-imposed restrictions on using FSAs and health savings accounts to pay…


Suspension of pension increases for N.J. public employees upheld

TRENTON—A New Jersey Superior Court judge has upheld a 2011 state law suspending automatic cost-of-living pension increases for retired state employees.

INSIGHTS & SOLUTIONS

Catastrophic events can be shocking, but many of them shouldn't come as a surprise....
Market Insights 2012: Captive Managers is a valuable resource for captive buyers and captive...

BROKERS & INSURERS

Big insurers face curbs on risky activities

LONDON (Reuters)—Top insurers face curbs within five years on risky "non-traditional" activities, global regulators said on Thursday as they seek to avoid a repeat of American International Group Inc.'s huge taxpayer bailout in the…


RenaissanceRe launches sidecar for Florida hurricane risks

PEMBROKE, Bermuda—RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. on Friday said it would create a new Bermuda reinsurance sidecar to which it will cede a portfolio of Florida hurricane risks during the 2012 hurricane season.


CSU increases Atlantic hurricane prediction for 2012

FORT COLLINS, Colo.—The hurricane forecasting team at Colorado State University has increased the number of hurricanes it expects to form in the Atlantic basin this hurricane season to five from the four predicted in April.


Mediobanca musters support to oust Generali CEO

MILAN (Reuters)—Opponents of Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A. Chief Executive Giovanni Perissinotto are on the brink of unseating him in what they see as a key step in reviving the appeal of Italy's top insurer after months of underperformance.

MID-MARKET EXECUTIVE

New York City Transit Authority settles religious headwear dispute with DOJ

NEW YORK—The U.S. Department of Justice has reached a $184,500 settlement with the New York City Transit Authority over charges it engaged in religious discrimination with respect to workers' headwear.


IT company reaches settlement in DOJ's retaliation lawsuit

WASHINGTON—A New Jersey-based information technology staffing company agreed this week to settle a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit accusing the company of firing an employee for pointing out its allegedly biased hiring practices.


GALLERY: Preparing for hurricane season

The Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1, and businesses and employees can prepare for storms by making their property safe and more resistant to hurricane hazards. In our latest gallery, you'll find tips for companies to better prepare for a…


South Shore Hospital to pay $750,000 in data breach settlement

WEYMOUTH, Mass.—A June 2010 data breach will cost Weymouth, Mass.-based South Shore Hospital $750,000 in fines and remediation costs, according to a civil settlement with the state Attorney General's Office announced last week.

WORKERS COMP

'Rate-based' safety programs may discourage reporting

“Rate-based” safety incentive programs are drawing federal scrutiny for their potential to discourage workers from reporting accidents and injuries.


AIG must pay $146.5M to settle alleged workers comp premium underreporting

HARRISBURG, Pa.—American International Group Inc. must pay state regulators $146.5 million by the end of June to settle 2006 allegations that its insurers underreported workers compensation premiums over several decades.


Employee's coffee-break injury not compensable: Court

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.—The Missouri Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that workers compensation benefits should be denied for a Missouri woman who twisted her ankle while making a pot of coffee for herself and her coworkers.


Out-of-network doctor's report admissible evidence in workers comp case: Court

A report from a doctor who is not part of an employer's workers compensation medical network is admissible as evidence for determining benefits, a California appellate court ruled.

 

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