Benefits Business Blog

The state of California has mandated that UC employees take a non-paid furlough sometime between September and next September.  This is all in an effort to cut the State budget.

The days don’t have to be consecutive, but have to accumulate to total each individual’s amount.  Now, while the university has to encourage them to take off those days, the staff can still work those days while being unpaid.  What this amounts to is being forced to take unpaid vacation days.

There have been numerous protest over the efforts of the universities to slash their budgets but given that current fiscal state of California it doesn’t look like the school have much of a choice in the matter.

Arguments are being made before the Supreme Court this week over how Miranda rights should be given to criminal suspects.  According to the AP, the Supreme Court could be headed toward telling the police they have to explicitly warn criminal suspects that their lawyer can be present during any interrogations.

The argument steams from a case where Kevin Dwayne Powell was given Miranda warnings that included telling him he had a right to a lawyer before questioning. Powell’s lawyers appealed, saying police didn’t tell him he had a right to have a lawyer during police interrogation. The Florida Supreme Court overturned it. Justice Stephen Breyer said Monday that Miranda rights say a suspect has the right to have an attorney during questioning, and he asked repeatedly if the Florida officers made that plain to Powell.

If the court rules that the police officer should have told the supusect that he had a right to have his attorney during interrogation then police officer will have to start to modify the existing Miranda warning that says,

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?”

The greatest golfer was fined today for his mishap over the weekend.  Are you ready the the amount of the fine.  It was a whopping $164.  A mere fracture of what it cost all the new outlet to report all the rumors of what might have transpired.

In addition he will get four points added to his driving record.  The actual violation was careless driving.  He will not face any criminal charges.  There was no enough evidence to warrant to subpena his medial information.

Despite what really happend the real losers are the beneficiary of the Tiger Wood Foundation.  Tiger was schedule to play in his yearly charity tournment this week in Thousand Oaks.  With his absent, tons of people will no doubt not attend – limiting the amount of money raised for the foundation.

Beginning in January 2010,  Seniors will not get a cost of living adjustment in their Social Security checks.  Normally, Seniors get a two to three percentage increase in benefits.  That might seem like much but with increasing medical cost rising each year that is going to hurt.

Social Security benefits are adjusted every year to keep up with inflation.  Adjustments are based on the Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners between the third quarter (July-September) of the previous year and the third quarter of the current year. The 2010 COLA will be based on a period marked by sharp drops in prices and deflation.

This will also be the case for the year 2011 as well unless Congress makes some changes.  Senior won’t see a modest increase until 2012.

The Senate will begin debating on the new health care bill.  60 voes will be needed to pass the bill.  But does the party have enough votes to get their through.  Some Decmocatics are already jumping ship.

One thing we can be sure off is that the Republician party is not going to help.  The bill includes $848 billion over 10 years to gradually expand coverage to most of those now uninsured.  It would bann such practices as denying coverage or charging higher premiums because of someone’s health.

The bill would help the self employed and small businesses.  Most people covered by big employers would gain more protections without major changes.  One exception would be those with high-cost insurance plan, whose premiums could rise as a result of a tax on insurers issue the coverage.

Hopefully this thing works out and we are able to get some kind of consesus so that we can arrive at the necessary 60 votes.  This will be a huge benefit to every one.

In an unprecedented move, the State of California, under a new law, will pay attorney in eviction and domestic abuse cases, to represent poor litigants who find themselves battling powerful adversaries in vital matters affecting their families.

This basically gives the poor in civil matters the right to an attorney where the Constitution grants them the same rights in criminal matters.  Hopefully, this program proves to help a lot of people.  Those opposed to the program claim that it will only swell the court docket and eat up resources that could have otherwise been used to help others in another areas.

Last month, $40 million was distributed to more than 100 nonprofit organization and charities across California from money left over in a class action settlement with makers of chewing tobacco.  This money will come in very handy as it will help alot of local legal groups and organization that are facing severe budget cuts.

This is a huge help to the struggling many non profit organization.

Vending machines and cafeterias at the workplace are not normally
considered an employee benefit but a perk.  However, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention reported that health cost of obsesity
in the US is as high as $147 billion annually.

Everyone gets hungry at around 3pm at work and the vending machines
are their only source for nutrition.  The only problem is that these
vending machines are usually full of high calorie food that contribute
to the obsity of the work force.

Some are now arguing that the employer must do more and seek to find
healthier snakes for the vending machines.  This has created a new
industry as vendors are how seeking to provide healthier options for
companies’ employees.

However, introducing healthier food as has its own political backlash.
Some employees may not like a wholesale switch to all healthier food.
Like a animal who is addicted to cigarettes, you might have to either
gradually make the switch or cut them off cool.  Some companies have
found better sucess giving people incentives to eat healthier.

For example, you can give your employee special discounts for buying
healthier foods or giving them a free fruit drink after order buying
5 apple juice.

Its also a good idea to allow your workers to be a part of the ordering
process.  Take votes or polls on what your employees want.  Penuts vs.
Almonds.  This encourage and help you supply what people want and demand.

“Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss” is a famous line for The Who classic
“Won’t get fooled again”. The addenage isn’t necessarily always true.  Especially
if your company was taken over and you now have a new boss.  In most take over, the new
company comes in and revamp everything.  Amoung the new things that are
introduced is a new employee handbook.  Study it wisely before you sign it and hand
it over to your HR department.  That document that you are about to sign bacially lays out
your new rights and obligations to your new employer.

It might also take away some of your rights like vacation benefits.  Its true that you
might have to do or put up with the same shit you did before but your new boss might
also have some new tricks up his sleeves.

So make sure you read your updated employee handbook carefully and figure out the new
rules of the game.