We want to help you run your organization more efficiently in the way that makes sense for you and your stakeholders--with as little risk as possible. With that in mind, we love sharing our knowledge and experiences on things that could reduce or eliminate risk to your organization.

If there's something you'd like to know more about, send an email to prevent@rjfagencies.com and let us know.

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General RJF Knowledge & News

May 14, 2012--Thanks to a $12,989 donation from Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company and RJF, a Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC company, Stillwater Fire Department is retrofitting a 24-foot surplus Coast Guard fire boat they recently acquired.

April 27, 2012--The EEOC voted and approved revisions to the use of arrest and conviction records in the hiring process. The approval addresses which factors an employer should consider when utilizing criminal conviction history.

March 13, 2012, New York--Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC (MMA), a subsidiary of insurance broker Marsh Inc., today announced that it has acquired KSPH LLC, a $5 million revenue employee benefits agency based in Glen Allen, Virginia.

Feb. 28, 2012

RJF has been a sponsor of Enterprise Minnesota’s State of Manufacturing® survey project every year. The State of Manufacturing® survey has found the top four areas of concern for Minnesota manufacturing executives.

WHITE PAPER--Developing a process to change your company culture is not only an effective way to engage your workforce, it is the only way to make lasting changes to overall productivity, employee satisfaction and, consequently, the bottom line.

Feb. 17, 2012--Most health management programs tend to focus on changing behaviors and use incentives to try to get people to change. It is more important to get underneath the surface of behaviors to identify and address values and attitudes.

Feb. 17, 2012--Applying the term “intern” to a position does not exempt the employer from federal and state minimum wage and overtime laws. The positions must meet certain criteria, or they are subject to the same laws as employees. 

Feb. 17, 2012--Leading employees to personal and professional growth can be challenging. It is often easier to just give them the answer when they have a question. The good coach would instead ask them a question in return.

Feb. 17, 2012--Strong organic growth depends on the successful execution of four disciplines. These four disciplines function as pillars that form the structural integrity of your talent development plan.

Jan. 31, 2012--Working in the employee benefits business, we’re often asked how we approach wellness with our own employees. Over time we have embraced a more well-rounded approach and are now focusing on our employees' overall wellbeing.

Jan. 4, 2012--The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a new rule, effective, Jan. 3, 2012, prohibiting interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers from using hand-held cell phones while driving.

Jan. 4, 2012--The National Labor Relations Board announced that it was delaying the implementation of its rule requiring covered employers to post notice of employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act.

Nov. 22, 2011--Last week, Marsh & McLennan Agency (MMA) announced its latest acquisition, Seitlin Insurance. Based in Florida this firm is about the same size as RJF, and was the largest independent agency in Florida.

Nov. 17, 2011--Continuing its strategy to build a national platform, Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC (MMA), a subsidiary of insurance broker Marsh Inc., announced today the acquisition of Seitlin Insurance.

Nov. 3, 2011--Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC (MMA), a subsidiary of insurance broker Marsh Inc., today announced the acquisition of Gallagher & Associates Inc., a $1 million property and casualty insurance agency specializing in public school districts.

Oct. 15, 2011--The National Labor Relations Board extended the implementation deadline for its notice posting rule from November 14 to January 31, 2012.

Oct. 1, 2011--President Obama presented the American Jobs Act, including the Fair Employment Opportunity Act of 2011. Based on this proposal, the Act will prohibit employers and employment agencies from discriminating against uunemployed job-seekers.

Sept. 30, 2011--Over the past two years we worked closely with a local branding company to help us convey our true corporate identity. In mid-July we made our official internal brand launch and we have been “taking it to the streets” ever since.

Sept. 30, 2011--Focusing on behaviors is like putting a Band-Aid on a tumor. To impact the causes of poor wellbeing, companies need to focus on how people think about their choices and strengthening judgment.

Sept. 30, 2011--The outcome of claims depends on an attentive adjuster with good communication skills. Here are some tips business professionals working with claims can follow to maintain a positive relationship with the adjuster.

Sept. 30, 2011--Wisconsin has passed legislation that permits licensed and trained individuals to carry a concealed weapon. The bill, which will take effect Nov. 1, 2011, also allows people to carry loaded, uncased guns in their vehicles.

Sept. 30, 2011--When people are not responding correctly, it’s time to stop and assess before you respond. You might first ask: How are we as leaders contributing to the problem? Have we failed to understand the needs and personalities of our people

Sept. 14, 2011—Through its third annual Charity Challenge, RJF, a Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC company, raised nearly $150,000 for local nonprofits thanks to the support of its business partners.

Sept. 8, 2011 -- Tim Fleming, president of RJF, a Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC company, and Bill Jeatran, RJF's CEO, were jointly selected as St. John's University's inaugural Entrepreneurs of the Year.

St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn., recently named Bill Jeatran, chief executive officer of RJF, a Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC company, to its Board of Regents.

E-Verify required for Minnesota business that provide $50,000 worth of services to the State of Minnesota.

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issues final regulation requiring employers to post NLRA Rights Notice.

RJF, a Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC company, recently hired Heather Roiger as its newest human resources consultant.

March 28, 2012--RJF has compiled a Claims Storm Kit to help you be prepared in the event a claim needs to be filed as well as what you need to consider before filing a claim.

Jan. 30, 2012--Fireplaces, power strips and clothes dryers are things that are in use every day. To ensure safety, it is important to follow proper maintenance and operation procedures when using these items. 

Jan. 30, 2012--Associations need workers’ compensation coverage as they can be held responsible for medical costs and lost wages for an injured contractor if there is no other insurance in place.

Jan. 30, 2012--Workers’ compensation will not cover association volunteers. In Minnesota, an injury is not covered by workers’ compensation unless an employer/employee relationship exists.

Jan. 27, 2012--Flood facts for Community Associations.

Jan. 27, 2012--Workers Compensation policies are auditable policies. The estimated payroll makes it auditable because the carrier bases the annual premium charge off the estimated payroll that is submitted to them.

Dec. 27, 2011--The best way to prevent ice dams and curtail water infiltration is to decrease the heat in the attic space. The cooler the attic, the less melt off occurs.

May 12, 2012--An RJF claims consultant and specialist on property damage explains what businesses can and should expect from their carrier in the event of a weather-related catastrophe.

Jan. 20, 2012--Employers required to maintain records of occupational injuries and illnesses are reminded to do the following by February 1 to comply with OSHA's record-keeping requirement:

Nov. 14, 2011--At RJF, we're seeing effect from this hardening market, including less available coverage, less favorable terms for policy holders like higher deductibles and lower limits, tighter underwriting scrutiny, and higher insurance premiums.

Sept. 30, 2011--Any company that sponsors a 401(k) or profit-sharing plan, or welfare plan needs Fiduciary Liability coverage to protect against errors in plan administration and breaches of fiduciary duty under ERISA.

Dec. 28, 2011--Most Minnesota manufacturers are predicting 2012 to be as good or better than 2011, according to a Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) report.

Nov. 4, 2011--RJF is again sponsoring the State of Manufacturing™ research project, led by Enterprise Minnesota.

May 2, 2012--Written audit requests to health and welfare plans from the DOL have included inquiries related to various mandates under the Affordable Care Act. This marks the first appearance of ACA-related topics in DOL auditing practices.

May 2, 2012--The IRS may be stepping up their efforts to ensure that employers are complying with COBRA when it recently updated its COBRA audit procedures on its Website last month.

May 1, 2012--The IRS has issued proposed rules addressing the comparative effectiveness research fees imposed by the Patient Protections and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on health insurance carriers and plan sponsors of self-insured health plans.

May 1, 2012--Studies show that working-age adults are more likely to suffer from a disability in a given year than they are to die. Unless it is offered through their employer, most adults have little, if any, disability insurance coverage.

A newsletter bringing readers information about healthy living.

Benefits and HR tips updated on a monthly basis.

April 2, 2012--Sunday’s Star Tribune featured a health care reform Q&A with RJF’s Mary Setter. Based on how the article was edited, there may be some confusion about how health care reform penalties work and are applied to employers.

March 27, 2012--The recently released FAQ's regarding the implementation of the SBC provisions contains 24 questions received by the DOL, HHS and the Treasury. 

March 27, 2012--HIPAA requires that plan participants of employer-sponsored health plans receive a Notice of Privacy Practices. The requirement applies to several different types of health plans.

March 27, 2012--The Department of Health and Human Services published the final rule on Affordable Health Insurance Exchanges to provide states with a framework for establishing their exchanges while preserving flexibility. 

March 5, 2012--The Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued a technical release providing  responses to questions from employers and other stakeholders regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provisions governing automatic enrollment, employer shared responsibility (sometimes referred to as “play or pay”), and waiting periods.

March 5, 2012--The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 will extend the two percentage point payroll tax cut that has been in effect since the beginning of 2011.

Feb. 15, 2012--The IRS, Department of Labor and Health and Human Services released final regulations regarding the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) requirement contained in the Affordable Care Act.

Feb. 7, 2012--Many employers provide health plan coverage to their employees’ domestic partners. This coverage may be taxable on a federal level to the employee depending on several factors.

Feb. 7, 2012--Certain states mandate short term disability (STD) coverage for employees who work in those states. States have varying eligibility requirements that determine if an individual is eligible for disability insurance.

Jan. 10, 2012--The IRS recently released IRS Notice 2012-9 that provides employers additional guidance on the Form W-2 reporting requirement created under the Affordable Care Act1.

Dec. 21, 2011--The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a bulletin outlining proposed policies that will give states flexibility to define the “essential health benefits” required by the Affordable Care Act.

Dec. 21, 2011--The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued the optional standard mileage rates that are used to calculate the deductible costs of using an automobile for business, charitable, medical and moving purposes.

Dec. 12, 2011--The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced final regulations on the medical loss ratio (MLR) requirements under the Affordable Care Act1.

Nov. 24, 2011--In a short statement released on its Website, the Department of Labor (DOL) has provided a welcomed delay in the implementation of the new Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) Rules contained in the Affordable Care Act.

Nov. 23, 2011--At the request of the Obama administration and the 26 states challenging its legality, the United States Supreme Court agreed to rule whether the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is constitutional.

Nov. 14, 2011--The Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is piloting a program to perform up to 150 audits of covered entities to assess privacy and security compliance related to HIPAA requirements.

Nov. 11, 2011--Wisconsin employers no longer need to add the fair market value for health insurance benefits to an employee's income as long as a child has not turned 27 by the end of the tax year.

WHITE PAPER: Section 105(h) nondiscrimination rules are complex; however, a quick review of an employer's benefit, contribution and eligibility strategies will help determine whether or not they need to perform the detailed nondiscrimination tests.

Oct. 31, 2011--The state of Wisconsin has passed legislation that would largely change the state’s definition of dependent for insurance coverage purposes to more closely follow the new federal definition created by the Affordable Care Act.

Oct. 31, 2011--On Oct. 14 Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius released a report regarding the analysis and viability of the CLASS Act and announced that the Administration had decided to not move forward with its implementation.

Oct. 20, 2011--Beginning in 2014, all individual health plans and small employer fully-insured health plans must include coverage for essential health benefits.

Sept. 30, 2011--Employees with a Health Flexible Savings Account (FSA), Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) are able to claim medical care-related mileage for reimbursement at a slightly higher rate.

Sept. 16, 2011 -- Employers that provide prescription drug coverage must disclose to plan participants who are eligible for Medicare Part D whether the prescription drug coverage provided under the group health plan is creditable or non-creditable.

Sept. 14, 2011--Many of your employees rely on your company for all or most of their insurance coverage. Therefore, you may want to consider offering life insurance. Whether group-sponsored or voluntary, this coverage offers protection and security.

Aug. 24, 2011 -- The Internal Revenue Service, Department of Labor, and Health and Human Services have released proposed regulations for the Summary of Benefits and Coverage requirement (SBC) contained in the Affordable Care Act.

Aug. 23, 2011 -- The Affordable Care Act extended coverage for eligible dependents up to age 26. The value of coverage for adult children can be excluded from the employee’s federal taxable income if the dependent will not reach age 27 during the calendar year.

On July 2, 2011, Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee signed legislation that allows same-sex couples to form civil unions effective as of July 1, 2011. The law comes just days after New York passed legislation legalizing same-sex marriage.

The IRS published a request for comments in Notice 2011-25 regarding the implementation provisions included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act related to fees that will be imposed on health plans to help fund research.

Aug. 8, 2011 -- The COBRA subsidy provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) will soon come to an end.

Aug. 8, 2011 -- On August 1, 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) adopted guidelines that require non-grandfathered health plans to provide women’s preventive services free of charge to participants.

Internal Revenue Code Section 79 permits an employee to receive up to $50,000 of group term basic life insurance on a tax-free basis. The value amount over $50,000 must be added to the individual’s taxable income.

Employees who receive disability benefits (long-term or short-term) may be taxed on these benefits based on how the premiums are paid.

Cafeteria plans must meet certain nondiscrimination requirements to ensure highly compensated key employees do not receive a disproportionate amount of tax-advantaged benefit.

Welfare benefit plans that have 100 or more participants enrolled on the first day of the plan year are required to file a Form 5500s (and attachments) each year.

Sponsors of dependent care assistance plans are required to notify plan participants of the total tax-free benefit they received through the plan during the calendar year by January 31, 2012.

Wisconsin tax law was changed to treat Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions and earnings as tax-free for state income tax purposes.

For employer-sponsored adoption assistance programs, the maximum amount excludible from an employee’s income in 2012 for the adoption of a child (both for regular and special needs adoptions) will be $12,650 (decreased from $13,360 in 2011).

The IRS issued final regulations on “qualified transportation fringe benefits” under Code Section 132. 

The Affordable Care Act established a uniform standard effective January 1, 2011 that applies to all tax-favored arrangements, such as flexible spending arrangements (FSAs), health reimbursement accounts (HRAs) and health savings accounts (HSAs).

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released the 2012 cost-of-living-adjusted HSA limits.

The government has imposed an excise tax or “Cadillac Tax” if a plan’s value is above the required maximum. 

The Play or Pay law requires that employers with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees must provide a minimum level of medical insurance for their employees. If organizations do not meet the government requirements, they must pay a penalty.

As employers make changes to their plan’s benefits and contributions, the number of “grandfathered” plans has significantly decreased over the last year. Plans that lose that status must comply with additional provisions of the law.

As the debate over the Affordable Care Act (the “Act) continues, several components of the law have been enacted over the last year and will continue to be implemented in coming years. Review the timeline of events.