• Tip of the Day: 9 hours a night keeps H1N1 out of sight?
• Parenting bad bosses
• Congress eyes more pension funding relief
• What not to wear
• Dental benefits make a difference
• Clearing a path
• More benefits needed to ease economy’s toll on worker health
• Thinking beyond traditional borders
• Exercise Corner: Holiday tips to avoid the dreaded jelly belly
• Recipe Corner: Hash Brown Casserole

Could this be the new catchphrase for fighting swine flu? As shortages of the H1N1 vaccine persist, a study finds that another prevention method bay be just as effective, although possibly just as rare.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have concluded that people who sleep less than seven hours a night are three times more likely to get sick after being exposed to a respiratory virus (ala the flu virus), compared to those who sleep eight hours or more. However, scientists at the University of Chicago and at NIH have found that adults actually need nine and a half hours of sleep a night to maintain healthy immunity.

So, could we sleep our way to better health? Quite possibly, as research also finds that mammals that sleep the longest have six times the immune cells as those that sleep less. And sleep has long been promoted to help your immune system ward off diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity and severe depression. So take off that surgical mask and go to bed.

Source: EmployeeBenefitNews.com, November 9, 2009

If you think your boss’s behavior resembles a spoiled two-year old, then join the club. A five-year comparative study on bad and childish behaviors in the workplace shows that more U.S. workers believe their bosses need a timeout.

The analysis relies on surveys conducted in 2004 and 2009 that compare the characteristics of toddlers in their terrible twos with annoying behavior displayed by supervising managers. The research involved 345 white-collar workers and focused on behaviors and traits such as self-oriented, impulsiveness, stubbornness, overly demanding, interruptive and throwing tantrums. The Lynn Taylor Consulting firm, which specializes in human resources and workplace policies, commissioned the study.

The data revealed a 50% increase between the 2004 and 2009 polls in the number of respondents citing self-oriented and interruptive behaviors as bad deeds exhibited by their bosses. “In stressful times, such as a recession or a frenzied work pace, childish, bad boss behaviors are exacerbated,” explains Lynn Taylor, CEO of Lynn Taylor Consulting.

The 2009 survey’s participants ranked the following as frustrating actions displayed by their bosses: self-oriented (60%), stubborn (49%), overly demanding (43%), impulsive (41%), interruptive (39%) and throwing tantrums (19%). “Whether unruly or subversive, these behaviors are counterproductive to everyone, and hurt profits,” says Taylor.

The research also examined the responses of 1,005 employees, finding that seven in 10 workers believe that bosses and toddlers with too much power behave the same. “Most employees endure the antics and sandbox politics when bosses let their 'inner child' run wild and wreak havoc,” Taylor says. “A what's-in-it-for-us mindset must trump what’s-in-it-for-me mentality among bosses and throughout the organization.”

She recommends the following best practices for creating a work environment free of a terrible office tyrant:

• Communicate: Frequently, honestly and regularly with your boss.
• Anticipate: Think ahead about potential emerging problems, but have solutions ready. Know your timing and the boss's patterns.
• Laugh: Humor is the greatest diffuser of tension and the shortest pipeline to the memory banks.
• Manage: Manage up by being a proactive, positive problem-solver, but also set limits to bad boss behavior. Diplomatically set boundaries, offer choices and stand up for yourself.

Source: EmployeeBenefitNews.com, October 13, 2009

A new bill was recently introduced in the House that would extend the time allotted plan sponsors to fund defined-benefit retirement plans.

Presented last week by Representatives Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) and Pat Tiberi (R-OH), the Preserve Benefits and Job Act would, in part, offer pension funding relief to employers by allowing them to spread out required contributions to DB plans over nine years, instead of the current seven.

Under the legislation, employers would make only interest payments for the first two years. Further, Congress would allow employers up to 15 years to fully fund their DB plans if they promised not to freeze the benefits.

“The accelerated funding requirements included in the Pension Protection Act, combined with the market-driven declines in pension asset values and historically low interest rates, have created unprecedented and unforeseen challenges for employers that voluntarily provide generous retirement benefits,” says James Klein, the president of the American Benefits Council.

Klein hopes that the legislation will allow employers to mitigate their investment losses brought about by a deep recession and the 2008 stock market crash. “We urge Congress and the Obama Administration to support this critical legislation and move swiftly toward its enactment,” adds Klein.

ABC issued a research report examining DB funding obligations amid a recession. The report reveals that 68% of DB plan sponsors noted that unexpected cash needs associated with their DB plans would force them to slash costs in other areas, such as hiring and workforce training.

The Pomeroy-Tiberi bill also grants the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation more leeway in assisting DB plans that are in endangered and critical status regarding their funding levels. The bill calls for updating PBGC benefit guarantees.

“Many economists argue that if companies and their pension plans continue to fold at a quickened pace, PBGC may require a taxpayer bailout,” said Barbara D. Bovbjerg, director of education, workforce, and income security at the Government Accountability Office last week at a hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

Bovbjerg urged lawmakers to rework the way the PBGC processes failed pension plans. “After all, the corporation’s deficit has tripled since the end of fiscal year 2008, from about $11 billion to about $33.5 billion through the second quarter of FY 2009,” she noted.

Source: EmployeeBenefitNews.com, November 3, 2009

Although the summer months are over, in most locations the warm weather is sticking around, so the temptation to wear flip-flops and spaghetti strap tank-tops lingers.

However, according to experts, setting and enforcing dress and/or grooming codes — while making exceptions to accommodate employees who have certain physical or religious needs — can prevent lawsuits and foster a professional and respectful environment, no matter the season.

As long as regulations are equally burdensome on — although not necessarily equivalent for — men and women, claims based on gender discrimination tend to be meritless.

This is not to say, however, that employers are in the clear legally. Employers certainly should track legal developments within their jurisdiction, keeping in mind that findings will vary based on time, location and case specifics.

The implications of ignoring dress violations

Many employers may look the other way when a female employee comes to work dressed in a revealing or otherwise inappropriate manner, especially if her supervisor is male, for fear of sparking a sexual harassment claim.

However, one expert says that by not enforcing a corporate dress code, employers still may be leaving themselves vulnerable to sexual harassment lawsuits.

“Dressing provocatively can explain why [sexual harassment] took place, not excuse it, which is why you shouldn’t allow that to be happening,” says Talar Herculian, a partner in Fisher & Phillips’ Irvine, Calif., office.
When confronting an employee for violating the dress code, management should explain to him or her that they are primarily looking out for the employee’s professional future and safety at the company.

In other words, if employees want to be taken seriously, they must dress accordingly. Among the other tips for dress code enforcement from Herculian and other experts:

Be proactive

If employers are aware that an employee’s disability or religious beliefs may contradict the company’s dress policy, it’s not enough to cross that bridge when you come to it.

“The law actually imposes the burden on the employer,” Herculian explains.

“As long as the employer has sufficient information to believe that there might be a conflict between the employee’s religion, belief or practice, and the rule imposed by the workplace, the employer must initiate the dialogue with the employee and try to find an accommodation. “It is no excuse to say, ‘She didn’t ask me anything,’” says Herculian.

Give notice

Allow enough time for any new regulations to settle in, giving an employee time to decide whether to remove that tattoo or decide whether they want to continue working for a company that hampers their personal style. “Employees are going to be more accepting of your changes and your policies when you’re fair, give them enough time and don’t catch them off-guard,” Herculian assures.

Weigh the pros and cons

Employers must do the cost benefit analysis of implementing a new or stricter dress code that could lower employee morale or spur faster turnover.

Recognize that employees may view dress and grooming regulations as impinging on their ability to express themselves — a free morale booster that employers may not want to risk, particularly during a recession when they’re trying to hang on to talented workers (even tattooed ones).

“If the dress code is more oppressive than required, that can have an effect on morale,” advises Sarah Pierce Wimberly, a partner in Ford & Harrison LLP’s Atlanta office.

“A company needs to assess what are the needs of their business, and what is accepted and standard in their industry, and then proceed accordingly.”

Source: EmployeeBenefitNews.com, September 1, 2009

Delta Dental Plans Association recently issued survey results showing that workers with employer-sponsored dental benefits are more likely to visit their dentists for checkups than other workers.

For example, 83% of participants with dental benefits visit the dentist twice or more a year, compared to 63% of consumers who pay out of pocket for their dental benefits or dental care. Moreover, employed adults lose more than 64 million hours of work each year due to dental disease or dental visits.

The not-for-profit group, which polled 900 consumers aged 25 and older, found that nearly 60% of respondents have dental benefits, with 12% paying for voluntary benefits offered by their employer, and 88% receiving coverage through an employer-paid group dental plan.

Other key findings from the survey included:

• Consumers consider dental benefits to be a "very important" part of the essential benefits package, along with medical coverage, retirement benefits and prescription drug coverage.
• Consumers want their dental benefits to be easy to use, allow them to use their personal dentist and include several coverage options of which the most important is preventive care, such as teeth cleanings and X-rays.

Related coverage:

• Smile safety: Mercury fillings' risks cited by the FDA
• Oral health supports employee productivity
• High-tech dentistry embraces nonembryonic stem cell research.

Source: EmployeeBenefitNews.com, January 13, 2009

Medicare Part D, which covers prescription drugs, has moved quickly from "a new to a relatively mature marketplace" since it went into effect in 2006, according to Dave Osterndorf, chief health actuary for Towers Perrin. But there are still "a huge number of options" for both company benefit managers and retirees to sort through.

First, Osterndorf says, the company must decide what, if anything, it will do about the "doughnut hole " - the gap in coverage that begins when a person's annual individual drug expenditures reach a certain amount and ends when those expenses reach the "catastrophic" phase of coverage.

The way Medicare Part D is structured drives an all-or-nothing approach, he says, not one in which the company can subsidize coverage of prescription drugs for retirees during the time they are in the gap. So employers must ask: "Do I need to have a plan that avoids having a coverage gap? If the answer is yes, the company will continue to sponsor a plan," Osterndorf explains.

If an employer does decides to exit from a plan and allow retirees to pay for prescriptions out of their own pockets, at a reduced cost, it needs to send several key messages to those retirees, Osterndorf says.

First, "there is a viable marketplace out there. You will be able to buy coverage." Second, "prescription coverage has relatively low premium-cost. Our plan would have had higher costs." And, third, "the coverage gap has an endpoint to it. Even in the worse-case scenario, it won't be more than $4,300" for 2009, Osterndorf says.

Employers can help retirees work their way through the many options, with slightly different benefits structures, that they have under Medicare Part D. "The employer can say, 'Here's what plans look like. Here are things you need to look at.' Employers can engage a third party to provide counseling services," he says. Whoever counsels retirees will want to remind them that "every single Part D plan has a coverage gap for brand-name drugs."

If an employer opts to continue the plan it already has, "it tends to be a pretty straightforward conversation" with retirees about drug benefits, Osterndorf notes. But even then, employers regularly tweak their plans with small changes to improve efficiencies, and retirees need to be kept informed of these changes.

Benefits pros should to keep retirees informed, he adds, giving them the best information available to help them be cost-effective consumers.

'Dealing with human beings'

Whatever decisions a company makes about retiree health benefits, it's imperative to communicate those decisions clearly and sensitively.

"You really need to remember that you are dealing with human beings. Health, and covering health care, and paying for health care are very emotional issues. If you forget that, you are setting yourself up to fail," says Elizabeth Byerly, Watson Wyatt's office practice leader for communication and education in Atlanta.

First of all, employers should thoroughly understand their audience and realize that a one- size-fits-all benefits communications plan is not going to work, Byerly says.

Although retirees want to be connected to the company, they tend to be "a step removed," she adds, and "we find that this group wants more dialogue. Companies should be open to that dialogue. That doesn't mean that the company has to do everything for retirees, but it should be open to listening."

If a company has a retiree or alumni group, educate the leaders about Medicare coverage so they can spread the word, she says. "That group can be a big friend."

If a company does decide to make changes affecting prescription drug coverage, "know the rationale behind the changes and how it fits with the business plan going forward," Byerly says, and make sure benefits managers are prepared to communicate well and answer questions clearly.

Avoid what Byerly calls the "one-hit wonder syndrome" - communicating the information only once, usually before the open enrollment period. Employees may have questions throughout the year and "there's a lot to wade through. The company needs to understand that these are human beings who aren't experts in health plans."

She also advises avoiding the "dribble" approach - announcing a change, but giving out no information. "If you're going to announce a change, be ready to answer questions. Give [retirees] time to react. Have a long-range communication strategy."

That doesn't mean the company has to communicate every nuance of Medicare Part D. Byerly recommends using the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' "Medicare & You 2009" guide, available at www.medicare.gov (see sidebar).

"It's the easiest thing I've found. It clearly outlines what a retiree needs to do. The company shouldn't try to rewrite all this. You don't have to communicate all the details; drive people to the appropriate resources," she says.

Byerly does have practical recommendations to make when it comes to how the company should communicate with retirees. The materials should be simple, easy to read and highly visual.

"Tell the story with the picture. Make sure colors pop off the page. Use larger font size, more white space. Use illustrations and graphs," she says. "Make it a visual path for the person to follow, versus just putting it in writing."

Remember that people learn in different ways and that older retirees might feel more comfortable if they have an opportunity for face-to-face discussion, Byerly says. And don't forget about caregivers. Include caregivers in meetings and put together a tip sheet to help them help retirees understand any changes in benefits.

It's worth making the investment of taking the steps to communicate these benefits clearly, Byerly says. "You will save money and add value 10 times over if you put out good communications."

Source: EmployeeBenefitNews.com, September 1, 2009

Despite signs of flickering economic recovery, stress lingers on many employees’ minds, causing some to lose precious work time fretting and others to feel effects on their health. And while employers are responding with targeted benefit initiatives, budget restraints still loom large, new research by Watson Wyatt and the National Business Group on Health indicates.

A worrisome 42% of employers are witnessing an increase in their workers’ use of the company health plan, according to the 2009 Staying@Work Report. Further, almost half (47%) of employers are seeing an uptick in their employees’ use of the employee assistance program (perhaps a silver lining, given some workers’ reluctance to reach out for help when they need it). Additionally, 30% of employers have noted an increase in workers filing disability claims. Meanwhile, unplanned absence is elevating among workers at 22% of U.S. companies.

To offset these trends, some employers are strengthening their benefit programs and initiatives. Despite tightening budgets, more than half (51%) of companies are planning to hold the line on benefit offerings or approve modest increases for health and productivity programs. Some 44% are planning cuts. Promisingly, nearly three-quarters (72%) of employers have already enhanced their onsite offerings with programs geared toward stress management, EAPs, or health coaches, or expect to do so within the next 12 months.

Success stories do exist. For example, Alliance Data, a Dallas-based provider of retail credit card services, marketing support and loyalty programs, used dynamic, on-site programs to encourage employees to improve their health and productivity. With support for weight management and smoking cessation as well as small, but significant changes to the company’s culture, such as vending machines with healthy food choices and ergonomically correct workstations, as well as “Lunch and Learn” sessions aimed at specific health topics, they saw a dramatic decline in therapeutic expenses.

Further, by mixing up the choices of wellness activities open to workers each year, they noted that the number of days missed from work due to illness or injury in the previous 12 months decreased 10.3%. Productivity loss on the job due to health problems decreased 14.6%, from 8% in 2004 to 6.83% in 2007.

The average annual cost for productivity loss for one employee dropped by nearly 15%.

“We don’t want associates to get too used to the status quo—we have new choices and new expectations for them every year. We think vitality is key to the program’s success. Participation rates are very high and stable. In our lowest year, it was 86% and our highest was 95%,” explains Calvin Hilton, vice president of Benefits and HR Services.

Still, for the majority of employers, more work needs to be done in addressing employee stress levels.
“Companies are finding some relief from high benefit costs by investing in programs that improve the health of their workers,” observes Shelly Wolff, national leader of health and productivity consulting at Watson Wyatt. “Workers who haven’t lost their jobs are under great amounts of stress and are increasingly turning to their employer for advice, treatment or assistance that goes beyond basic coverage when they get sick. Still, employer initiatives that effectively deal with stress are limited.”

Although 78% of employers cite excessive work hours as the leading cause of employee stress, only 21% of employers say they are taking action to address it properly.

In the same vein, 68% of employers reported lack of work/life balance as the leading stressor, yet only 38% are putting in place the necessary programs and initiatives to counterbalance these trends. Another leading cause of stress, fear of job loss, is claimed by 67% of employers but only 41% of companies are actively addressing the issue.

“Not only are stressed workers less productive, they are also likely to incur higher health costs for themselves and their employer,” says Helen Darling, president of the National Business Group on Health. “Companies [that are] most effective at mitigating the impact of stress are moving in the right direction — helping employees become more efficient while working to lower benefit costs and strengthen balance sheets.”

The Dow Chemical Company was able to save 7,000 workdays that would otherwise have been lost due to injuries and illnesses, saving them $9 million in gained productivity in the United States in 2008. They succeeded by translating a company-wide strategy into tailored site-specific tactics. They also measure their risks and results in detail with health-related productivity gains, health risk factors, and benchmark comparisons. They monitor environmental influences on their employee population through a Healthy Workplace Index, which includes a stress risk assessment.

In the end, health care costs increased by 2.4% in 2008, as compared to a national benchmarked average of approximately 6.3%. By keeping this cost inflation below average, Dow saved an estimated $11 million on U.S. health care costs.

Source: EmployeeBenefitNews.com, December 2, 2009

It seems as though in these economic times, people's mental health is plummeting along with the stock market. With record-high unemployment rates, foreclosures, bankruptcies, shrinking retirement accounts, and marital breakdowns, more and more people are experiencing overwhelming stress levels as a direct result of personal and national finances.

This heightened financial stress has led to a syndrome many have begun to call "recession depression". Common symptoms include severe distress, sleepless nights, short tempers, increased irritability and chronic worry, all of which lead to increased absenteeism, poor employee health and decreased productivity at the workplace. A recent study concluded that up to 80% of financially distressed workers spend time at work worrying about personal finances and dealing with financial issues. (Read the Sept. 1 EBN for additional coverage on recession depression.)

The latest research from Financial Literacy Partners shows that employees spend approximately 20 hours per month distracted from work due to financial difficulties, costing employers an average of $7,000 per employee per year in lost productivity.

So what steps can employers take now to conquer recession depression at the workplace and ensure their workforce is not only in a good position to survive this recession, but ultimately succeed through the inevitable economic turnaround?

To minimize losses as a result of recession depression, employers need to efficiently and cost-effectively address the root causes of financial stress - employees' major life events, lack of financial literacy and psychological concerns - by carefully aligning benefits with business strategy.

Even as corporations deal with greater workloads and leaner workforces, primary business goals remain the same: retention, cost control and productivity. Specialty benefits services, such as employee assistance programs, work/life and wellness, should serve as a tool to help achieve these long-term business goals.

The EAP provides confidential counseling, employee and management training and work/life services such as legal and financial consultation, all of which impact the causes of financial distress.

Calls to EAPs during these tough economic times have spiked dramatically, but EAPs offer measurable results. For example, in a study of 436 employees who had used a financial adviser through a referral from an EAP:

• 91% of the workers found the intervention to be effective. 
• 74% had reduced stress. 
• 67% had improved health and well-being. 
• 39% had less work absenteeism. 
• 36% had improved productivity.

Financially stressed individuals tend to eat poorly, exercise less, sleep less soundly, turn to unhealthy coping behaviors such as excess drinking, substance abuse and gambling, and may forgo necessary checkups because they want to save money.

Now that stress levels and health risks are at all-time highs, a wellness program in combination with EAP counseling and stress management solutions can greatly reduce unnecessary health care costs and improve productivity.

But in a time when companies are cutting costs, what should they do when a wellness program reports low utilization? Before scrapping the program altogether, employers need to take a careful look at their outreach and communication strategies. Is there a clear benefit communication strategy? Do employees know how to access the wellness program? Do they know about the incentives? Employers need to carefully assess their employee population and provide wellness education, incentives and programs that truly motivate their employees to take better care of their health.

Keep communicating

None of these benefit strategies will work unless the company communication policy is open, frequent and effective.

In a time when people could really use an emotional stimulus package, it's more important than ever for employers to monitor the mental well-being of their staff. Providing confidential counseling services through an EAP is the best way to help your workforce better manage these life issues and stay more focused and motivated while on the job.

The corporation that stays committed to employee health and well-being during these tough economic times will be rewarded with a healthier bottom line and a more viable future.

Source: EmployeeBenefitNews.com, November 1, 2009

'Tis the season of indulgence, a time when many of us get little more exercise than lifting a glass of eggnog.

But unless you want to start looking like that jolly old elf with the jelly belly, it's a good idea to try to get some physical activity and to exercise restraint at the buffet table.

Here are 6 simple steps to limit the damage during the holidays:

*Work out in the morning.
Get moving before all the hustle and bustle starts. Bear in mind that most gyms have limited hours on holidays, so check with your club. If the gym is closed, consider a brisk walk or some calisthenics at home. You could also do a DVD workout or follow a fitness program on TV.

*Eat before the party.
Don't skip meals earlier in the day to save your appetite for the holiday party. You will be ravenous and end up eating everything in sight -- and then storing it exactly where you’ve been working so hard all year long to get rid of it!

*Play in the snow.
Gather up a group and get outdoors for a day of fitness fun -- skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing or good old-fashioned sled riding.

*Schedule extra time with your trainer.
It can be particularly hard to stay motivated to exercise during the holidays. Hire your trainer to crack the whip.

*Go easy on the holiday cheer.
Have one drink and then move on to a sparkling water or diet soda.

*Find a calorie-free zone.
Sit, stand and socialize as far from the food table as possible. Enjoy good conversation without the temptations of desserts and other decadent dishes.

By making smart choices about diet and exercise now, you'll kick off the New Year right.

Source: thefitlist.com

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cups frozen shredded hash browns
• 1 pound bulk sausage, mild, hot or sage
• 2 1/4 cups whole milk
• 8 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 8 cups cubed French or Italian bread, crusts removed
• 2 cups (1/2 pound) grated Cheddar
• 2 cups (1/2 pound) freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a deep 13 by 9-inch casserole dish with vegetable oil cooking spray.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the onion and saute over medium-low heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the hash browns and break apart. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes.

In a second frying pan, saute the sausage, breaking apart large clumps. When the sausage is cooked through, remove it from pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg and mustard, briskly to blend.

To assemble, spread the onions and hash browns evenly at the bottom of the greased dish. Place the bread cubes evenly on top of hash browns. With a slotted spoon distribute sausage as the third layer. Pour the milk and egg mixture over these layers. Add Parmesan as the next layer, while then adding the Cheddar.

*Cook's Note: Save a few tablespoons of Cheddar for the last 10 minutes of baking, where you can add a
fresh topping of melted Cheddar.

Bake the casserole, uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.

Source: foodnetwork.com