Human Resources: Long-Term Disability

Smokers Have a Disability
Heavily addicted smokers have a disability that must be accomodated, arbitrator rules.

How should you respond to requests for reasonable accommodations?
Sometimes it''s hard to know exactly what your duty is when trying to help disabled employees fit into the workplace. What should you do when an employee requests a reasonable accommodation?

ADA versus affirmative action: Who wins?
What if you have a qualified disabled employee who needs to be reassigned to a vacant position, but you also have a minority employee who is better qualified for the open position?

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issues new enforcement guidelines
The EEOC issued a new section of its Compliance Manual on October 3, 2000, providing the first comprehensive analysis of the some of the most important employee benefits issues under the anti-discrimination laws.

Silence Is Golden: telling co-workers about a reasonable accommodation
One employee''s reasonable accommodation looks like "special treatment" to other workers. How do you maintain morale without violating the confidentiality provisions of the ADA?

When Is A Disability A Disability Under The Americans With Disabilities Act?
Legally speaking, the Supreme Court has set appropriate limits on who should be protected under the ADA and has restricted the group of individuals likely to be successful with an ADA claim. Practically speaking, however, the decisions should not change the manner in which you, as the employer, comply with the employment provisions of the ADA.

6th Circuit Finds Carpal Tunnel Syndrome A Protected Disability
In deciding that the employee was a protected individual under the ADA, the Court indicated that the employee''s carpal tunnel and corresponding restrictions were "analogous to having missing, damaged or deformed limbs that prevent her from doing the tasks associated with certain types of manual assembly line jobs, manual product handling jobs and manual building trade jobs . . .."

106th Congress ends: Minimum Wage, Ergonomics Standard Unsettled
The final omnibus-spending bill (H.R. 4577) passed both House and Senate, but left several important issues for the 107th Congress to take up when it meets on January 3, 2001

Disability definition expanded by California statute
Employers that are unaware of the recently expanded definition of disability in California''s anti-discrimination law are in for "a surprise land mine," warned Julianne Broyles, director of insurance and employee relations for the California Chamber of Commerce. The new law (A.B. 2222), which takes effect Jan. 1, requires employers in California to determine if individuals have disabilities without considering whether they use mitigating measures.

New California State Law Quietly Changes the Definition of Disability
California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) has been recently amended to expand the definition of disabled beyond that currently applied by the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).

New Freedom Initiative Announced / New Contractor Responsibility Rule Blocked
1) President Bush sent a proposal to Congress on February 1, 2001 outlining a government program that will help those with disabilities gain greater access to the workplace.
2) The new rule required federal contracting officers to consider a prospective contractor''s adherence to labor and employment laws.

Interactive process urged even when it seems futile
Employers should engage in the interactive process for identifying a reasonable accommodation even if they are confident at the outset that no accommodation is possible.

FAQ-Can we demote an employee?
Frequently asked ask@hr.com question regarding demoting an employee.

Supreme Court will clarify Americans with Disabilities Act in next term
Though no dates have been scheduled, both cases will be argued and decided in the next term, which begins in October 2001.

Individuals may not sue states under ADA in federal court
Patricia Garrett sued the University of Alabama at Birmingham in federal district court for demoting her due to her breast cancer, a violation, she claimed, of the ADA. Garrett´s case was consolidated for appeal with the ADA claim of Milton Ash, who sued the Alabama Department of Youth Services for failure to accommodate his asthma.

How Well Do Your Particular Hiring Practices Comply With ADA?
Your hiring procedures -- application forms, interview techniques, examinations, and job descriptions -- all can leave you vulnerable to ADA liability if you don''t have a clear sense of your obligations.

The Legal Bermuda Triangle: Avoiding Employee Lawsuits when ADA, FMLA, and WC Collide
This report explains how ADA, FMLA, and Workers' Compensation laws interact to protect you from costly lawsuits.

Considering Long-term Care as a Benefit Option?
A discussion of the advantages of long-term care benefits.

Accessibility Auditing for Section 508
-To accommodate the needs of disabled federal workers, federal agencies are required to integrate accessibility into all Electronic Information Technology.

Using the Power of Disability Integration to Manage Employee Absences
-Too many employers today still don´t track their sick time or disability absences and don´t know how much it is costing them.

Brief: When a Disability Isn't a Disability
-A short article to help make the Americans with Disabilities Act a little less confusing.

Reassignment As Reasonable Accommodation
-Employers are barred from discriminating against a "qualified individual with a disability who can perform the essential functions of the position that such individual holds or desires".

Cancer Tops List of Most Frequent Causes of Long-Term Disability Claims in 2001
-Top 5 lists for long-term disability and short-term disability before age 65.

Direct Threat Should Be Shown When Denying Reinstatement
-The U.S. Supreme Court´s ruling that employers are permitted to keep workers with disabilities out of jobs that would directly endanger their health should be coordinated with workers´ compensation reinstatement provisions.

Employer''s Bar On Assistance Animal At Work Upheld
-An employer that refused to let a worker with a hearing impairment bring an assistance animal to work after others complained about the dog did not violate the ADA.

MetLife Survey Reveals Employees May Be Unprepared In The Event Of A Disability
-Women in particular are at risk.

An ADA Primer
-Laws and regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act can be confusing.

Which Job Functions Are Really ''Essential''?
-Essential functions are the basic job duties that form the core of the position - the duties that are central to performing the most basic function of the job.

A Review of the ADA''s Interactive Process
-Participate in an interactive process to assess any possible reasonable accommodation for the physical or mental impairment.

EEOC Official Recommends Liberal Accommodations Policy
-Employers should consider adopting a liberal accommodations policy, granting accommodations that are easy to provide regardless of whether employees have disabilities.

Save Money (and Heartache) with a Drug-Free Workplace Policy
-What entitles many employers to save money on workers'' comp?

MetLife Research : Top 5 Workplace Disabilities
-Lower back disorders top the list.

Chronic Pain: The New Workers' Comp
-The effects of workers´ compensation take a debilitating toll on the pain sufferer, their families and their loved ones and on the economy.

Employee Assistance Programs Can Provide Important Benefits
-MetLife research indicates depression and stress highest among call center and white-collar employees.

Managerial Inquiries About Worker Lifting Restrictions Limited
-This article presents presents a hypothetical of a common ADA compliance question, cutting through the legal jargon to give professionals practical answers to solve their problems.

Top causes disability absence for 2004
For the fourth consecutive year, cancer is the leading cause of long-term absence from work (more than 90 days) for working-age Americans.

UnumProvident Study Shows Healthcare Workers Experience Higher Rates of Disability
Lost time from injuries and illnesses significantly higher than other industries.

UnumProvident Declares Dividend for quarter of $0.075 per share
largest provider of group and individual disability income protection insurance in the United States and United Kingdom

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FOUNDATION (PWDF) ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF 2006 EDITION DVD AND VHS EDITION OF TRAINING VIDEO
Balanced material providing education and support for employees with psychiatric disabilities and for employers

Jefferson Pilot Financial Unveils "Paycheck Plus" Voluntary Income Protection Benefits
Simplified Insurance Plan Features Four Lines of Coverage in Single Group Rate

Marquis Companies Selects Unicru Solution for Healthcare
Premier long-term care provider first to implement industry-tailored system for hiring facility staff

CANCER IS NUMBER ONE REASON
For the fifth consecutive year, cancer was the leading cause of long-term absence from work for Americans in 2005, according UnumProvident (NYSE: UNM), the leading provider of disability income protection insurance.

Reed Group, Ltd. Announces Formation of Reed Group Asia Pacific in Australia
"Reed Group is extremely pleased and excited to announce Reed Group Asia Pacific, comprising a team of experienced, regional insurance and workers compensation executives.

The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce
Saving Great Employees: Challenges of and Solutions for Addiction in the Workplace

The Principal Financial Group Enhances Employer Reporting for Disability Claims
New reporting capabilities aimed to save time and money

UWC -- STRATEGIC SERVICES ON UNEMPLOYMENT AND WORKERS' COMPENSATION
Announcing the 2006 Edition Highlights of State Unemployment Compensation Laws

COLONIAL SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE JUMPS IN NATIONAL WORKSITE SALES RANKINGS
Higher sales lead to record-setting premium processing and use of Colonial´s E-services for benefits management

UnumProvident retains LEAD in disability insurance marketplace
In 2005, the company maintained more than $3.9 billion in premium for existing group and individual cases and generated approximately $267 million of new sales.

UNUMPROVIDENT RESEARCH POINTS TO VALUE OF INTEGRATED CLAIM MANAGEMENT
"Today´s employers often face complicated health and productivity challenges," says Kenneth Mitchell, Ph.D, vice president of return to work program development.

SCI Companies Enables Businesses to Offer Customized Disability Benefits to Employees
SCI, a national leading Professional Employer Organization (PEO), announced today that effective immediately, it is adding employer-paid short-term disability (STD) and long-term disability (LTD) insurance plans to its existing voluntary benefits offerings through Jefferson Pilot Financial.

New ´Advantage Plan´ offers employers more benefit choices and cost savings.
Based on employers´ need to control the cost of employee benefits while still providing quality plans to help recruit and retain top talent, Lincoln Financial Group recently introduced the new Advantage Plan to provide more options for its group long-term disability clients.

UnumProvident´s New Enrollment Platform
Helps Employees Make Informed Benefits Choices

The Principal Financial Group Enhances Individual Disability Income Insurance
Optional riders offer greater flexibility and more choices

Business Health Services (BHS), a leading national provider of behavioral risk management solutions, has launched a rebranding campaign that commences with the debut of its new website, www.bhssolutions.com.
The new website more closely reflects BHS' application of behavioral risk management strategy-a contemporary approach to bottom-line cost savings that involves identifying and preventing the risks associated with mental health and behavioral problems on the job

Industry Leaders UnumProvident, Matria Healthcare Launch Disease Management Partnership
UnumProvident (NYSE: UNM) today announced it has joined with Matria Healthcare (NASDAQ: MATR) to create a new disability and disease management partnership aimed at helping employers combat rising healthcare costs and improve workforce productivity.

Lincoln Employer Markets Announces New Head of Sales for its Intermediary Channel
Industry Veteran Paul Swanson Assumes Head of Sales Duties

unumprovident´s new disability product HELPS answer industry demand for employee choice
UnumProvident, (NYSE: UNM) the leading provider of income protection insurance in the United States and the United Kingdom, announces its newest and most flexible disability product offering - Select income protection insurance.

unumprovident´s new disability product HELPS answer industry demand for employee choice
UnumProvident, (NYSE: UNM) the leading provider of income protection insurance in the United States and the United Kingdom, announces its newest and most flexible disability product offering - Select income protection insurance.

New HR Tool Set to Transform Employee Benefit Education and Enrollment
THE NAVIGATORTM FROM NAVITECH SETS COURSE FOR IMPROVED BENEFITS COMMUNICATIONS

The disability disconnect: workersill-prepared to manage disruption in income
UnumProvident research points to lack of knowledge about financial risk

Lincoln Financial Group Creates Employer Markets Division
Key distribution leadership in place; focused on segment synergies.

unumprovident buyers study forEcasts the future of employee benefits
Critical illness, accident and other supplemental insurance products drive industry growth

NATIONAL BUSINESS GROUP ON HEALTH ISSUES RECOMMENDATIONSFOR EMPLOYERS TO IMPROVE HEALTH CARE QUALITY AND SAFETY
Business Group Also Releases Position Paper on Health Care Reform

Time For Action, Time For Change - An Employer´s Symposium
Strategic Employment Solutions (SES) is hosting its third annual employer conference on October 13th, 2006 for companies interested in a labour pool that is diverse, talented and highly retainable - Persons With Disabilities.

Web site improvements offer employees and claimants faster, easier and more convenient access to personal benefits information.
Lincoln Employer Markets today announced it has enhanced its Group Protection customer self-service Web site.

Addressing Disabilities Along the Job Search
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 50 million people across the nation have some level of disability. For many of these people, finding a job, keeping it and being paid well can be challenging. Michael Farr and Daniel J. Ryan, Ph.D., believe many job seekers with disabilities would be more successful in their job search if they knew when and how to appropriately discuss a disability.

ARAG® Helps More than Ten Million Aetna Members Easily Secure Their Futures
ARAG®, a leading legal services provider, announced today an enhanced business relationship that enables Aetna Group Life policyholders to simplify their lives with direct access to legal resources.

Tidewater, VA HVAC Company Expands Offering More Jobs
Local Tidewater, VA HVAC company has grown and is now hiring. Job openings include: installation mechanic, service technician, sales people and administrative people.

Survey Finds 84% of Organizations Subject to FMLA Offer Some Type of Paid Family and Medical Leave
75% of Organizations Find Handling Intermittent Family and Medical Leave Challenging

Executive Summary:Diversity And Inclusion
As companies strive to hire the best employees in an increasingly diverse workforce, the idea of "inclusion" has become a business imperative.

Executive Summary:The AIDS Epidemic
The AIDS epidemic marked its 25th anniversary in 2006, but there is little reason to celebrate the grim milestone. Globally the spread of HIV/AIDS remains a major health issue, and efforts to impede it have met with mixed success.

Executive Summary: Benefit Trends
In the United States, voluntary benefits are assuming a more important role, providing new ways to address workers' needs as well as opportunities for companies to boost retention and loyalty.

Executive Summary: Disabilities in the Workplace
In an unexpected and alarming trend for U.S. employers and government policymakers, disability rates for adults in their prime working years have risen sharply in the past two decades, a 2004 RAND Corp. study shows.

CalChamber Highlights New Requirements for 2007 Worksite Posters
Minimum Wage Increase and Paid Family Leave Drive Changes

DisabilityWORK.com Launches
Helping employers reach untapped worker pool.

Mercer's 2007 Guide to Social Security and Medicare now available
35th edition provides simple explanations with easy-reference tables

NATIONAL BUSINESS GROUP ON HEALTH HONORS BEST EMPLOYERS FOR HEALTHY LIFESTYLES
41 Employers Recognized for Promoting Healthy Workplaces

Long-Term Disability Main

Long Term Care Information by Video; LTC Financial Partners Takes Leadership Role
Offering 3 of Top Ten "Hits" on Google Video

Greater Ann Arbor Society for Human Resource Management
Unum’s annual Landscape of Long Term Care looks at sales trends in group market

More Employers to offer Workers Financial Incentives for Healthy Behavior
Top Programs Integrate Health Management With Business Objectives, Watson Wyatt/National Business Group on Health Survey Finds

Foley new chairman of Council for Disability Awareness board
Joseph R. Foley, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Unum Group, has been appointed as the new chairman of the board of directors for The Council for Disability Awareness (CDA).

Second Annual CompTIA Creating Futures Charity Golf Classic Set for August 4
The CompTIA Educational Foundation announced today that its Second Annual Creating Futures Charity Golf Classic will be held Monday, August 4, in Orlando, Fla.

Unum Group Announces $350 Million Accelerated Share Repurchase
Unum Group (NYSE: UNM) announced today that it repurchased approximately $350 million of its outstanding common stock from Morgan Stanley using an accelerated share repurchase agreement.

Integrated Benefits Institute Accepting 2007 Employer Benchmark Data
Reliable, source-protected data enables employers to make key business decisions on benefits programs

Lynda Fleury selected for ISE Southeast Award 2008
Unum and Home Depot IT executives honored for achievements in information security

Jerry Reiff Joins OCI as Director of Client Services
Jerry Reiff Joins Premier Healthcare Benefits Data Management Provider OCI as Director of Client Services

Duane Lee has joined Buck Consultants as a Principal in the firm's Pittsburgh office
Lee joins Buck from Hewitt Associates, where he served as Principal and Health Management Consulting Actuary. Prior to that, he spent 19 years with Buck.

Unum No. 1 in sales, enrollment for Group Long Term Care
Unum continues to lead industry in growing employer-sponsored group market

Unum adds innovative benefit to support working parents
Company will contribute to 529 plan for new children of employees