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Infographic: 'Play or Pay' Decision Guide

Before January 1, 2014, employers covered by the employer responsibility provision of the health care reform law—also known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—will need to decide if they will provide health care insurance to their employees or pay the penalties for not doing so. This decision is commonly referred to as 'play or pay.'

Under the ACA, "applicable large employers" must decide whether they will "play" by providing affordable, adequate health care coverage to their employees or "pay" penalties instead. This infographic helps you determine whether you are an applicable large employer and whether you will be subject to either of the penalties.

The infographic also links to a video featuring BLR Legal Editor Jessica Webb-Ayer, who provides further detail about the employer responsibility provision including definitions of what is considered both affordable and adequate health care coverage.

The video can also be accessed directly here.

BLR's ACA Play or Pay Decision Guide: By HR.BLR.com

More infographics: Check out other infographics on HR.BLR.com:

– Workplace Romances
– Winter Weather & the Workplace
– Monster Hiring Survey

Expert Explains Employer 'Play or Pay' Mandate Under ACA

In 2014, one of the most significant provisions under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) becomes effective—the employer responsibility mandate—commonly referred to as 'play or pay.' Under the health care reform law, only 'applicable large employers' are subject to the play or pay provision.

In this video, ACA expert Jessica Webb-Ayer, a Legal Editor at BLR, defines applicable large employers, explains the play or pay decision such employers must make by the end of 2013, and provides details about the potential penalties under the law.

Leading Online HR Information Resource Gets Major Facelift

Today, we announce the launch of a new customer-focused interactive marketplace. The site, store.BLR.com, simplifies and expedites the search for items that explain employer rights and obligations and make workforces more effective.

“The new BLR Store has better search, better navigation, and a cleaner design to make it much easier to find and assess products and services that help management satisfy compliance duties,” says Dan Oswald, president of BLR. “Now visitors can review contents, authors, and topic areas in seconds to know beyond a doubt which products answer their specific questions.”

The BLR Store presents our full line of compliance and training tools, webinars, manuals, online reference services, subscription newsletters, forums, and live learning events. Key subject areas include employment law, environmental regulatory compliance, compensation laws and best practices, workplace safety and OSHA compliance, and online employee training.

Longtime BLR customers will notice the new store (store.BLR.com) employs the most current intuitive graphic interface and new live chat features to answer site visitor questions.

“We’ve studied hundreds of information sites and pulled together what we feel are the best features of each to create the new store,” says Matt Humphrey, VP of Marketing. “Now HR, Compensation, EHS, and Training professionals facing complex policy and management challenges can more easily find just what they need to get the job done right.”

You can search by legal area, such as Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), or format, such as books, online resources, and webinars. You can stream lengthy samples of video products such as First Line of Defense, and find training tools for hiring, firing, discipline and performance evaluations.

Humphrey added: "We are in a competitive market. Customers rightly expect and deserve a good deal, a good online user experience, and professional service. Our products have always been the gold standard—the best tools our customers can have. And we strive to improve every aspect of our customers’ experience. This new store is another way to accomplish that goal."

BLR products and services include Advanced Employment Issues Symposium, the online information services HR.BLR.com, Compensation.BLR.com, Safety.BLR.com and HRlaws.com and online training system TrainingToday. Many of BLR’s employment law products are developed in conjunction with the Employers Counsel Network, an affiliation of 50 law firms, one in each state, representing management in employment law matters.

To visit the new store, go here: store.BLR.com.

When Gambling Comes to Work: NCAA Tournament Office Pools and Your Employees

With March Madness nearly upon us, many employers across the United States will undoubtedly see NCAA basketball tournament 'brackets' at their workplace. Are these harmless fun or should employers be concerned?

In this video, Mary Drexler, Executive Director for the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, tells BLR about the potential ramifications of problem gambling in the workplace. Drexler addresses both the dangers posed by condoning an NCAA tournament bracket/office pool and by employees with a potential gambling problem.

In the video, Drexler answers the following questions posed by BLR editor Kyle Emshwiller:

• What makes employee gambling related to March Madness more disruptive than for other sporting events?
• Should an employer be concerned if its employees organize or participate in a March Madness office pool?
• Why should an employer be concerned about an employee's potential gambling problem?
• What are the warning signs that an employee may have a gambling problem?
• What proactive steps should employers take to guard against workplace problems due to employee gambling?

New FMLA Regs Explained by Employee Leave Expert

In a new video by Business & Legal Resources (BLR), Senior Legal Editor Susan Schoenfeld discusses the recent Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Final Rule on family military leave issued by the U.S. Department of Labor.

In the video, Schoenfeld explains how the Final Rule amends certain FMLA regulations implementing amendments to the military leave provisions of the law made by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and discusses how the Rule will change the way in which covered employers administer family leave for servicemember caregivers and employees with family members in the military.

The video is currently available at HR.BLR.com

The video is the second episode of BLR's new 'HR Compliance News Update' video series. In each installment of the series, BLR's editors review recent, significant developments employers should know about—and their legal experts provide insights beyond the headlines. To subscribe to receive these video updates, visit BLR's YouTube Channel.

Susan Schoenfeld, J.D., is a Senior Legal Editor for BLR’s human resources and employment law publications. She has practiced in the area of employment litigation and counseling, covering topics such as disability discrimination, wrongful discharge, sexual harassment, and general employment discrimination. Schoenfeld has litigated numerous cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals, state court, and at the U.S. Department of Labor.