ERMUSR MISC MEMO 03-11-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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' ~ When it comes to health care, whom will emplovers vote for? "None of the above." Businesses want new health legislation to help cut ever-rising costs and cover more of the uninsured. But... They're leery of McCain's tax approach, ending tax exclusions for employer-sponsored plans and substituting refundable tax credits to help individuals buy their own insurance. Employers fear that firms wanting to keep employer-sponsored coverage would be disadvantaged, and they'd rather build on the current system than undermine it. And they balk at Clinton's and Obama's play-or-pay proposals. Both would require big employers to offer coverage or pony up a fee to help subsidize insurance for workers who don't have a company plan. Employers' biggest gripe: None of the plans cuts costs much, and that's their primary goal for any major health care legislation. There are some portions of each plan that emplovers do like and want to work with: McCain's plan, for example, for small firms and the self-employed to buy insurance coverage through associations. Plus Clinton's plan to make everyone get insurance, expanding the pool and holding premium costs down for businesses and individuals alike. Employers will soon face new hiring rules aimed at immigrants. ~ Four months after a federal court threw out proposed regulations, the Department of Homeland Security is about to offer up a new version. Probably unchanged: Tough penalties for knowingly hiring illegals. The regs will still force employers to fire undocumented workers, whose Social Security numbers don't match up with government files. But firms and workers will get more time to resolve discrepancies between names and numbers...180 days. instead of the 90 proposed earlier. Big employer worries remain: The adequacy of Uncle Sam's database of SSNs and potential liability for hiring illegals, even if employers follow procedures. They want to know they're off the hook if they do. Ariz. will start enforcing its tough new employer sanctions law next month now that a court challenge to it has been turned aside. A business can lose its license for knowingly hiring illegals... for 10 days after one offense, permanently if the business does it again. There are already signs that manv immigrants are leaving Ariz. for other states, though that may also be due to widespread job losses. Federal officials are streamlining visa and green card procedures in an effort to clear a backlog and help employers get the help they need. Expect a few thousand more seasonal farmworkers this year, thanks to changes. H-2A visas will be issued faster and let workers stay in the country longer. Minimum wage requirements will also be loosened. Plus background check rules for green cards are bein~z eased. Cards won't be held up if the only thing missing is an FBI name check. Fingerprinting and criminal background checks will still be needed. Finally...a tightening of the Familv and Medical Leave Act in Labor Dept. regs that should be in place by year end: Every six months, employers can require recertification of the illness by a doctor, and they can contact docs directly to seek clarification if needed. But no cure for unscheduled intermittent leave...the biggest headache. ~ For instant online access and searchable archives, go to kiAlingerbiz.com/start ~ '~