Vision Payroll

According to the US Department of Labor, in the week ending February 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 440,000, a decrease of 43,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 483,000. The 4-week moving average was 468,500, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week’s revised average of 469,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5% for the week ending January 30, unchanged from the prior week’s unrevised rate of 3.5%.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending January 30 was 4,538,000, a decrease of 79,000 from the preceding week’s revised level of 4,617,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,603,500, a decrease of 17,750 from the preceding week’s revised average of 4,621,250.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.322 million.

According to the US Department of Labor, in the week ending January 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 480,000, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 472,000. The 4-week moving average was 468,750, an increase of 11,750 from the previous week’s revised average of 457,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5% for the week ending January 23, unchanged from the prior week’s unrevised rate of 3.5%.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending January 23 was 4,602,000, an increase of 2,000 from the preceding week’s revised level of 4,600,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,617,500, a decrease of 51,250 from the preceding week’s revised average of 4,668,750.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.362 million.

COBRA allows eligible individuals to continue employer-provided group health coverage for a specified period due to certain qualifying events, such as job loss. In February 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) was enacted and provided a temporary 65% COBRA (or similar state continuation coverage) premium subsidy for eligible individuals. In December 2009, President Obama signed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act (2010 DOD Act or DDAA), which also amended ARRA.

The law extends the eligibility period, includes a retroactive subsidy extension, and imposes new notice requirements. The notice requirements are necessary so that all eligible employees know and understand the options that are available to them under the 2010 DOD Act. You can also get tax credits for individuals who may not have been previously eligible.

To learn more and get a list of action items that you can use right now, be sure to read the featured article by the HR pros at MyHRSupportCenter, COBRA-ARRA Subsidy Extension and New Requirements. If you’re not yet signed up or would like a free trial of MyHRSupportCenter, contact Vision Payroll today.

According to the US Department of Labor, in the week ending January 23, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 470,000, a decrease of 8,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 478,000. The 4-week moving average was 456,250, an increase of 9,500 from the previous week’s revised average of 446,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5% for the week ending January 16, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week’s revised rate of 3.6%.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending January 16 was 4,602,000, a decrease of 57,000 from the preceding week’s revised level of 4,659,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,669,250, a decrease of 94,250 from the preceding week’s revised average of 4,763,500.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.404 million.

The US Department of Labor (DOL) has released updated COBRA model notices to help employers meet the notification requirements created by the passage of the Department of Defense Appropriation Act, 2010 (2010 DOD Act). The notices are the Updated General Notice, the Premium Assistance Extension Notice, and the Updated Alternative Notice.

Plans subject to the Federal COBRA provisions must provide the Updated General Notice to all qualified beneficiaries (not just covered employees) who experienced a qualifying event at any time from September 1, 2008 through February 28, 2010, regardless of the type of qualifying event, and who have not yet been provided an election notice. This model notice includes updated information on the premium reduction as well as information required in a COBRA election notice.

Plan administrators must provide notice to certain individuals who have already been provided a COBRA election notice that did not include information regarding the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), as amended. This model Premium Assistance Extension Notice includes information about the changes made to the premium reduction provisions of ARRA by the 2010 DOD Act. Listed below are the affected individuals and the associated timing requirements.

• Individuals who were “assistance eligible individuals” as of October 31, 2009 (unless they are in a transition period – see below), and individuals who experienced a termination of employment on or after October 31, 2009 and lost health coverage (unless they were already provided a timely, Updated General Notice) must be provided notice of the changes made to the premium reduction provisions of ARRA by the 2010 DOD Act by February 17, 2010;
• Individuals who are in a “transition period” must be provided this notice within 60 days of the first day of the transition period. An individual’s “transition period” is the period that begins immediately after the end of the maximum number of months (generally nine) of premium reduction available under ARRA prior to its amendment. An individual is in a transition period only if the premium reduction provisions would continue to apply due to the extension from nine to 15 months and they otherwise remain eligible for the premium reduction.

Insurance issuers that provide group health insurance coverage must send the Updated Alternative Notice to persons who became eligible for continuation coverage under a State law. Continuation coverage requirements vary among States and issuers should modify this model notice as necessary to conform it to the applicable State law. Issuers may also find the model Premium Assistance Extension Notice or the Updated General Notice appropriate for use in certain situations.

Vision Payroll recommends employers consult with their benefit broker, COBRA administrator, and labor law attorney to ensure compliance with the updated notice requirements.

According to the US Department of Labor, in the week ending January 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 482,000, an increase of 36,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 446,000. The 4-week moving average was 448,250, an increase of 7,000 from the previous week’s revised average of 441,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5% for the week ending January 9, unchanged from the prior week’s unrevised rate of 3.5%.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending January 9 was 4,599,000, a decrease of 18,000 from the preceding week’s revised level of 4,617,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,750,500, a decrease of 109,750 from the preceding week’s revised average of 4,860,250.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.412 million.

According to the US Department of Labor, in the week ending January 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 444,000, an increase of 11,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 433,000. The 4-week moving average was 440,750, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week’s revised average of 449,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5% for the week ending January 2, a decrease of 0.1 percentage points from the prior week’s unrevised rate of 3.6%.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending January 2 was 4,596,000, a decrease of 211,000 from the preceding week’s revised level of 4,807,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,855,000, a decrease of 151,500 from the preceding week’s revised average of 5,006,500.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.448 million.

Nonfarm payroll employment edged down (-85,000) in December, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 10.0%, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported recently. Employment fell in construction, manufacturing, and wholesale trade, while temporary help services and health care added jobs.

In December, both the number of unemployed persons, at 15.3 million, and the unemployment rate, at 10.0%, were unchanged. At the start of the recession in December 2007, the number of unemployed persons was 7.7 million, and the unemployment rate was 5.0%.

Unemployment rates for the major worker groups–adult men (10.2%), adult women (8.2%), teenagers (27.1%), whites (9.0%), blacks (16.2%), and Hispanics (12.9%)–showed little change in December. The unemployment rate for Asians was 8.4%, not seasonally adjusted.

Among the unemployed, the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks and over) continued to trend up, reaching 6.1 million. In December, 4 in 10 unemployed workers were jobless for 27 weeks or longer.

The civilian labor force participation rate fell to 64.6% in December. The employment-population ratio declined to 58.2%.

The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers) was about unchanged at 9.2 million in December and has been relatively flat since March. These individuals were working part time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job.

About 2.5 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force in December, an increase of 578,000 from a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally adjusted.) These individuals were not in the labor force, wanted and were available for work, and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months. They were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey.

Among the marginally attached, there were 929,000 discouraged workers in December, up from 642,000 a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally adjusted.) Discouraged workers are persons not currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for them. The remaining 1.6 million persons marginally attached to the labor force had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey for reasons such as school attendance or family responsibilities.

According to the US Department of Labor, in the week ending January 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 434,000, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 433,000. The 4-week moving average was 450,250, a decrease of 10,250 from the previous week’s revised average of 460,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.6% for the week ending December 26, a decrease of 0.2 percentage points from the prior week’s unrevised rate of 3.8%.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending December 26 was 4,802,000, a decrease of 179,000 from the preceding week’s unrevised level of 4,981,000. The 4-week moving average was 5,005,750, a decrease of 95,250 from the preceding week’s unrevised average of 5,101,000.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.565 million.

According to the US Department of Labor, in the week ending December 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 432,000, a decrease of 22,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 454,000. The 4-week moving average was 460,250, a decrease of 5,500 from the previous week’s revised average of 465,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.8% for the week ending December 19, unchanged from the prior week’s revised rate of 3.8%.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending December 19 was 4,981,000, a decrease of 57,000 from the preceding week’s revised level of 5,038,000. The 4-week moving average was 5,101,000, a decrease of 122,250 from the preceding week’s revised average of 5,223,250.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.621 million.