Content about Health

U.S. employers increasingly rely on incentives to drive participation in health programs and to encourage employees and their families to take better care of themselves, according to survey findings from Aon Hewitt.

LEED v4, the proposed update to the nation’s most prevalent green building program, has been under intense pressure to change its current wood certification rating system, which only recognizes one set of standards, those of the Forest Stewardship Council. But the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which oversees the LEED program and its current revision process, is now under fire for another part of the LEED update that has nothing to do with wood.

On June 28, 2012, by a narrow 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on the grounds that the individual mandate penalty is a tax. Because the Constitution clearly gives Congress the ability to impose a tax, the Court ruled, all of the other questions surrounding the mandate are moot.

According to the Employment Situation report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate held at 8.2%. Nonfarm payroll employment continued to edge up in June, with 80,000 jobs added. 

Professional and business services added 47,000 jobs in June, while health care added 13,000 jobs and wholesale trade added 9,000 in June.

In its landmark decision issued on June 28, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the health care reform law’s individual coverage mandate, rejected a provision intended to force states to expand Medicaid coverage, and left virtually all other parts of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) intact.

After the Supreme Court upheld the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the National Retail Federation (NRF) said it will redouble its efforts to repeal the healthcare law.

“We’re disappointed by today’s ruling,” said NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay in a statement. “The Court missed an opportunity to redress the many shortcomings of the law."

A new Georgia law effective July 1 provides that people who are parties to franchise agreements are not to be considered employees for purposes of workers’ compensation benefits. The legislation essentially protects franchisors from comp claims by franchisees.

The new law covers individuals “who are parties to a franchise agreement as set out by the Federal Trade Commission franchise disclosure rule, and deems that the relationship between franchisors and franchisees is governed by the rules of contract law, not those of employment law.

The unemployment rate held steady at 8.2% -- up from 8.1% in April, according to figures released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

All told, May saw an increase of 69,000 nonfarm jobs. Employment increased in health care, transportation and warehousing, and wholesale trade but declined in construction. Employment was little changed in most other major industries.

According to the Employment Situation report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate moved slightly to 8.1%, compared with 8.2% in March.

Nonfarm payroll employment increased with 115,000 additional jobs. Employment increased in professional and business services, retail trade and health care, but it declined in transportation and warehousing.

San Carlos, Calif.-based Kelly-Moore Paints has introduced its new zero-VOC colorants, which “will maintain excellent interior air quality during application without sacrificing performance,” according to the company.

Kelly-Moore is transitioning from conventional universal colorants to the new zero-VOC colorants; this has been completed in all of the company’s California and Nevada locations. The rest of its stores will be completed by this summer.

On the legality of healthcare reform

“Small businesses need healthcare reform to lower costs. If Obamacare is thrown out, something needs to replace it. Romney needs to address what he would replace it with.

“Responsible small businesses offer health care to their employees. The current system keeps increasing costs at double digits each year. That cannot last.”
— Dick Wegner
Portland, Ore.

An American Hardware Manufacturers Association (AHMA) survey of its members showed significant support for Mitt Romney. The survey, part of the AHMA Industry Confidence survey, also found that most members doubt the constitutionality of the Health Care Act.