January 29, 2003 - 12,861 subscribers

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(Help BenefitsLink to provide this newsletter at no charge to you -- our sponsors pay your way. Remember to visit them periodically; we try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor)

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Opinion: Lockout Notice Regs-- Tough Talk, Soft Walk from Administration
Excerpt: "The hype: President Bush announced ... 'tough new rules' his administration is taking 'to help strengthen the retirement security of America's workers.' The reality: Bush simply told the Labor Department to implement a relatively insignificant rule ordered by Congress in the Sarbanes/Oxley bill." (San Francisco Chronicle)

Another Question is Answered in the Who's the Employer Q&A Column
Employer A is a partnership with 4 S corporations as its partners. Each S corporation is owned by a single individual. The S corporations render professional services only to the partnership. The partnership has employees and sponsors a deferrals-only 401(k) plan. Can each S corporation sponsor its own SEP arrangement for the benefit of its sole shareholder? Are these affiliated businesses? (BenefitsLink.com)

Traffic Fines Might Hike Officers' Benefits in Utah
Excerpt: "Police officers could finance their future by issuing traffic tickets under a proposal on [Utah's] Capitol Hill that would have a portion of traffic fines go toward their retirement benefits. And the Utah senator pushing the proposal doesn't see the conflict." (The [Salt Lake City] Deseret News via Society for Human Resource Management)

US Airways Pilots Resist Pension Cuts
Excerpt: "The head of US Airways' pilots union criticized the airline yesterday for singling out the pilots' pension fund for possible termination and said the carrier should instead look to cut costs in other employees' pension funds." (Washington Post)

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Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General

Commentary: Filings Show CEOs Got Raises as Returns Fell
Excerpt: "Faced with dismal 2002 returns, as well as the foul smell that soaring executive pay left in the noses of shareholders last year, you would think chief executive officers would have cleaned up their compensation acts. A review I did of 2001-2002 pay changes for 31 CEOs filing early proxy statements with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission shows otherwise." (Graef Crystal on Bloomberg.com)

Cutbacks in Stock Options Might Favor Executives
Excerpt: "Fewer options should mean fewer reasons to manipulate earnings for personal gain, or so the logic goes. Trouble is, compensation consultants say all that's really happening is that fewer options are being given to average workers. Executives are largely unaffected, which creates a disproportion that not only does little to remove temptation at the top but can be bad for business in general." (AP via New York Times; one-time registration required)

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Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings


Pension Administrators
for Polycomp Administrative Services, Inc.
in CA

401(k) Enrollers/Independent Contractors
for Diversified Investment Advisors
in ALL STATES

401k Pension Administrator
for Penservco, Inc.
in FL

Defined Benefit Implementation Analysts
for Constantin Control Associates
in NJ

Enrolled Actuary
for Invesmart
in MA

ERISA Counsel
for American Express
in MN

Sales Associate - Health and Welfare Administration
for National Employee Benefits Outsourcing Vendor
in CA, GA, MO, OH

Bi-lingual Contract Enroller
for Professional Benefit Services
in IN

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Newly Posted Webcasts
( Post Yours! )

IRS/ASPA Washington Update
on March 27, 2003
presented by ASPA & IRS

Changes Ahead: The Private Insurance Market and Employer-Provided Coverage
on January 24, 2003
presented by Families USA

Bill Clinton's Perspective on Healthcare
on January 23, 2003
presented by Families USA

2003: The Year Ahead in Health on the Hill
on January 28, 2003
presented by KaiserNetwork.org

The Imperative of Universal Health Coverage
on January 23, 2003
presented by Families USA

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Newly Posted Conferences
( Post Yours! )

The U.S. Employers Summit on Reducing Healthcare Costs
in DC
March 26, 2003
IBF Conferences, Inc.

Form 5500 Update Program (1/2 day only)
in CO, MS, TN
March 20, 2003
SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Update Program (1/2 day only)
in AZ, CA, LA
March 27, 2003
SunGard Corbel

7th Annual Compensation & Benefits Forum
in
April 12, 2003
Institute for International Research

Form 5500 Update Program (1/2 day only)
in CA, WA
April 3, 2003
SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Update Program (1/2 day only)
in DC, GA, MO, OH
April 24, 2003
SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Update Program (1/2 day only)
in PA
April 30, 2003
SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Update Program (1/2 day only)
in MA, NE, TX
May 1, 2003
SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Update Program (1/2 day only)
in IA, NY
May 7, 2003
SunGard Corbel

Form 5500 Update Program (1/2 day only)
in MO, TX, WI
May 8, 2003
SunGard Corbel

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Handy Links:

• View Today's Active Message Threads
• Search BenefitsLink
• Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research
• Employee Benefits Library

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Editor and Publisher: David Rhett Baker, J.D.

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