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White House punts on extending further benefits to gay couples
If there’s new consideration to extend Social Security and veterans spousal benefits to same-sex couples in states without marriage equality, it doesn’t appear to be happening in the White House. In a response to question Friday from the Washington Blade,…
7 facts that show the American dream is dead
A recent poll showed that more than half of all people in this country don’t believe that the American dream is real. Fifty-nine percent of those polled in June agreed that “the American dream has become impossible for most people to achieve.” More and…
Paducah area businesses recognized for work with disabilities
In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) recognized 18 Paducah, Kentucky area employers and service providers. The businesses were recognized during the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce Business Education Partnership (BEP) meeting held…
What is a Medicare Set Aside?
“Is my Medicare coverage protected or am I going to lose it? Do I have to do a Medicare Set Aside?” When discussions about worker’s compensation or liability settlements are heating up, I’m frequently asked this basic question by many of…
Social Security reform should boost benefits and taxes, poll finds
It’s no surprise that a new public opinion survey would find broad public opposition to cutting Social Security benefits. But a survey released this week [PDF] by the National Academy of Social Insurance finds a strong majority of Americans actually…
Hospitals attack insurance ‘skinny plans’ as too thin
Some employers are building health insurance policies that are technically compliant with the healthcare reform law, yet don’t include coverage of inpatient hospital services. Backers of such plans contend that some coverage is better than none, especially for workers in…
Social Security wants new outreach channels
The Social Security Administration is looking to modernize its interaction with the public. SSA can authenticate user accounts online via its mySocialSecurity website. So far, more than 14 million users have registered. Now SSA wants to develop new pathways to engage those users,…
The high cost of Obama’s jobless recovery
At the height of the Great Recession, by December 2009, 8.4 million jobs were lost. It has taken six years to recover to the 146.4 million January 2008 pre-downturn jobs level. Today, 146.6 million people have jobs, according to data…
Raise Pay for Home-Care Aides? Disability-Rights Groups Say No Way
Republicans crowed in early October when the Department of Labor said it planned to hold off enforcing a new regulation requiring home-care workers who look after elderly and disabled people to be paid minimum wage, overtime, and travel time. “The…
Social Security wage base increases to $118,500 for 2015
The Social Security Administration has announced that the wage base for computing the Social Security tax in 2015 will increase to $118,500 from $117,000, which was the wage base for 2014. For 2015, the FICA tax rate for employers is 7.65%…