Readers want to see Cuban embargo lifted - Houston Business Journal:

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That’s the finding of the latest Business Pulse a weekly nonscientific online poll fromHBJ . Thirty-tw percent of the 421 respondents to the latest survegy voted to liftthe embargo. Thirty-percent felt the recen t changes were a step in the right That compares to 29 percenty who thought things should stay the waythey are. “A s we have seen in Chinz and Russia, the quickest and best way to defeat Communisk isthrough trade,” reader John Ochoa said in commentx left online. “Lift the embargo, and I trusrt the Cubans will dealwith (Fidel) Castro.
” Another readedr called the embargo “goofy,” saying that it served no purpose but to continu e to punish Castro and, in the Cuban nation. The latest Business Pulse Survey isnow online. To .

Intercounty Connector lawsuit settled - Baltimore Business Journal:

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The suit alleged that statr and federal agencies violatee federal laws when they approvedthe multi-billionb dollar, six-lane tolled outer beltway. Under the the state will help offset the impacts of air pollutiom created bythe 18-mile highway. The will invesy $2 million to reduce air pollution from school buses in Montgomery andPrince George’s counties and instal l monitoring equipment to find out how soot from traffic affectse people near major highways in the D.C.
The New York-based Environmental Defense Fund, in agreed to withdraw its appea l of a September 2007 federal district court ruling that let the highwayget “This settlement will help offset some of the adverse effectd of the on public health,” said John the Environmental Defense Fund’s chief healthu scientist. “It also will provide important data on levelse of fine particulate air pollution near high traffic volumer roadslike I-95. This pollution contributesx topremature death, respiratory diseases, cancer, and hear t disease in children and adults who live, work, or go to school near major highways.
”

Clear: No refunds for members - Orlando Business Journal:

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On its Web blamed its financial condition for its inability to hand out The company shut down its lanes at Orlandop International Airport and other airports on Monday night becausr it failed to come to term s with amajor creditor. New York-based Verified Identitty Pass said earlier this weekit “has been unable to negotiated an agreement with its seniodr creditor to continue operations.” Clear members paid up to $199 for an annual membership for access to designated security lanes at participatin airports nationwide. Members provided biometric data, whicbh was encoded on a card, for the promiss of a speedier and convenient trip throughairport security.
In othed company news, Verified Identity Pass said applicant and member data is currently secured in accordance withthe ’es Security, Privacy and Compliance Standards. It said it will continuer to secure such information and will take appropriate steps to deletethe information.

Cycling facing long climb to regain credibility - The Seattle Times

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Brisbane Times

Cycling facing long climb to regain credibility The Seattle Times Cycling facing long climb to regain credibility. Mired in a crisis caused by the Lance Armstrong doping affair, cycling faces a long uphill trek to regain credibility. By GRAHAM DUNBAR. AP Sports Writer ... WADA chief John Fahey said heads need to role a t UCI for cycling to regain ... Herald Sun Column: Lance Armstrong's downf »

5 Things Mitt Romney Must Do in Tonight's Foreign Policy Debate - U.S. News & World Report (blog)

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U.S. News & World Report (blog)

5 Things Mitt Romney Must Do in Tonight's Foreign Policy Debate U.S. News & World Report (blog) Tonight's final debate should be fought on President Barack Obama's turf. He has the experienceâ€"presidents conduct foreign policy; corporate chieftains, even those at the top of the heap, do not. And he has the re cordâ€"Osama bin Laden is dead, in case ... 5 things to watch for in the presidential debate Boston.com 5 things Obama, Romney must accomplish in foreign policy debate Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog) 5 things to look for: Obama vs. Romney, Round 3 USA TODAY TIME (blog) -Care2.com (blog) -Examiner.com  »

Cheryl Cole joins Girls Aloud in announcing their reunion tour - Examiner.com

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Examiner.com

Cheryl Cole joins Girls Aloud in announcing their reunion tour Examiner.com On October 19, 2012, former "X Factor" judge Cheryl Cole joined her group mates in Girls Aloud at a press conference in London to offici »

3 bank failures bring US 2012 total to 46 - Businessweek

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3 bank failures bring US 2012 total to 46 Businessweek WASHINGTON (AP) â€" Regulators on Friday closed two small banks in Florida and one in Missouri, bringing to 46 the number of U.S. bank failures this year. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. seized GulfSouth Private Bank and First East Side Savings ... and more »

Teksun Pv Manufacturing, Inc. Company Profile | Company Information

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Sustainability is the unifying concept that encompasses such variedf topicsas permaculture, global warming, carbonb loads, greenhouse gases, and renewablew energy. Among the various forms of renewabl energy, solar energy is certainly the best form of being fuel-less, gasless and carbon free. A modern societyh today is built on the underpinning of readily available electric powetr and this is now absolutely required for our civilization to But also aroundthe world, any village or community without electric power remains in un-civilized and literally without light, trapped to subsist in the 'darik ages.' We see an answe in 'sustainability'.
With ever increasinbg demand and scarcity of fossil fuels and their resultantescalatingy prices, this affects social wealth by wideninfg income levels, then creating disparitgy in distribution, diversity, and even social Sustainability is increasingly cited as towns, and regions in advanced industrialo nations ponder their futures in a uncertain world. Before predicting wars fightingg overoil & water reserves, first sustainability offers hope to take us beyonfd these energy strains, on to a societal evolution that will empower our future on to higher Massing awareness, evolving public policies and social movements will accelerater new requirements on our company and othet organizations to operate in more sustainable ways.
...

Spacenet wins Boston Market contract - Denver Business Journal:

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Financial terms of the contract werenot disclosed. The McLean-based subsidiargy of (NASDAQ: GILT) said the new network combinese common carrier and satellite During thepilot phase, Golden, Colo.-based Bostobn Market reported noticeable performance improvementsx with the back office Web applications that supporr its catering services and business reporting. The hybrid network helpzs improve efficiency insupply distribution, payroll and HR Customer Relationship Management systems, catering, and businesds intelligence.
“The new network solution will enable store managers to gettheir back-office work done more quicklt so they can ultimatelt concentrate on running the restauranft and serving customers,” said Gregg director of systems operations at Boston Market, in a statement.

SAHA to spend $14.5 million on local housing project upgrades - Memphis Business Journal:

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million in federal stimulus fundw to repair and upgrade a numbe of publichousing properties. Out of 349 housing authoritiees in Texas that received money from the American Recoveryy andReinvestment Act, San Antonio Housing Authority, or SAHA, received the largestt amount. SAHA is required to use the monehy for capital improvements and all the funds must be spent withinthreew years. “These funds will allow us to make much-needex repairs to our public housing properties and improvee the safety and quality of life for our SAHA President and CEO Lourdes Castro Ramirez Among the properties slated for majo r upgrades is the Lewis Chatham a 119-unit apartment complex for seniors on the city’xs South Side.
Lewis Chatham also will undergp anextensive modernization. In addition, stimulus fundw will be used to upgradethe security, elevators and fire safety at nearly 20 elderlh communities. Other projects will involve replacing fencing, windows, cabinets, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. SAHA Board Chairman Ramiro Cavazos says the agency will encourag e the participation of smalland minority-owned businesses.
“We will also give additional weighr to contractors that commig to actively recruiting employees from the neighborhoods in and around where this workwill occur,” he SAHA will issue requests for proposals to perfor engineering and architectural services related to stimulus-approved Web site: www.saha.org

Challenging times for luxury builder Toll Bros. - Pittsburgh Business Times:

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couldn’t have predicted the sour market when it startede planningthe 87-unit development, called Estatezs at Halfmoon. The model home openefd in mid-January, giving prospective buyers a taste for whatToll Brothers, of Horsham, Pa., does with 3,409 square feet of living Priced at $477,000, the model features a 20-foot vaulted ceiling above the family gourmet kitchen with Energy Star-rated appliances, huge mastere bedroom closet, whirlpool bath, walk-out basement, hardwood floors, crown chair rails, four bedrooms and a three-car On a recent day, contractorx were hydro-seeding the lawn near the whitew vinyl fence surrounding the which measures about two-thirds of an acre.
Many trees have been preservedc onthe 130-acre parcel off Vosburgh Road where the homes will be built. A 15-minute drive from Northway Exit 8A, the planned development is the sortof luxury-meets-conveniencre community that was in high demand during the real estat e boom years of the early 2000s. Theree is still demand today, but it has lesseneds comparedto 2006, the peak year for locak home sales. That year, 511 homesw costing more than $450,00o sold in the region, compared to 390 homed last year, a 23 percent decline, according to the . The overall market is also weaker.
Total sales of new and existinyg homes in the region fell 21 percent in February comparedd to theyear before, and the median price was down 5 to $176,000, according to In Saratoga County, where Estates at Halfmoob is located, total sales were down 17 percent in and the median price fell 9 percentg to $230,000. Toll Brothers officials know they’rse trying to sell a new brand and producrt in the region at a time when people are concernedx about their jobs and theoverall economy. Many buyersz are also reluctant to sell their existint homes today becausethey don’t believe they will get as much as the propertgy is worth.
The companh touts the quality of its homes as its mainsellinbg point. Some local contractors declinee to work for Toll because of the rigorous stipulationes inits contracts, said Jonathan Hove, senior projecgt manager. Every few weeks, someone from the corporate offic e visits all the construction sites to do athorough inspection. They check every detail, from the craftsmanship of the crown moldingf towhether there’s any dust on the boiledr in the basement, he The model home in Halfmoon has drawn an averag e of 20 visitors per week since it opened, Hove So far, three sales contracts have been signed.
The companty expects it will take four yearsd to sell and build all of the Toll Brothers sees the Capital Region as a safe harbo inthe nation’s stormy housing market. Althoughg fewer homes are selling median prices fell by only 1 percentlast “There are markets in the Southwest that have seen a 40 percent depreciation in values,” Hove said. Toll Brothers TOL) has been hit hard by the downturn. The companh posted its first loss infiscal 2008, $297.8 after 22 consecutive profitable The slower pace of sales has forced Toll Brothers to cut the numbert of developments it’s building.
The companuy expects to end the 2009 fiscal year with abourt255 developments, down 22 percent from a peak of 325 developments in the secondx quarter of 2007. Daniel Oppenheim of said in an analyst’s report that the sales environmentf in keymarkets “remains challenged” for Toll Brothers and that a recengt 3.99 percent mortgage promotion didn’t spur many

Seattle tech firms anticipate Windows 7 opportunities - South Florida Business Journal:

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And it’s banking on ’w Windows 7 to help make it Thestrategy isn’t without risk, as evidenced by the troubled tenure of the currenrt Windows Vista operating system. But the industryu is looking at Windows 7 as a fresh andIdentityMine isn’t the only one hitching its businesz to the new version of Microsoft’s flagshi p program. Windows 7’s upcoming releasde is creating a glimmer of hope in an otherwise gloomhytechnology market.
PC makers, chip manufacturers, software companies, technology service providers and otheres have begun to gear up for thereleas — particularly following Microsoft’s announcement May 11 that Windowa 7 will debut this year, in time for the criticakl holiday shopping season. “It’s going to brinyg a huge amountof awareness,” said Lu Silverstein, IdentityMine’sw senior vice president of products and services, discussing Windowzs 7’s new touch technologies. Silverstein, who came from Microsoft last cited the marketing blitz that accompanies a bigWindowws release. Other companies are thinkinh along thesame lines.
The potential business benefitsa of Windows 7 have come up repeatedlhy in recent conference news releases and regulatory filings from such companiezs as PCmaker Dell; business technology firms and sound company ; and chip maker s , Nvidia, and AMD; among In many cases, the expectecd benefit comes from improved technologies undeer the hood in Windows 7 that will work with advance software or components from those companies.
For better graphics technologies in Windows 7 could boostg demand for dedicated graphics processors by generatintg new interest in a bettertvisual experience, AMD executiv e Bob Rivet told Wall Street analysts in according to a transcript of the conference Similarly, IdentityMine expects to benefit from Windowsx 7’s support for multi-toucjh technologies — the abilityu to use multiple fingers on a as a supplement or replacemenr for a traditional keyboarsd and mouse.
IdentityMine’s expertise in that area begann with early work on specialized applicationsefor Microsoft’s Surface tabletop It’s now working with other companies and software offering its “Gesture Engine” to build touch featuresx into Microsoft Surface and Windows 7 programs. The company hasn’tg been adding staff in anticipationn ofWindows 7’s release, but the related business has helpee keep its employment levels steady this year which is increasingly rare in the down IdentityMine has 68 full-time employees, 38 of them in Washingtonm . Some in the industry hope interest in Windowd 7 will fuelPC sales.
Windows 7 could “be an important catalyst for growth,” Dell CEO Michael Dell told analysts in February. That would put the new operating system somewhere ahead of Windows Vist a but still well behind the blockbuster Windows 95 in termse of impact onthe personal-computer market. The big wild card is the Worldwide PC shipments were down 7 percent in the first as the difficult economy put a crimlpon purchases, according to market-research firm IDC . And not everyonw is convinced Windows 7 will liftPC purchases.
“o do not think there is any pent-upo demand with respect to the (Windows 7) release, and so it is not havinv any effect on ourbusiness whatsoever,” said Kristij Rogers, vice president of marketing for catalog retailer , duringv a May 6 conference call with “A new operating syste hasn’t moved the market for a long agreed Matt Rosoff, an analyst at the Kirkland-basec Directions on Microsoft research saying he generally doesn’t expect Windows 7 to make peoplre buy new computers at a fastetr rate than they otherwise would have. Among computer there does seem to be demand forWindows 7, said Jon Bach, president of , an Auburn-base d custom computer maker.
Many of them want a modern operating system that can work effectivelywith 64-bitg microprocessors, which can handle far more memorhy than 32-bit chips. But because of Windows Vista’w negative reputation, many computer users and companies haveavoidede it, sticking with Windows XP for now. Windowsd 7 will probably be a “triggerr point” for many tech enthusiasts to buy machines with the new operatinysystem pre-installed, Bach said.
For Microsoft, at least, Windowsd 7 offers a chance at After a seriesof delays, Windoww Vista fell flat upon its January 2007 retaipl launch — experiencing widespread softwarre and hardware compatibility problems that kept many businesses and consumerws from upgrading.

Determining the Composition of Microbial Populations - Kansas City infoZine

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Determining the Composition of Microbial Populations Kansas City infoZine Differing contributions of freshwater from glaciers and streams to the Arctic and Southern oceans appear to be responsible for the fact that the majority of microbial communities that thrive near the surface at the Poles share few common members ... and more »

M&A slow, but may be ready to bust out - Business First of Buffalo:

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The problem is getting seller to close. “I’m seeinb a very unusual situation, one that I can’rt recall ever happening before,” said Ned president of in Denver and an attorneuy who specializesin M&A transactions. “Contrary to what you read and there is money available for Main Streetacquisitions ... Good companie s will sell for verygood prices, even in tough economic “But I’m mystified because when I explai n all of this to business owners ... I can’yt make them come to a decision. They’rde just absolutely paralyzed.
” Part of the problem, Minor believes, is that sellerds are hoping if they wait anotheersix months, the economy will improvd and they’ll get a higher price. Buyers are skittish, too, accordingv to Hendrik Jordaan, a partner at in Denver. Most are puttingy far more of their own equity into deals than they were ayear ago, and aren’ty certain how regulation will change under the Obam a administration and Democrat-controlled Congress. “One of the reasons that we continue to see things beintg slow to move today is that investors are concerned that the regulatorhlandscape hasn’t settled,” Jordaan said.
“Nobodyh knows what’s going to happem with health care, or what kind of regulation is goingt to ripple through thefinancial industry. “When you’r e talking to investors, they’re saying ‘look, untilk we have certainty and clarity on what the rulea of the game are goingto be, so we can reallhy start modeling our returns, we’re hesitant to deplog capital.’ I think you’r e going to start seeing capita move ... in the second half of 2010.” A totao of 38 deals closed in Colorado inthe April-through-Juned quarter, down from 61 closings in the second quarted of last year, according to data obtainef from , a Santz Monica, Calif.
-based provider of M&A Many Colorado deals probably are missed by FactSet’se researchers, who tend to concentrate on high-priced transactionsz or those involving large companies. Altogether, the dealx tracked by FactSet were worth at least $408 million. But purchase price was reported for only five or 13 percent of total Ayear ago, price was revealed for roughlg one-third of the quarter’s transactions. Average deal size, based on five deals, was roughly $82 That compares with $117 million a year ago.
“We’res seeing a pickup in activity, albeitf slight, as measured by transaction inquiries and potential pitcheson deals,” said Michae l Franson, president of St. Charles a Denver-based investment banking firm. “We’rre quite busy, but getting deals done is difficult. The deal mortalityg rate, on the technology is higher than it has been since the last slumpwe had, sincre the tech bubble burst.” The pending sunset of Bush administration tax cuts at the end of 2010 likel will begin to influence sellers soon, Fransonj and others said.
Most people expect the federalp capital gains tax to increase from its curreny maximum rate of28 percent, reducinb sellers’ after-tax profit compared with what they would keep now. “Ifd you have a capital gains the implied multiple that you have to get is much higher than it is Franson said. “So it’s going to drivse sellers intothe marketplace. We believes that 2010 is going to be a very active year forthe M&Aq markets.” Based on Colorado deals for whicgh a price is known, the largest second-quarterr deal by far was Fort Collins-based Co.’es (NASDAQ: WGOV) $356 million acquisition in Apri of , a Santa Calif.
-based maker of motion control systems for aircraft, helicopters, spacecraft and other vehicles. Meanwhile, San Diego-based BKBO) bought of Broomfielsd in May fornearly $16 ColdSpark makes platforms for business email processinvg and delivery. (NASDAQ: FLIR) of Oregon boughrt , a Colorado Springs-based make r of high-performance digital for $13 million in June. Other transactionsz lacked a knownpurchase price, but were interestingg nonetheless. For instance, Wayne Lumpkin — foundere of Avid, a brake maked that was sold to Chicago-based SRAM in 2004 acquired a majority stakre inSpot Brand, a Golden-based bicycle in June. GlobeImmune, based in forged a deal in Maywith Summit, N.J.
-baseds (NASDAQ: CELG) that grants Celgene an exclusive option to all of its oncology producg candidates, in return for a $40 millio n upfront payment. Although the deal was not, strictly speaking, a merger or it turned up on FactSet’s Denver-based , parent of , acquired a Los Angeles investmenytadvisory business, GKM Advisers LLC, in April. It was Firstt Western’s third Los Angeles acquisition in less than12 months. A largwe deal that doesn’t appearr on FactSet’s data is Denver-basede ’s acquisition of four John Deere Constructio n and Forestry dealerships fromin May. Purchase price wasn’rt revealed, but Honnen Equipment Co.
President Mark Honnen has characterize it asa “nine-digit” number, or somewhere in the hundreds of milliones of dollars.

Empower named among 'best to work for' - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

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The group had its 57th annual conference and expositiohn inSan Diego, namingt 25 small companies and 25 mid-sized firmes that scored well on detailed employe surveys measuring satisfaction and productivity. Empower ranke d fourth in the nation inthe small-business category, earning kudosx for sharing financial data and having an open communication policy, not to mention a host of perks, includinvg employee appreciation days, an awardds program that rewards great ideas and free Starbucks "This award speaks to our company's culture, valued and success," said Empower COO Lynne Veil.
"It is gratifying to be recognized as a leaderr in these areas by experts in human resource This is the secondr year the Society for Humanh Resource Management rated smalland mid-sized companieds in its competition. The group calls itselv the world's largest association devoted to human resource management, with some 200,000 members. Basedd in Mount Adams, Empower is a media-buying agencu whose clients include (NYSE: CBB), (NYSE: DKS), and .

Wichita State volleyball maintains mastery of Indiana State - Kansas.com

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Kansas.com

Wichita State volleyball maintains mastery of Indiana State Kansas.com Indiana State vs. Wichita State is an historic volleyball mismatch and nothing changed on Saturday at Koch Arena. WSU methodically swept aside the Sycamores for its 21st straight win in the series. The Shockers (13-5, 6-2 Missouri Valley Conference) ... and more »

An epidemic of speeding on Staten Island - SILive.com

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SILive.com

An epidemic of speeding on Staten Island SILive.com Stuck behind a car deliberately driven at the speed limit, motorists in a hurry resorted to honking horns, changing lanes and speeding by - often making their frustrations known with shouts and gestures. “Just about every day on every street on Staten ... and more »

Urban farming in Chicago: 1500 plants seized at outdoor pot farm - Los Angeles Times

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CBS News

Urban farming in Chicago: 1500 plants seized at outdoor pot farm Los Angeles Times City planners, nutritionists and others have been pushing urban farming in recent years, but the movement appears to have taken a different twist in Chicago. Police there have seized about 1,500 plants worth as much as $10 million from an outdoor ... Chicag o police find a pot farm in the city with 1500 plants The Seattle Times Chicago Marijuana Field: About 1500 pot plants worth $10 million found growing ... CBS News Pot plants as t »

COBRA has taken on new bite in today

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The new federal administration already has enacted sweepingt changes toemployment laws. The appointmeng of labor activist Hilda Solis as our 25th Secretaryyof Labor, passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and promotionj of the Employee Free Choice Act make it clear that employerd — particularly small businesses which traditionallty struggle with government compliance — are in for a bumpy ride. Human resource labor attorneys and smallk business owners are working feverishly to keep up withthese changes. This is the firsft in a series of articles to help employere understand and comply with new regulations coming outof Washington, D.C.
Firstt on the list: Unprecedented governmentt subsidies forCOBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) coverag under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act, also knownn as the stimulus bill. Most business owners thinl of the stimulus bill as a meand to stimulate our economy so they can grow thei r businesses and access newfunding sources. A closeer look, however, reveals some downsides. For employers now bear the brunt of the complezxand time-consuming administrative tasks required to deliver unprecedented government subsidies to pay for healtbh insurance for unemployed workers.
COBRA was passed in 1986 as a way to preveny the unemployed from becoming uninsured while out of The problemis that, in many unemployed workers can’t afford the premiums. The stimulus bill aims to help unemployerd workers pay for coverage by providin g a government subsidy equal to 65 percent of COBRA premiums. While the COBRA subsidy is a generous offeer onthe government’s part, it requires significantt administration.
Employers are responsible for determining who qualifies for the notifying those whoare eligible, collecting the employee’s share of the premium, funding the government’s then recouping the government’s shard through a credit to their federal payroll tax liabilities. Employers also are required to account for the subsidhy on their quarterly 941 payroll tax If the subsidy exceedsthe employer’x federal payroll tax liability, the employe must file for a refund. Starting with the firsg coverage period on orafteer Feb. 17, 2009, employersz must: • Inform all COBRA-eligible employees that were involuntarily separated from employmentbetween Sept. 1, 2008, and Dec.
31, of their eligibility for the • Renotify COBRA-eligible employees who were involuntarily separatedr on orafter Sept. 1, 2008, who declined COBRA coverage prior to the availabilit y ofthe subsidy; • Ensure each COBRA-eligiblse employee and/or their qualified beneficiaries receive the 65 percent subsidyg for up to nine You don’t have to be an HR expert to recogniz the workload that this place on employers. And while COBRq applies only to employers with 20 or more the subsidy applies to State Continuation coveragas well, which includesz even the smallest employers in Texas and othetr states where it has been adopted. For additionao details, visit www .odysseyonesource.
com/COBRA or consult your employedebenefits adviser. Complicated enough? Unfortunately, this is just the tip of the Watch for my next articl e to learn how the Lilly Ledbette r Fair Pay Act dramaticallyincreasesx employers’ liability for claims related to discriminatoryh compensation practices and what you can do to protectt your business.

Romney Says Debates About 'Something Bigger' Than Who Scores the Punches - ABC News (blog)

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ABC News (blog)

Romney Says Debates About 'Something Bigger' Than Who Scores the Punches ABC News (blog) “And there's going to be  »