We Wonder Why We're Not Competitive

I was witness to an interesting and sad event recently. A friend of mine works for a small company, less than 10 employees, in the professional services field. This small business provides their employees with a good benefit plan which includes health, dental, disability and a retirement plan. The employer pays for it all. However, somebody somewhere is not happy. This small employer was recently visited, they did receive advanced notice, by a Department of Labor "auditor" who spent a day and a half combing through all manner of Benefit booklets, contracts, documents, notices, etc. ... A day and a half.... The stated reason for this "friendly visit", which was said to be totally random, was to check compliance with ERISA and HIPAA regulations...for a small business employing less then 10 citizens and providing BENEFITS to its employees AT NO CHARGE TO THE EMPLOYEES!!!! And for this the employer got to spend a DAY AND A HALF being scrutinized for compliance with Federal Regulations that are so ponderous (like COBRA) and numerous scarcely any company in AMERICA is in compliance ever (ok, this is my long-term observation with little scientific data supporting). The "auditor" was pleasant enough in the carrying out of the "duty". The net result, so far, is a letter, forthcoming, that will detail several, or many, deficiencies in one or more aspects of the Small Employer's Benefit Plan documentation, notification, explanation to it's employees. Most, if not all, of this stuff is supposed to be in the Plan Documents provided to the employer/employees by the appropriate insurance company. However, the "auditor" indicated that some of the Insurance Company provided documentation/notification may not be complete or in "total" compliance with Federal Regs. A parting word of caution was issued that if steps weren't taken to come into full compliance by the Small Business other agencies may be called in...like the IRS.
Now I am all in favor of employers treating employees "fairly".... but if the Insurance Company can't follow the Federal Regs shouldn't the Fed come down on them??? Why put any additional burden on the SMALL BUSINESS that is trying to provide its employees with BENEFITS??? So for me the net result of this lunacy is.......

NO EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PROGRAM!!!! CANCEL THE SUCKER AND LET ALL EMPLOYEES GET BENEFITS ON THEIR OWN. IF THE CAN. AND IF THEY CAN'T...APPLY FOR A GOVERNMENT JOB "AUDITING" SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE TRYING TO PROVIDE THEIR EMPLOYEES WITH SOME BENEFITS.

The more I think about this the more upset I become....It's our BIG GOVERNMENT constantly trying to 'take care of us" that is helping to put us under....We DON"T need them to do all of this, usually very poorly. You want to run the space program...fine (although it would probably be better run if it were private)...you want to deliver letters, ok ( i usually use email or ups or fedex)

... you want to "protect" and "defend" the Nation (start with our own borders).... Oh...I gotta go now as I feel I am hitting the point of no return...I will take it up again later.

until then...if lucky...

the boojang

Free Again

Well, after several weeks of being "BLOG-LOCKED" I guess I have been found "NOT A SPAMMER OR HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH". I do appreciate being back up.
There have been several issues on my mind during this "down-time". I will bust the Boojang out tomorrow....right now I am exhausted from listening to another round of "tax-the-rich" crap.
Why don't we just make it illegal to be rich. Then we wouldn't have the dirty, rotten bastards around anymore. Let's set a cap on income. Oh...we already have....it's called income tax...

back later.............

sleep well in America

Boojang