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E-Flex Coalition Launches Effort to Simplify ACA Employer Reporting Requirements

Last week, ASA and its partners in the Employers for Flexibility in Health Care (E-Flex) coalition met with officials from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service to begin detailed discussions regarding the employer reporting obligations under the Affordable Care Act. These obligations will affect the information systems that staffing firms will have to have in place by Jan. 1, 2014, to be ready for full implementation of the law Jan. 1, 2015.

The coalition’s goal is to simplify and streamline the employer information reporting requirements by offering flexibility to employers of different sizes and structures and options for how they can comply with the law’s requirements. Today the coalition sent a letter to the secretaries of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Labor.

Because the employer responsibility (“play or pay”) provisions and employer reporting provisions are integrally linked, the coalition will seek refinements and clarifications of the employer responsibility provisions as the employer reporting requirements develop. The reporting rules are expected to be issued this summer for public comment, which should allow time for staffing firms to implement their information systems during the 2014 “practice” year. ASA will offer dedicated workshops on those and other ACA issues at Staffing World® 2013, Oct. 8–10 in Orlando, FL.

Elastic Numbers Make It Hard to Get a Handle on the Economy

New York Times (08/03/13) Jeff Sommer

The economic data released by the federal government last week shed scant light on the health of the economy. The U.S. Department of Labor revised job creation figures downward from 195,000 in both May and June to 176,000 for May and 188,000 for June, yet the unemployment rate in July fell to 7.4% from 7.6% in June. Separately, gross domestic product numbers released Wednesday point to an ailing economy.

However, something is wrong with the numbers, which are malleable. The tepid GDP outlook is difficult to reconcile with the decline in the unemployment rate we’ve been seeing, says Joseph G. Carson, director of global economic research at AllianceBernstein. “Growth in the private sector, which has been running at 3.3%, probably helps to explain the drop in the jobless rate,” he says. He contends the overall GDP figures aren’t yet reflecting reality and that GDP growth over the last two years has been more robust than reported. “I think the economy will be picking up [in the second half of the year], and the numbers will start to show that.”

Meet Industry Suppliers at Staffing World® 2013

Staffing World 2013, Oct. 8—10 in Orlando, is the ASA annual convention and expo—and the best place to meet with leading industry suppliers.

At the largest, most comprehensive industry expo anywhere, you can explore the products and services you need to hone your firm’s competitive edge. Test products, compare services, and make deals. Review the expo hall floorplan and get ready to shop.

Plus, Staffing World delivers world-class keynote speakers, a range of education sessions, and top-level networking opportunities. Visit staffingworld.org to register today.

Join ASA Today and Save

Among the top benefits of joining ASA right now is instant access to the most credible, industry-specific information available regarding the Affordable Care Act and what staffing firms need to be doing right now to prepare. Plus, ASA members receive a discounted rate when registering for Staffing World® 2013, Oct. 8-10 in Orlando, where ASA will deliver even more ACA-related information especially for staffing firms.

Join ASA today and start reaping the benefits. Contact the ASA membership team at 703-253-2020 or asa@americanstaffing.net.