PRODUCTS -
March 16, 2010
Vanguard Adds New Actively Managed Stock Fund
March 16, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Vanguard is adding to its family of 30 actively managed stock funds the Vanguard Explorer Value Fund, which focuses primarily on stocks of small and medium-size U.S. companies.
RULES/REGS -
March 16, 2010
Employee's Own Testimony Can Help Prove FMLA Eligibility
March 16, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – A federal appellate court has ruled that an employee's own testimony can be used in conjunction with medical evidence to prove eligibility for Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave.
HR/BENEFITS -
March 16, 2010
Recession Causes Confusion over How to Save for Retirement
March 16, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – A survey from COUNTRY Financial reveals that 41% of respondents report they are more confused about how to save for retirement after weathering the recession.
HR/BENEFITS -
March 16, 2010
Could the PPA Have Hurt Corporate Pensions' Recovery?
March 16, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – A new analysis suggest that passage of the Pension Protection Act in 2006 led corporate plan sponsors to turn away from equities during the economic downturn and therefore not reap the benefits of the subsequent market recovery.
FINANCE -
March 16, 2010
Financial Engines Opens NASDAQ - Remotely
March 16, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – A firm perhaps still best known for its online advice will celebrate its initial public offering (IPO) by ringing the NASDAQ opening bill - online.
PEOPLE -
March 16, 2010
TMRS Taps Gavia as Executive Director
March 16, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Ultimately, the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) Board didn’t have to look far for its new Executive Director.
PRODUCTS -
March 16, 2010
New Option Designed to Help Retirement Income be “Shown, Known and Guaranteed”
March 16, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Plan sponsors looking for a retirement income solution have another option to consider.
HR/BENEFITS -
March 16, 2010
Employers Say Health Care Reform Won't Improve Costs
March 16, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – A recent survey finds employers generally support health care reform efforts, but have little faith the current effort will improve costs.
HR/BENEFITS -
March 16, 2010
TRIVIAL PURSUITS: Where Is The Land of Hanah Lee?
March 16, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The song “Puff the Magic Dragon” has long been said to have drug references, including the reference to a land called Hanah Lee – which turns out to be a reference to a real place.
RULES/REGS -
March 16, 2010
Senate Passes Bill to Expand 401(k) Roth Access, But…
March 16, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A legislative amendment could make it easier for participants to do a Roth conversion within a 401(k) plan – but not for as many as you might have thought.
PRODUCTS -
March 15, 2010
ftwilliam.com joins Wolters Kluwer Portfolio
March 15, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Wolters Kluwer Law & Business has acquired ftwilliam.com.
PRODUCTS -
March 15, 2010
Matrix Financial Solutions to Offer Same-day ETF Trading
March 15, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Matrix Financial Solutions, a provider of retirement products and services to third party administrators (TPAs), financial advisers, banks, and wealth management professionals, has announced that it will make ETFs eligible for retirement plan trading on its platform.
MARKETS -
March 15, 2010
ETFs Rebound from Bad Start in 2010
March 15, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - After steep outflows of roughly $16.7 billion in January, exchange-traded funds attracted net inflows of more than $4.6 billion in February, according to the Morningstar Direct Fund Flows Update.
MARKETS -
March 15, 2010
U.S. Stock Funds Get Snubbed in February
March 15, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Excluding domestic-stock funds, every other major asset class took in assets in February, according to the Morningstar Direct Fund Flows Update.
HR/BENEFITS -
March 15, 2010
Detroit Enforces Policy on Scents after Settling Lawsuit
March 15, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Detroit officials announced plans to place placards in three city buildings detailing scented products to avoid due to a settlement in a federal lawsuit filed by a city planner in 2008 and settled last month.
HR/BENEFITS -
March 15, 2010
IL Lawmakers Propose Shift to DC Plans for State Employees
March 15, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Illinois' five state defined benefit pension plans would be closed to new hires under a proposal by Republican gubernatorial hopeful Senator Bill Brady.
PRODUCTS -
March 15, 2010
Schwab Offers Four PIMCO Muni Bond Strategies
March 15, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. is expanding its fixed income offerings with four Municipal Bond Ladder Separately Managed Account (SMA) strategies managed by PIMCO.
PEOPLE -
March 15, 2010
Russell to Expand Global Alternatives Team
March 15, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Russell Investments is expanding its manager research and consulting advisory services globally in an effort to deepen capabilities in less traditional strategies such as active commodities, private investments, and higher-alpha-driven strategies.
FINANCE -
March 15, 2010
Target-date Funds Fare Well, but Disclosure Could Improve
March 15, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Morningstar's 2010 Target-Date Series Industry Survey finds target-date funds are performing well and becoming increasingly popular, but there is still room for improvement.
HR/BENEFITS -
March 15, 2010
A Little 'Madness' Can Boost Morale
March 15, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – A recent survey by OfficeTeam revealed that 41% of managers say March Madness activities, such as watching game highlights or engaging in friendly competitions, have a positive effect on employee morale.