OVERVIEW

Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), a covered entity that experiences a ransomware attack or other cyber-related security incident must take immediate steps to prevent or mitigate any impermissible release of protected health information (PHI).

The Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has issued a checklist to help HIPAA-covered entities determine the specific steps they must take in the event of a data breach.

This document outlines those steps and provides general information regarding which entities are subject to HIPAA and the type of data that must be protected under the law.

ACTION STEPS

Employers that are subject to HIPAA should become familiar with the OCR’s checklist and other guidance for preventing and responding to cyber security breaches involving PHI. These employers should also ensure that they have procedures and contingency plans in place for responding to and mitigating the effects of any potential breach. Read More

Massage provides relief to people of all ages and from all walks of life—competitive athletes to home gardeners to overworked executives. As a therapy, massage addresses a variety of health conditions, the most prevalent being stress-related tension, which is believed to contribute to many illnesses and diseases.

Health Benefits

Massage involves the manipulation of your muscles and other soft tissues. It helps to release chronic muscular tension and pain, improve circulation, increase joint flexibility, reduce mental and physical fatigue and stress, promote faster healing of injured muscular tissue, improve posture and lower blood pressure.

How it Works

Massage is a drug-free and non-invasive treatment approach based on the body’s natural ability to heal itself. It helps relieve stress and tension that can lead to disease, illness and injury. Massage works by increasing your circulation, thereby allowing your body to pump more oxygen and nutrients to its vital tissues and organs. It also stimulates your lymphatic system, which is your body’s natural defense against infection.

Types of Massage

There are many different types of massage. Techniques vary depending on theory and origin. For instance, Eastern massage techniques—Shiatsu, Reiki and Reflexology—focus on the body’s energy and energy flow. These techniques generally deliver an emotional or spiritual effect. Western massage therapy techniques—including Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage and Sports Massage, focus on the anatomical understandings of the body. These techniques deliver stronger physical effects, such as pain relief. Read more

IBM, one of the industry’s leaders in the introduction of telecommuting, announced in May 2017 that it will be ending this benefit for many of its employees.

Despite IBM’s change in policy, many other companies still reap the rewards of allowing employees to work remotely. If your organization decides that telecommuting would be beneficial to your company and its employees, be sure to create a comprehensive policy outlining expectations and considerations, and educate your employees on best practices for working from home. Read More

In May, the House of Representatives passed the Working Families Flexibility Act (also known as H.R. 1180). If approved, H.R. 1180 would authorize private employers to offer compensatory time off instead of overtime pay for nonexempt employees who work more than 40 hours per week. H.R. 1180 still needs approval from the Senate and the executive branch before it becomes law.

Specifically, H.R. 1180 proposes that compensatory time off be calculated at the rate of 1.5 hours of compensatory time off for every hour of overtime work. As it stands, H.R. 1180 would expire within five years of its enactment. In addition, the bill would limit the amount of compensatory time off eligible employees may receive to 160 hours. Read More