BF_HR FINANCE LINK_ Penton Media March 13, 2009 Issue #1 If you want to view this on the web go to: http://enews.penton.com/enews/businessfinance/v/155 ---------------------------------------- ADVERTISEMENT The Big Fat Finance Blog Now more than ever, finance professionals are specializing in multiple disciplines. To better meet this demand for more knowledge, Business Finance introduces The Big Fat Finance Blog, where finance professionals can now engage our bloggers and editors in multiple disciplines. To join the conversation visit us at http://bigfatfinanceblog.com ---------------------------------------- TODAY'S ALERTS --Are Target Funds the 401(k) Panacea? Public policy debates about the nation's retirement system will rage this year as legislators consider the impact of the drop in value of equity investments in workers' 401(k) balances. To view the full article go to: http://bigfatfinanceblog.com/2009/02/26/are-target-funds-the-401k-panacea/ --NFL Commish Roger Goodell's Ideas on Making Sure People Are Held Accountable Employees sometimes lie to get what they need, but companies rarely hold them accountable. So what is the key to reducing the lies that people present in business cases? According to Roger Goodell, commissioner of the National Football League, "The most important thing is to take decisive action." Goodell says this sends a message that you're going to enforce the rules. To view the full article go to: http://bigfatfinanceblog.com/2009/02/24/nfl-commish-roger-goodells-ideas-on-making-sure-people-are-held-accountable/ --Tips for Crafting a Stellar Career Thirty years as a finance pro with the same company? It can be done, and Patricia Cochran, CFO of vision benefits provider VSP, is the proof. In a recent interview with Business Finance blogger Steve Player, Cochran offered these tips for a long, successful career in finance. To view the full article go to: http://businessfinancemag.com/article/tips-crafting-stellar-career-0225 --Are Layoffs Really Over? A new survey by Watson Wyatt suggests that there may be hope for workforce reduction survivors -- it appears that the worst of company layoffs is history. But history has a way of repeating itself. To view the full article go to: http://bigfatfinanceblog.com/2009/03/02/are-layoffs-really-over/ --Leave Wall Street and Join a Start-up These days, jobs with start-ups are more stable than those on Wall Street, according to Josh Kopelman, founder of Half.com and managing director of First Round Capital. While you may take a pay cut when joining a start-up, there are other benefits, like stock options and the chance to participate in the creation of something new. To view the full article go to: http://bigfatfinanceblog.com/2009/02/22/leave-wall-street-and-join-a-start-up/ --Stimulus Act Extends Reach of Health Privacy Law The economic stimulus package included changes to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that might trouble employers. The new law extends direct enforcement of medical record privacy to any person or entity that could be defined as a business associate and requires notification of individuals whose medical records are jeopardized in a security breach, which could lead to more litigation down the road. To view the full article go to: http://bigfatfinanceblog.com/2009/03/11/stimulus-act-extends-reach-of-health-privacy-law/ --Budget Proposal Includes Low-Profile Benefits Issues Health care is at the forefront of the benefits debate, but there are other pieces of the employee benefits pie worthy of attention, such as proposals on federal wage reporting and direct-deposit IRAs. To view the full article go to: http://bigfatfinanceblog.com/2009/03/09/budget-proposal-includes-low-profile-benefits-issues/ --Older Workers Take Bigger 401(k) Hit Older workers have been particularly hard hit by the financial crisis, primarily because they don't have the necessary time to earn back the money they lost. According to a report from the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), 401(k) participants' losses were largely determined by their account balance, age, and job tenure. Those with low account balances (most likely younger workers) relative to contributions experienced minimal losses, but those with more than $200,000 in account balances (most likely older workers who had been in the plan for a long time) had an average loss of more than 25 percent. To view the full article go to: http://bigfatfinanceblog.com/2009/02/24/gold-watches-go-the-way-of-the-dinosaur/ --Survey: Planning and Forecasting in Tumultuous Times How far ahead can companies peer into the economic gloom? How are budgeting processes holding up in the downturn? Help us find out by participating in this 10-minute survey. If you respond by April 3, you will have the opportunity to enter into a drawing for one of two $100 Visa gift cards. To view the full article go to: http://insidepenton.com/research/er/BF/bfpaf2009.htm --Hear Robert Kaplan Discuss Strategy for Measurable Benefits The 6th Annual BPM Summit, Generating Value Through Visibility, brought together some of the business world's foremost practitioners to explore the transformational role of finance in the enterprise. If you missed the live event, you can still enjoy unlimited access to the audio and slide shows from the keynote speaker presentations at our on-demand archive. To view the full article go to: http://bpmmag.net/summit/2008/ ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER To unsubscribe click here http://email.businessfinancemag.com/webforms/newsletter/unsub/?email=#email#&lid=#list_id#&mid=#message_id# Copyright 2008, Business Finance (a Penton Media Publication) 249 West 17th Street (3rd Floor) New York, NY 10011 http://www.businessfinancemag.com