BARGAINING PRIORITIES FOR EMPLOYERS

Employers report that they will seek employee concessions on health benefits, job security provisions and contractual limitations on outsourcing and contracting out. The employers' responses were gathered by the Bureau of National Affairs and appear in its 20th annual Employer Bargaining Objectives. For more information, visit http://www.bna.com/promotions/emplbarg.

BILL WOULD LIMIT SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER USE

Rep. Clay Shaw (R-Fla.) reintroduced the Social Security Number Privacy and Identity Theft Prevention Act (H.R. 1745) April 20 that would rein in the use of Social Security numbers. The bill has bipartisan support.

Among the measure's provisions is a prohibition against federal, state and local governments from displaying Social Security numbers on identification cards and badges issued to employees. It also would prohibit federal, state and local governments from employing prisoners in jobs that give them access to Social Security numbers.

E-MAILS DIDN'T VIOLATE HATCH ACT, BOARD SAYS

Saying the e-mails amounted to the electronic equivalent of casual office conversations, the Merit Systems Protection Board ruled that two Social Security Administration employees didn't violate the federal Hatch Act when they sent politically charged e-mails to more than two dozen co-workers from their office computers, the Washington Post reported April 27. One worker forwarded an e-mail titled "Why I am Supporting John Kerry for President." The other worker forwarded an e-mail urging people to vote for President Bush.

". . . an expression of personal opinion does not constitute political activity merely because it is disseminated to two dozen individuals with one or several computer keystrokes," according to the opinion.

2005 EMPLOYEE BENEFITS REPORT OUT

Workplace Economics Inc., based in Washington, D.C., released its 2005 State Employee Benefits Survey in April. Among its findings: 13 states pay the full premium for individual coverage, down from 15 states in last year's report. Four states-New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon and Rhode Island-provide family coverage at no cost to the employee, down from five states in 2004. In four states, employee premiums are based on salary. Those states are Illinois, Kansas, New Mexico and West Virginia.

The report also covers such benefits as vacation and sick leave, pre-tax flexible spending accounts and retiree healthcare coverage. To order the survey, visit http://www.workplaceeconomicas.com. The report reflects policies in effect as of Jan. 1, 2005.