Benefits Manager

Renewed worries about the health of the job market weighed on stocks Thursday after the government reported an unexpected jump in unemployment claims.

Prudential Financial Inc. on Wednesday said that its first-quarter profit rose 10 percent as sales of its insurance products and annuities increased and investment income rose.

NEW YORK (AP) — CVS Caremark Corp. said Thursday that its first-quarter net income fell nearly 8 percent as its pharmacy benefits management business continued to report lower profits.

New Hawaii government employees will work more years, contribute higher amounts toward their pensions and get paid less after retirement, according to sweeping proposed changes to the state's underfunded pension system.

Self-insurance is the most cost-effective way for employers to provide health benefits, according to a new white paper from the Healthcare Performance Management (HPM) Institute.

A poll shows that almost half of small-business employers are optimistic about economic improvement this year. This is a cautious optimism, however, as the majority also expressed concern about revenue and hiring plans for the next six months.

The Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department want to know how they can effectively work with employers on a provision under the Affordable Care Act that requires employers with 50 or more full-time employees to make a “shared responsibility payment” if they don’t offer affordable health coverage.

Proposed cuts to pension payouts and health care would save Detroit about $120 million annually over four years and help leave the city with a budget surplus of $89 million, according to Mayor Dave Bing's deficit elimination plan.