How defined-contribution health insurance plans might alter health insurance benefits will be a central focus of a meeting of The Business Council's Labor and Human Resources Committee Tuesday, Dec. 4, in Manhattan.

The committee will meet from 10 a.m-2 p.m. at the office of Milliman USA at 1 Penn Plaza on the 38th floor, directly above Penn Station.

The meeting agenda includes:

• A discussion of defined-benefit health insurance plans, which will be led by a principal from Milliman USA, one of the nation's leading actuarial firms and benefits consultants.

Defined-contribution health insurance plans are benefit plans that define how much the employer will contribute to the benefit, and leave decisions about what to buy to the employee. Increasing use of defined contribution plans is widely regarded as one likely result of continuing dramatic increases in health insurance costs.

This discussion will cover the features of such plans, their advantages and disadvantages, and obstacles and challenges to implementing them.

• A report from Gina Lopez, general counsel for the state Human Rights Division, on the division's activities and on issues of interest to HR professionals.
  
  
• A discussion of legal issues related to employee background checks and workplace investigations by John Bagyi, an attorney with Bond, Schoeneck & King. He will discuss issues related to background checks, workplace monitoring of voicemail and e-mail, and investigations of workplace misconduct. He will also review steps employers can consider to ensure that their workplaces are safe for employees, customers and clients.
  
  
• A broad discussion of the committee's proposed legislative program for 2002.