Labor Department report indicates more benefits offered in 2011

There's good news in the first report of 2012 from the Idaho Department of Labor, a survey of fringe benefits offered by employers in 2011.

More employers reported providing medical and dental benefits to their full-time employees, ending a decline that began in 2005 and returning the state estimates to pre-recession levels.

There's plenty to look at in the 49-page report, which can be viewed at http://lmi.idaho.gov/ResearchProjects.aspx

Here are some key points from the executive summary:

• Employers indicated they were more likely to offer full‐time employees fringe benefits compared with part‐time employees.
• Bigger companies offer better and more extensive benefit packages.
• Industry sectors requiring more experience and education continued to offer more benefits than their counterparts in natural resources and mining, leisure and hospitality.
• Region continued to be a non-factor in determining whether a firm offered any form of fringe benefits to employees.

Young Professionals to hold first mixer of '12

The Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Network will have its first mixer of the year today from 6 to 8 p.m. at Teton Toyota.

The group was started in 2008 as a way for future business leaders to network with each other, socially and professionally. YPN is an official committee of the chamber and has a board of directors made up of eight people.

Events like today's mixer are free and open to anyone in the 21-to-40 age range. They often feature guest speakers.

Food and drink will be provided, and there will be live music by Happyville (which, incidentally, got its start two years ago at a chamber event like this. Michelle Ziel and I started singing together when a man appeared on a flaming pie and said to us, "You shall form a band.")

For more information on YPN, visit the Web site, http://www.idahofallsypn.com/

Open houses, fly-tying demo set for I.F. downtown

Downtown Idaho Falls has some fun coming up, and since it’s not 10 below (remember folks, it’s February and very well could be) it might not be a bad idea to head down that way.

On Saturday morning, Jimmy’s All Season Angler, 275 A St., will be hosting a free fly-tying demo. These go through March 31 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. A complete list of tiers can be found at http://www.jimmysflyshop.com/ 

In the afternoon, five downtown restaurants and one bar will be having an open house from 3 to 6 p.m.:

• 3’s Co., 368 A St.
• Il Castello, 445 A St.
• Snakebite, 401 Park Ave.
• Pachanga's, 501 Park Ave.
• That One Place, 552 N. Capital Ave.

Also, Vino Rosso, 439 A St., will be open with a no-host bar and appetizers. Start at anyone of these restaurants, and go back and forth as much as you please.

On Saturday morning, Jimmy’s All Season Angler, 275 A St., will be hosting a free fly-tying demo. These go through March 31 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. A complete list of tiers can be found at http://www.jimmysflyshop.com/

Scoresby Farms opens second Idaho Falls store

Produce at the Scoresby Farms Woodruff Avenue store

Scoresby Farms has opened its second store in Idaho Falls, at 1710 South Yellowstone, where the Shell station used to be.

Since they opened their first store, at 2045 North Woodruff, it's been a busy year for Justin Scoresby, his brother, Shawn, and dad, Eric. One or more of them travels to California every two weeks to pick up the freshest fruit and vegetables they can find. This week, they have oranges from the Los Angeles Wholesale Market at 39 cents a pound and avacados from Oxnard at 3 for $1.

"Because we buy from the farmers direct we skip the warehouses," Justin Scoresby said. "Our produce is fresher and better. We for sure have the best oranges in town, and all kinds of really good citrus."

The South Yellowstone store is 2,100 square feet, with about 1,600 square feet of retail space. The expansion will allow them to put a bakery into their North Yellowstone store.

While local produce isn't available this time of year, in the summer the family grows vegetables on 50 acres. "We try to do all Idaho stuff as us much as we can," Scoresby said.

The Scoresby Farms Web site is http://www.scoresbyfarms.com/

Direct Health starts operation in Idaho Falls

Perhaps you have not heard the term "Superior Benefit Option," but that is the term that Direct Health uses to describe itself.

The Idaho Falls company, which started Feb. 1, aims to give employers a health care option to offer employees, allowing them to put money away for health care expenses and make donations themselves to employees' accounts as well.

It's not health insurance or a cafeteria plan, which would be regulated more vigorously by the Idaho Department of Insurance. Nor is it a health reimbursement account or a health savings account.

"It's a way for people to take control of their health care history and future," said Julie Rae, human resources director for Channel Blend, an Idaho Falls call center company. "It's a very simple concept. Usually when we talk to people about it, they try to overthink it."

Direct Health came about because Channel Blend CEO Jeff Neiswanger wanted something he could offer his employees without getting into the expense and red tape of traditional health insurance.

It is not designed to cover catastrophic health care expenses. It is a program under which people can sock away money for everything from a eye exams to massages to health club memberships. Right now, there are 16 providers in the network and 85 participants with active balances. When it's time to pay, participants show their cards, transactions are done online and providers get their money almost immediately.

There are no co-pays and no premiums. Unlike a flex plan, participants can take their money if they leave a job (although they can't cash out). The money can be rolled over from year to year, so there are no "use it or lose it" deadlines. The downside is it can't be considered a pre-tax contribution.

Rae said they are hoping that as word gets out the numbers on both sides will grow. Providers are already providing deep discounts to Direct Health participants. For employers, it's an option for companies with small numbers of employees or high turnover. Even larger employers that offer health insurance can use it to supplement what they offer.

There is a big emphasis on preventive care and wellness. "We're trying to do a couple of things," she said. "We want to see people being judicious with their health care money. With this, they spend it on what they need."

The link to the Web site is http://www.directhealthofidaho.com/index.html