News You Can Use: Retiree medical, 401(k) matches, pay raises fall victim to economy

It’s an unbelievably difficult day to be a retiree at GM, as the automaker made news once again for cutting benefits. This time, the company says it will eliminate retiree medical coverage for salaried workers age 65 and older. Although GM isn’t the first – nor the last – employer to eliminate retiree health benefits, the company’s size and sway caused a bit of a gasp this week.

Will the skidding economy rob employees of 401(k) matches? Maybe, especially if Hewitt is right and HMO premiums rise by double-digits again in ’09 (but still less than ’08).

Most workers too timid to ask for a pay raise, new survey finds. It’s a good thing, because a separate survey shows they wouldn’t be likely to receive much of one anyway.

No matter how tempting, reading employees’ text messages is a no-no, the 9th Circuit rules.