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Exec Comp 101—Philosophy, Base, Annual, LTI, Benefits

Harris, who is Managing Director at Frederic W. Cook & Co., was joined by Ron Miller, Head of Global Rewards, Mobility, M&A, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, in a presentation at the WorldatWork Total Rewards Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia. Elements of an Executive Compensation Program Element Importance Comment Compensation Strategy Medium Reflects […]

Exorcise ‘ghost policies’ from your employee handbook

by Boyd Byers Is your employee handbook or policy manual haunted by shadowy policies and provisions that are treated as though they aren’t even there? “Ghost policies” can creep into a handbook in a number of ways. They may be relics that once lived useful lives—the legacies of long-departed HR managers—but their original purpose is […]

Asking Older Employees About Retirement Plans—Danger or Diligence?

Yesterday’s Advisor featured Attorney Joan Farrell’s take on some of the subtleties of age discrimination, retirement, and workforce planning. Today, the delicate issue of asking directly about retirement plans, plus an introduction to BLR’s unique 10-minutes-at-a-time supervisors’ training system.   Can You Ask About Retirement Plans? Can you ask older employees about their retirement plans? […]

Supervisors Are Critical to Safety and Health Compliance

In a BLR® webinar titled “OSHA Inspection: How to Prepare for a Surprise Visit and Minimize your Liability Risks,” Tracy L. Moon Jr., a practicing partner at Fisher & Phillips, LLP in Atlanta, and an authorized OSHA General Industry Outreach Trainer, explained the importance of supervisor engagement in and ownership of safety and health compliance. […]

After setting goals, be vigilant in achieving them

by Dan Oswald If you’re like me, it’s time to turn your attention to 2014. As we move through the fourth quarter of 2013 and can see the end in sight, our thoughts turn to what we want to accomplish in the coming year. At our company, we’re in the midst of our budgeting process […]

Some Self-funded Plans Could Escape Reform Reinsurance Fees

Self-funded plans that are also self-administered will be made exempt from paying reinsurance contributions under the health care reform law for the 2015 and 2016 benefit years, the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services said in final program integrity rules. The promised relief will occur in future rulemaking, according to the preamble of the program […]

Age Discrimination: Evidence May Be Subtle But Still Sufficient

Age discrimination in the workplace can be subtle, but subtle doesn’t mean insufficient, says Attorney Joan Farrell, BLR® Senior Legal Editor. And with Boomers nearing retirement, it’s a looming issue. Yes, says Farrell, we’re all aghast when we read about direct evidence of discrimination, like the manager who allegedly said he fired an employee because […]

What Are the Typical Obstacles to an Effective Safety and Health Program?

After evaluating the safety and health program in your business, it’s time to work toward solutions for any of the issues, obstacles, and problems that arose during the evaluation. Typically, there are certain obstacles facing the management and supervisors of this plan. And those tend to differ from those that the employees working under the […]

Lessons from the U.S. government shutdown

By Julia Kennedy It should be a relief to many employers (and employees) that their company has just one board of directors, with no second house to blockade budgets, freeze operating funds, or send large portions of the workforce home. Since an estimated 800,000 U.S. government employees were “furloughed” or required to work without pay […]