Month: June 2012

What Does it Take to Be Successful? Ask an Expert

When people ask what it takes to be successful in business, my response is often, “You should ask someone who is,” says business and leadership blogger Dan Oswald. The best way to learn about anything is to ask someone who has been successful at it. Oswald, CEO of BLR, offered his thoughts on business success […]

Battening Down the Hatches to Avoid FLSA Overtime Excesses

The arrival of summer is also a harbinger of weather-related emergencies for many communities. For example, the Atlantic hurricane season kicks off at the beginning of June and barrels toward a peak in late summer and early fall. But with such storms comes the potential for unplanned overtime for police officers, firefighters, ambulance drivers, emergency […]

5 Questions for Avoiding Unpaid Overtime Claim

The idea behind overtime is straightforward, but the actual administration of it is anything but. Attorney Paul Lopez suggests that employers ask themselves five questions to see whether they are vulnerable to overtime-based lawsuits.

Can You Recoup FMLA Premiums from Non-Returnees?

Yesterday’s Advisor clarified rules governing benefits during FMLA leave; today, recouping payments when an employee doesn’t return from leave, plus an introduction to the “FMLA Bible.” When an employee fails to return from FMLA leave, for at least 30 calendar days, the employer may demand payment of its share of the health premiums paid during […]

House Nod on Repealing OTC Rules, Easing ‘Use-it-or-Lose-it’

The rules on how expenditures for over-the-counter drugs are reimbursed and governing health flexible spending account balances still unused at the end of the year could change if a bill the House passed on June 7 is enacted. In a 270-146 vote, the House approved H.R. 436, the Health Care Cost Reduction Act of 2012. […]

Bill Would Increase Dependent Care Credit, Make Limits Permanent

If this bill becomes law, there will be higher dollar limits for eligible services for which employees can claim the dependent care tax credit. Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., introduced the Middle Class Dependent Care Fairness Act of 2012 (H.R. 5886) on June 1. Israel’s bill calls for: increasing the credit to $35,000 per year; increasing […]

Working longer and retiring later

It’s not your father’s (or mother’s) retirement anymore

If employers could consult a crystal ball to see what the workplace will be like 10, 20, or more years down the road, they might see an older workforce in their future. As many aging baby boomers decide to continue working for a few — or several — years past the traditional retirement age, employers […]

FMLA Foxtrot—Healthcare Premiums During Leave

All employers—including public agencies—are required to maintain existing health insurance coverage under a group health plan for employees during FMLA leave, and they can require the employee on leave to pay his or her share. But that’s not always easy. Employers who provide group healthcare coverage typically require employees to pay a portion of the […]

FLSA Recordkeeping: Create, Maintain and Preserve

DOL commonly finds recordkeeping violations when it investigates an employer’s wage and hour practices. The most frequent violations of the FLSA’s recordkeeping rules fall into two categories: (1) creating and maintaining the proper records; and (2) preserving those records. Creating and Maintaining the Proper Records The FLSA does not require that records be kept in […]

Top 5 HR and Benefits Administration Challenges Facing Companies

Summer’s here, and coincidentally, it’s a hot time for legal and regulatory developments affecting human resources and benefits professionals! Many companies trying to make ends meet also should expect new laws and regulations in these five areas. The perils of not heeding leave and disability law. Employers struggle with determining what a “reasonable accommodation” is under […]