Category: Benefits and Compensation

This topic provides guidance on how to handle compensation issues in a way that attracts and retains the best talent and advances the strategic goals of your business. You get news and tips on what’s going on nationally and in the states, and updates on changes in regulations, possible governmental action, and emerging compensation trends.

retirement

Highest Employer-Sponsored Retirement Participant Deferral Rate Reached in 2017

Automated features now standard for most employer-sponsored retirement plans helped bring about a record 8.3-percent average participant deferral rate in 2017—the highest level in a decade, according to a recent T. Rowe Price study. The rise in employee deferral amounts perpetuates a trend started in the years after the 2008 financial crisis.

pay

How to Fix Unequal Pay

Employers know that they have a legal obligation to have fair pay practices. The pay offered should not be discriminatory and should strive to equally pay employees who do the same work. There will always be allowances for differences in performance and other permissible factors, but pay differences should never be based on discriminatory reasons—not […]

balance

Do You Know about Green Benefits?

Does your organization offer “green” benefits? Green benefits are benefits that are environmentally friendly in some way. Employers may want to offer green benefits for several different reasons. First, they may be in alignment with company goals and values. Next, they may be a great way to recruit individuals who value the environment and sustainability. […]

family

Parental Leave Policy Options

Does your organization offer parental leave beyond the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)? Do you offer paid parental leave? Are your parental leave options available for both mothers and fathers?

Get the Most out of Inclusive Paternity Leave

There is only one developed nation without some sort of federally mandated paternity leave and it’s the United States. Even when paternity leave is available, it’s usually for only a few weeks and does not come with a full rate of pay or other benefits.

leave

3 Benefits of Offering More Inclusive Paternity Leave

The United States is still one of the only developed nations that doesn’t federally mandate some sort of paternity leave for new fathers or domestic partners. And where new fathers or domestic partners are eligible for paternity leave, it’s usually only available for around 2 weeks and doesn’t provide eligible employees with their full rate […]

money balance

Two Approaches to New Cash Balance Plan

Yesterday we took a look at Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance on how to change interest crediting rates in a cash balance (CB) plan. Today we’ll look at the two approaches that the IRS has discussed to address a change in the interest crediting rate.

Cash Balance Plans Get More IRS Guidance on Interest Crediting Rates

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued guidance recently on how to change interest crediting rates in a cash balance (CB) plan. The Issue Snapshot posted on the IRS website on May 31 analyzes some of the implications of amending a CB plan to actually or potentially decrease the interest crediting rate.