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.

domestic violence

What is Paid ‘Safe Time’?

Paid “safe time” refers to paid time off used specifically to deal with issues related to domestic abuse. While many employers offer some form of paid time off, not all employers have specific PTO days allotted to deal with domestic abuse. This can be a critical distinction, as it allows victims in these situations to […]

Certifications

The Truth About Student Loan Assistance

It’s been heralded as the most attractive benefit – and the implication is that if your company were to offer it, you would have job seekers lining up at your door. But is student loan assistance a.k.a. student loan repayment really the next greatest thing?

IRS

2018 Withholding Tax Table Is Now Available

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released Notice 1036, updating the income-tax withholding tables for 2018. The new tables reflect changes made by the tax reform legislation enacted last month. The updated withholding information shows the new rates for employers to use during 2018.

Why More Companies Are Looking to Wellness Incentives

 For many employers, certain benefits have long been part of the overall compensation package. In particular, health and dental packages probably come to mind for most readers. In recent years, many employers have also started embracing wellness incentives, where employees are given various enticements for participating in company wellness programs. According to Employee Benefit News, […]

enqual

How Important Is Fair Pay?

A recent survey by professional services firm PwC, in partnership with the London School of Economics, finds a significant intergenerational difference of opinion when it comes to fair pay and what constitutes ethical behavior around pay, with the younger population wanting stronger protection for the less well-off, compared to the older generation who are more […]

retirement

IRS Mandates Use of New Mortality Tables for 2018 … Unless You Don’t Want to!

On October 3, 2017, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Notice 2017-60, finally acknowledging that new mortality assumptions would be required for 2018 in the determination of minimum contributions and, by association, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) premiums. (See New IRS Mortality Tables for 2018 Bring Host of Concerns for DB Plan Sponsors.)

401K

Tax Reform Extends Participant Plan Loan Offset Payment Period

Defined contribution (DC) plan sponsors should be aware of a change under the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that extends the period during which a participant may pay the amount of an “offset” of an outstanding 401(k) plan loan to another qualifying plan or individual retirement account (IRA) to accomplish a tax-free rollover of […]

HIPAA

HIPAA Violations Cost Company $2.3 Million

21st Century Oncology, Inc. (21CO) has agreed to pay $2.3 million in lieu of potential civil money penalties to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and adopt a comprehensive corrective action plan to settle potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy and […]