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.

Claim by Worker’s Estate Against Employer’s Uninsured Motorist Policy Is Barred

The New Mexico Supreme Court recently responded to a certified question from the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico in a lawsuit filed by the family of a worker who was killed in an accident at a salvage yard that was likely caused by a coworker. The supreme court’s answer turned on the resolution of a conflict between language in the New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Act (WCA) and the uninsured motorist (UM) statute.

retirement

DOL Sues to Recover Losses to Vermont ESOP

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is suing the fiduciaries of a Vermont employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) for violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), alleging that First Bankers Trust Services, Inc.’s 2011 purchase of a company on behalf of the ESOP from its two previous owners caused the plan to suffer […]

offer

Tips to Help Ensure Your Job Offer Is Accepted

How often have you or your hiring team put together a job offer for a well-qualified candidate only to have the offer rejected? This can be quite frustrating, and can increase how long it takes to fill a vacancy.

ACA

Republican ACA Proposal Poses Challenges for Multistate Employers

A group of republican senators proposed a replacement bill for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that would allow states to choose whether or not to keep Obamacare’s provisions in place. Because employers’ requirements would depend on where employees work, compliance could be a real challenge for companies with operations in multiple states, according to the […]

How Often Should You Pay Your Employees?

If yours is an established business, you may be beyond the question posed above because you set your pay schedule long ago. But if you’re just getting started, considering a change, or setting up a new business beneath your established umbrella operation, you may be wondering about whether there is a right or wrong answer.

communication

Second DOL FAQ on Fiduciary Rule Addresses Questions About Fiduciary Communications

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released the second set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) for retirement plan professionals on the agency’s complex new fiduciary rule just days before the end of the Obama administration in an effort to answer plan practitioners’ questions about how the rule draws lines between fiduciary and nonfiduciary communications, education, and advice.

Genetic Testing as Part of Workplace Wellness Programs

Designing competitive benefit packages that help you attract and retain top talent can be daunting.  While health and well-being benefits may only represent a small portion of your overall compensation plan, they can drive a disproportionate share of your budget.  Could the introduction of genetic testing as a covered benefit allow you to better manage your healthcare spend?  With the promise of continued increases in your healthcare premiums, perhaps now is the time to seriously consider using genetic testing in order to offer more personalized benefits.