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.

“He acts like he owns the place!” (Good Thing?)

Oswald, CEO of BLR®, offered these thoughts on increasing company performance by instilling a sense of ownership in a recent edition of The Oswald Letter. If the statement is made out of frustration about an employee who throws his weight around and has a condescending attitude, you might be in trouble. But if it’s said […]

Voluntary Benefits Offer Employees Guaranteed Insurability

Employees may think that they can’t afford a big policy, but it’s often a good idea to join the plan at the lowest level and cost, even if the policy is not large, says consultant Mike Miles. That gets your foot in the door and often ensures that you can “buy up” in the future […]

Court Rejects Reinstatement of Erroneous Benefit Payments to Ineligible Retiree

BY Justin Alex, Proskauer Rose Law Firm Defined benefit plan sponsors can solve plan overpayments in several ways, including using IRS self-correction programs. But it’s important to remember that plans are not required to keep paying benefits to those not eligible for them to begin with, Proskauer Rose law firm associate attorney Justin Alex reminds us […]

Voluntary Benefits: Some Say ‘Garbage’; Some Say, ‘Bargain’

Miles is vice president and senior employee benefits consultant at Gregory and Appel Insurance. During his presentation at a recent boot camp sponsored by BLR®, he was joined by colleague Janet McClure, vice president and worksite marketing team leader. What Are Voluntary Benefits? “Voluntary benefits” are generally insurance products sold to employees at work through […]

Retroactive FMLA Designation—3 Scenarios Cut Through the Fog

When you find out about a possible FMLA qualifying leave after it has started, how far back can you go to retroactively designate the leave? Athey, an attorney with The Robert E. Miller Group in Kansas City, Missouri, was joined by a colleague, consultant Kristi McKinzey, in a recent webinar sponsored by BLR/HRHero. Athey offers […]

Government Proposal Refines Reform Fees on Health Plans

A proposed rule put on public display Nov. 26 adjusts Transitional Reinsurance Program rules and tries to put out fires left burning by the ever-moving target of health care reform. For example, it proposes a lower contribution level insurers and self-funded plans would pay in 2015 to a transitional reinsurance fund, and gives employers the […]

High Court Will Rule on Religious Challenge to Contraceptive Mandate

The U.S. Supreme Court on Nov. 26 accepted an appeal of health care reform’s contraception coverage mandate. The cases that will be heard are Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. and Conestoga Wood Specialties v. Sebelius. (Kathleen Sebelius is named as a litigant in her capacity as U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary.) The cases […]

4 Hazards of Failing to Track All FMLA Leave

Mckinzey, a consultant with The Robert E. Miller Group in Kansas City, Missouri, was joined by a colleague, attorney Julie Athey, in a recent webinar sponsored by BLR/HRHero. Hazard # 1: Counting Against Attendance Policy If you had reason to know an absence was due to an FMLA‐qualifying reason, you can’t count the absence against […]