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.

EBSA Reform Compliance Webcast Focuses on 2015 Employer Rules

In spite of the suspension of employer penalties under health care reform, the government strongly encourages employers to:  (1) maintain or expand coverage; and (2) report on minimum affordable coverage under Section 6055 and/or 6056 rules. It’s important for employers to get experience gathering data and setting up systems for that reporting, Rachel Levy, an […]

Our 9 Essential HR Skills—Do You Agree?

[Go here for skills 1 to 5] HR Manager’s Key Skill #6—Discrete and Ethical HR professionals are the conscience of the company, as well as the keepers of confidential information. As you serve the needs of top management, you also monitor their actions toward employees to be sure that policies and regulations are followed. You […]

Sales Compensation Plans: 5 Steps to Ensure Strategic Alignment

Sales compensation can be tackled from a strategic standpoint to ensure it is in alignment with company goals and objectives. This is important when getting started in the process. In fact, to ensure that their sales compensation plan is strategically aligned, here are 5 steps employers can take. Here are 5 steps to ensuring strategic […]

Time to Self-Evaluate—How Many of the 9 Essential HR Skills Do You Have?

This is the 2013 version of our most popular article ever, written in 2006. In no way is our list authoritative, but it is the opinion of people, including BLR® Founder Bob Brady, who’ve spent decades meeting with HR professionals, supporting their goals, and reporting their achievements. You may agree or not with our assessments, […]

Is ‘Intelligent Leader’ an Oxymoron?

I recently was reading on the subject of leadership, and one topic that came up was intelligence. So I set out to do some research on the importance of IQ in leadership. I must admit, it’s not easy to find a lot written about the intelligence of leaders. Type “leadership and intelligence” into Google, and […]

#1 Mistake Managers Make that Makes Great People Quit

A Players Don’t Have to Play on B Teams Kleiman uses baseball analogies for clues about why managers lose A players: A players never have to play on a B team, he says. And they don’t want to play with B or C players. That makes for problems when A players’ managers retain poor performers, […]

Top 10 Do’s and Don’t’s from FMLA and ADA Court Rulings

Leave policy administration under the FMLA and the ADA presents numerous challenges to employers. Following is a “Do” and “Do Not” list based on the outcomes of 10 interference and retaliation claims by aggrieved employees that the courts have heard in the last five months. Do see if short-term disability benefits are granted or denied to […]

Appellate Court Upholds Pension Plan’s Right to Stand by Employee’s Withholding Choice

A recent federal appeals court decision serves as a reminder that communicating with employees about their options for benefits calculation methods in defined benefit retirement plans is a very important aspect of preparing them adequately for retirement. Some DB plans offer more than one way to accumulate assets, and allow participants to choose the method […]

Stop with Selecting the Best Applicants … Start Selecting the Best Employees

Kleiman, who offered hiring tips at BLR’s HR Strategic Summit held recently in Scottsdale, Arizona, will be speaking on the topic in an upcoming BLR® Webinar. Finding A Players Kleiman offers four sources of great new employees that are free and easy. Former Employees Former employees who left the company and came back are great […]

How Come Terry Gets to …? (Danger: Don’t Answer)

In yesterday’s Advisor, Attorney Joan Farrell clarified the ADA compliance process; today, she is joined by Attorney Patricia Trainor, SPHR, on what to do with coworker questions about accommodation, plus we‘ll introduce the unique “50×50,” your guide to 50 key employment laws in 50 states. It’s a tough situation when a coworker asks, “Why does […]