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.

Do Your Employees Go to Dr. Summeroff?

The line got a huge laugh from the audience, but it was a rueful laugh—it seemed that every HR manager in the audience had an employee who was a patient of Dr. Summeroff. I thought it was a great lesson in real-world HR—not compliance, not policy, but dealing with Dr. Summeroff. Compensation.BLR.com, now thoroughly reved […]

Can You Make Exempt Employees Track Their Time?

Can you track exempt employees’ hours without jeopardizing their exempt status? Yes, but they won’t like it. While employers are not required to track the time of an exempt employee, there is no prohibition against doing so. In other words, merely requiring an exempt, salaried employee to clock in and out will not destroy the […]

Retirement Plans Advised Not to Push Loan Access

Defined contribution plan participants who take out plan loans are more likely saving at a lower contribution rate than most, and are not likely to repay the loan when they leave their employer. This according to a new report based on research from New York Life Retirement Plan Services’ DC data. With those factors in […]

When You Should NOT Negotiate and Other Expert Tips

McCabe, who is professor of management at the McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University, offered his negotiating tips at the BLR® HR Strategic Summit, held recently in Scottsdale, Arizona. When NOT to Negotiate When you have not done your research or are ill-prepared When there is a locus-of-authority issue—that is, when the other party sitting […]

Comp/HR Managers Are Negotiators—24-7

Negotiators have high status in this country, McCabe says; you don’t put losers on your negotiating team. McCabe, who is professor of management at the McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University, offered his negotiating tips at the BLR® HR Strategic Summit, held recently in Scottsdale, Arizona. Benefits of Being a Better Negotiator Improved commercial, business, […]

Trends in the Use of Variable Pay

“Variable pay supports the organization’s strategic direction and drives the accomplishment of organizational goals.” Teri Morning explained in a recent BLR webinar. “It does so by enabling companies to recognize and reward high performers and to sustain high performance.” What Is Variable Pay? Variable pay is pay given over and above base pay, since average […]

Policies Survey Says … Social Media Is Biggest Hassle

The biggest stumbling block to enforcement of policies is management team members’ tendency to enforce only “some” policies. The policy violation most indicated as warranting discipline but not termination is attendance and punctuality. The most common termination-level offense is violation of the weapons/violence policy. Our 2013 Policies Survey reveals that 93% of participants have formalized […]

Q&A on Setting Pay Rates and Ranges

Setting formal pay ranges is one way organizations create fair pay structures that also motivate employees. These types of structures can provide a basis for employees to move between levels, and can create internal consistency in how employees are paid. That said, they can also come with plenty of questions when you’re just getting started. […]

DOL Lets Retirement Plan Sponsors Reset Timing for Participant Fee Disclosure Charts

The U.S. Department of Labor on July 22 announced temporary relief for retirement plan administrators from some participant fee disclosure deadlines approaching in August. In Field Assistance Bulletin 2013-02, DOL said it would allow a one-time “reset” of the requirement that administrators “at least annually” provide to participants detailed comparative charts of plan investment options. […]

Metrics Help from the Feds–CPI and Help Wanted Online

In Yesterday’s Advisor we featured three free metrics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics recommended by Compensation.BLR.com®. Today, two more, plus good news—an upcoming metrics webinar that will help you pin down metrics that management wants to see. Cost-of-Living Index Each month, the BLS collects data on prices of a “market basket” of food, clothing, […]