Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
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.
Employers in California need to adjust their benefit plans, plan documents, and corporate and human resources policies to accommodate employees’ same-sex spouses. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on June 28 lifted its stay on an injunction against enforcing Proposition 8, which had amended the California state constitution to define marriage as occurring between […]
“How the hell can you communicate if you refuse to talk to people?” Consultant Andrew Botwin quoted auto industry icon Lee Iacocca and illustrated with a picture of Lee and Snoop Dog hanging out. Botwin, founder of SPC Consulting, offered the following tips for “communicating up” at BLR’s 2013 Strategic HR Summit held recently in […]
In yesterday’s Advisor, consultant Leigh Branham briefed us on engagement. Today, what it is and how to sell it, plus an introduction to the all-HR-in-one-place website, HR.BLR.com®. What Is Employee Engagement? “A heightened emotional and intellectual connection that an employee has for his/her job, organization, manager, or coworkers that, in turn, influences him/her to apply […]
The U.S. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation may start providing new services to help plan sponsors spend less time identifying, locating and corresponding with missing plan participants. The agency is seeking public comment until Aug. 20 on several aspects of administering a missing participants program when terminating individual account plans, according to a June 21 Federal […]
Engagement is an issue for most employers as the economy comes back. How to make it happen? Six factors are required for true employee engagement, says consultant Keith Branham. Highly engaged workplaces score high on all six. Branham, who is founder and principal of Keeping the People, Inc., offered his expertise at WorldatWork’s 2013 Total […]
Perceived fairness of employee rewards (or the lack thereof) is often at the root of why employees leave organizations. The idea of fairness also determines if an employee will make an extra effort to reach organizational goals or even the objectives of his or her own job. For these reasons, it’s vital for organizations to […]
New health reform rules finalize policies for non-profit organizations that object on religious or moral grounds to gain an exemption from having to “contract, arrange, pay or refer for” contraceptive coverage. The final rules reflect public feedback received in response to Feb. 6, 2013 proposed rules (78 Fed. Reg. 8456). In the proposed rule, the […]
Most U.S. small business owners think the country’s lack of retirement readiness threatens business and the economy, yet that concern doesn’t necessarily translate to concrete action to address it, a new survey has found. Only about one-third of small-business owners offer a retirement plan for their employees, according to “Poll Report: Small Business Owners’ Views on […]
A large employer was socked with $1.85 million in COBRA notice penalties, plus still-to-be determined attorney’s fees, for neglecting its duty as plan administrator to ensure that COBRA election notices were sent on a timely basis. The company’s negligence occurred over several years, affecting hundreds of former employees who participated in a class action lawsuit. […]
“Most state workers’ compensation laws provide that it is unlawful for an employer to discharge or otherwise discriminate/retaliate against a worker for claiming worker’s comp or testifying at a workers’ comp hearing.” Adele Abrams explained in a recent BLR webinar. And this goes beyond just standard discipline or firing: “Anything that is an adverse action […]