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.

Can You Transfer Employees on FMLA? Yes … Sometimes

Alexis, Of Counsel at the Kinaga Law Firm in Los Angeles, offered his FMLA tips at BLR’s Advanced Employment Issues Symposium held recently in Las Vegas. Transferring Employees on Intermittent Leave or Reduced-Schedule Leave There are only two situations in which employers may transfer employees to another job that better accommodates their new intermittent schedule, […]

Benefits and Perks for 2013–What’s Really Happening?

Please participate in our brief survey—sponsored by Aflac—and see how the perks you offer stack up against those of other successful companies. We’ll get answers to these questions and more: What benefits and perks are most commonly offered? What effect do perks have on recruiting and retention? What are the benefits of tuition reimbursement? Who’s […]

Intermittent/Reduced FMLA Calculations for Dummies

Alexis, Of Counsel at the Kinaga Law Firm in Los Angeles, offered his FMLA tips at BLR’s Advanced Employment Issues Symposium held recently in Las Vegas. Two Keys to Leave Calculations Alexis says that there are just two questions to answer in order to calculate intermittent or reduced-schedule FMLA leave. What is the employee’s regular […]

Feds Step Up Health Reform Implementation With New Rules

It’s been busy recently for the federal government when it comes to implementing various health reform requirements. Here’s an overview of new guidance issued the week of Feb. 25-March 1 on health insurer fees, market reforms, the Small Business Health Options Program, multiple employer welfare arrangement regulation and information reporting. Self-insured Health Plans Exempt from […]

Is 3% Merit the ‘New Normal’?

Salary Increase Budget Surveys Most employers are working with 3 percent for merit, as shown by this chart taken from a recent WorldatWork survey, says Pasteris. (Pasteris, president of TLMP Consulting Group, offered her suggestions during a recent webinar sponsored by HRHero/BLR.) Actual 2010 Mean Median   2.5% 2.7%       Actual 2011 Mean […]

ACA: Time to Figure Out What ‘Affordable’ and ‘Minimum Coverage’ Mean

In yesterday’s Advisor Attorney Martin Simon offered suggestions for managing 2013’s requirements under the Affordable Care Act (ACA); today, definitions of “affordable” and “minimum value,” plus an introduction to the all-HR-in-one website, HR.BLR.com. Under what circumstances will an employer owe an Employer Shared Responsibility payment? In 2014, says Simon, Senior Legal Editor at BLR, if […]

Service Provider Reviews Don’t Lead to Greater Turnover

One result of the new fee disclosures requirements and retirement plan sponsors’ new duty to ensure reasonable service fees has been increased review of many plans’ provider costs. Through requests for proposals, comparative benchmarking and renewed scrutiny of current providers, plan committees and sponsors are endeavoring to learn if they are paying too much for […]

The Face of Compensation for 2013

Where We’ve Been First of all, let’s look at where we’ve been, says Pasteris, who is president of TLMP Consulting Group. She offered her suggestions during a recent webinar sponsored by HRHero/BLR. In the past few years, she says, we’ve seen: Hiring freezes Promotion/relocation freezes Reduced or postponed bonuses Salary freezes Salary cuts Layoffs Survivor […]

ACA: Expect Flex, Delay, and Some Hassle in 2013

Implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) involves a lot of moving parts, says Attorney Martin Simon. As the various pieces of the ACA come into play, we can expect some flexibility, some postponing of deadlines, and a delay of penalties, he adds. In fact, the delays have already started, says Simon, Senior Legal Editor […]

ACA Challenges–What’s ‘Affordable’ and What’s ‘Minimum’ Coverage?

Under what circumstances will an employer owe an Employer Shared Responsibility payment? In 2014, says Simon, senior legal editor at BLR®,  if an employer meets the 50 full-time employee threshold, the employer generally will be liable for an Employer Shared Responsibility payment only if either: The company doesn’t provide coverage to substantially all (95% or […]