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.

Have a Heart for Wellness Training

February is American Heart Month, the perfect time to conduct a wellness training session on heart health. In order to reduce the risk of heart attack, employees must first understand the causes and contributing factors. That’s where safety and health training come in. Explain to employees how the heart receives oxygen-rich blood from the lungs […]

Health Care Survey Results in; How Do You Compare?

Wide range of costs per employee ranging from under $3,000 to over $10,000 per year 22 percent still cover 100% of insurance costs; an additional 46% cover at least 75 percent of costs 25% have considered dropping health benefits as a result of Affordable Care Act Here are the detailed survey results. How does your […]

Medicare Payment Does Not Trump Plan Exclusion: Specialty Rx Denial Stands

A federal district court blocked an effort to force an ERISA health plan to pay secondary for an expensive specialty drug that was excluded from coverage because it wasn’t filled at an in-network provider as required by plan terms. The U.S. District Court for Northern Illinois rejected the plaintiff‘s argument that whenever Medicare covered a […]

18 Questions for Comp Managers in 2013

Here are the questions Neelman asks clients to help them complete their planning for 2013. Neelman is a principal and senior consultant with Compensation Resources, Inc. in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Who are your best employees? Which employees truly impact your success? What employees can you least afford to lose? What are your strategies […]

Shhh! Do Your Workers Need Wellness Training on Weight Loss?

A study by The Conference Board states that more than one-third (34 percent) of all adult Americans now fit the definition of “obese,” more than double the percentage who were in that category 30 years ago. And your employees’ expanding waistlines have serious consequences both for their health and for your organization’s bottom line: Obese […]

Compensation Update: Tips, Trends, and Tactics for 2013

Negative staffing and salary actions will decrease in 2013, says a recent Compensation Resources, Inc. survey. Neelman is a principal and senior consultant with the firm, which is located in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Salary Action Outlook Strategy Change (up or down) from 2012 to 2013 (Projected) Layoffs ↓ Hiring Freezes ↓ Staffing Increases […]

Is Sloth the Worst Compensation Sin?

[Go here for sins 1 to 4 and a bonus sin] Sin 5. Envy Envy makes managers do things that aren’t appropriate for the company. For example: Empire building. Trying to add more positions that aren’t important for the company to achieve its goals. Copycatting. The other department head has a French-speaking assistant; I want […]

7 Deadly Sins Your Managers Are Committing—Right Now

Sin 1. Lust Sexual harassment continues to be a problem in the workplace. And it’s often worse when it’s a manager and a subordinate. Perhaps the most difficult challenge in training managers and supervisors about harassment is getting across the idea that what matters is the attitude of the receiver of the harassment, not the […]

Retirement Benefits 2013—What’s Really Happening?

Please participate in our brief survey and see how your retirement benefits stack up against those of other successful companies. We’ll get answers to these questions and more: What is the status of your employer match? (Stopped? Less? Same?) What percent of employees participate? What percent do you match? Can employees “cash out” vacation to […]

Plan Sponsors Expect to Add Roth Features After ATRA Changes

Shortly after the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 eased the conversion of defined contribution plan balances into after-tax Roth accounts, many employers indicated they were very or somewhat likely to add the in-plan Roth 401(k) conversion options the act created as a new federal revenue source. Global human resources consultant Aon Hewitt conducted a […]