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.

Market Pricing—Comp Key in 2013

Daniels, Senior Consultant at Keating Advisors, LLC, offered her suggestions at a recent webinar sponsored by BLR and HR Hero. Getting Market Pricing Right Market Pricing is the process of analyzing external salary survey data to establish the worth of jobs as represented by market data, based upon the “scope” of the organization (geography, industry, […]

Stay Market Competitive, Retain Top Talent in 2013

Daniels, Senior Consultant at Keating Advisors, LLC, offered her suggestions at a recent webinar sponsored by BLR and HR Hero. How to Conduct a Base Pay Structure Review Daniels says a well-designed and effective base pay system should be: Supported by an agreed-upon organizational compensation philosophy Supported by clear compensation administration policies Driven by up-to-date […]

Use Wellness Training to Help Employees Keep Their Health Resolutions

This information is applicable for all employees and comes from one of BLR’s popular HR Training Presentations in PowerPoint on “Healthy Aging.” Discussion Points Use these discussion points for each question as you talk about each aspect of healthy aging with your employees. 1. Nutrition strategies to help ensure healthy aging include: Eating foods from […]

Better a Tigger than an Eeyore? Readers Not Sure

In the original article, Oswald, CEO of BLR and writer of the The Oswald Letter quoted Thomas Jefferson: “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” Specking about attitude, Oswald continued, “Who wants to follow an Eeyore […]

Are You Resolved to Give Wellness Training in 2013?

This exercise is applicable for all employees and comes from one of BLR’s popular HR Training Presentations in PowerPoint® sessions on “Healthy Aging.” The objective of the exercise is to find out how well trainees are meeting the requirements of healthy aging. Instructions: Have trainees complete the worksheet below. (Let them know that this is […]

Court OKs $1.3M Settlement in COBRA/ARRA Class Action

Although it admitted no wrongdoing, an employer and plan administrator agreed to pay a $1.3 million settlement to a group of former employees who alleged they never received COBRA election or premium subsidy information after their involuntary termination of employment in 2010. In addition to COBRA and premium subsidy notice claims, they also sued the […]

DB Plans Can Be Required to Provide COLA to Lump-sum Recipients

With lump-sum retirement distributions gaining favor among employers with defined benefit plans, sponsors should note a decision from a federal district court that supported the right of lump-sum payout recipients to receive a cost-of-living adjustment that is actuarially equivalent to the COLA paid to annuitants. In Pikas v. Williams Cos., District Judge Gregory Frizzell granted […]

CER/PCORI Fees—Get Ready to Fund Health Care Research

What Is the Amount of the Fee? The fee is: • $1 times the average covered lives for policy years ending on or after Oct 1, 2012 and ending before Oct 1, 2013; • $2 for policy years ending on or after October 1, 2013 and before October 1, 2014 • $2 plus an adjustment […]

Your Immediate Action Required: Affordable Care Act 2013

Gillihan, who is Counsel in the Atlanta office of Alston & Bird LLP, made his suggestions at a recent webinar sponsored by BLR/HRHero. Complying with the Women’s Health Preventive Care Requirement First of all, employers should already be complying with women’s health preventive care requirements, in effect January 1 for calendar plan years, says Gillilan. […]

Employers Get Reprieve From Reform’s Exchange-Notice Requirement

Employers will not have to start distributing notices to all employees on the existence of health insurance exchanges on March 1 as required by the health reform law. This requirement is now deemed impracticable because many state exchanges have not been set up, and do not become operational until Jan. 1, 2014. Also, the requirement […]