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.

Employer’s Ambiguous Communications Lead to Trial in FMLA Case

Ambiguous and confusing communications by an employer and benefits administrator to an employee about her Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and short-term disability (STD) leave requests created issues of fact for a trial to decide, a federal district court in Columbus recently ruled. Facts Abby Knaup worked for Molina Healthcare of Ohio from April […]

25 Benefits & Perks to Offer Remote Workers (Infographic Checklist)

HR teams often put a lot of time and effort into creating benefits packages and perks for employees that help them remain satisfied and engaged at the workplace. But the pandemic has forced many workers into a remote setting, leading to a situation in which many benefits and employee perks simply aren’t as useful as […]

American Rescue Plan Offers Free COBRA Coverage, But it’s Very Complicated

When President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), one of the effects was to make COBRA continuation coverage free for certain qualifying individuals and their families from April 1 to September 30, 2021. The free coverage is available to those who lose group health plan coverage because either (1) they […]

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‘Easy’ Part of Tip Rule Takes Effect, Other Provisions in for More Study

Portions of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) 2020 tipped worker rule are set to take effect April 30, but the Biden administration intends to delay the effective date and continue studying other parts of the rule, which was a product of the previous administration. The provisions of the rule taking effect April 30 are […]

‘You Can Be Just a Little Bit Pregnant,’ Says Texas Court

Yes, our parents were wrong, at least as far as the law is concerned—turns out you can be just a little bit pregnant. The Texas Court of Appeals in Corpus Christi said so in an opinion issued on February 11. To solve and understand the apparent riddle, read on. Office talk triggers termination Cynthia V. […]

student loan

Student Loan Assistance Boosted by Recent Legislation

The first 4 months of 2021 have been packed with major nationwide events, including significant news surrounding management of the $1.7 trillion in student loans. With all that’s going on, we’ve been following legislation from the new administration, a new Congress, a COVID relief bill, and now the American Rescue Plan.

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Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Payroll

Processing payroll has a lot of variables. Organizations need to understand federal, state, and local income tax requirements; how to process wage garnishments; how to set up payments for any benefits that come out of payroll, etc. There are also regulatory and compliance issues like the distribution of W-2s.

Ask the Expert Mailbag: Employee Benefits Week Edition

When it comes to compliance, sometimes it helps to share specific cases and how employment lawyers approached them. Today, we share three benefits-related questions submitted to our employment lawyers, along with their answers. Learn whether to give a 1095-C form to an employee who declined coverage, whether offering higher plan contributions for more tenured employees […]