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.
The rising cost of health care in the United States has been an issue for decades. Add on the health and economic challenges that came with the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, and employers and their employees are struggling more than ever to manage their healthcare costs.
Considering that the vast majority of Americans live paycheck to paycheck and 40% struggle to cover a $400 emergency expense, it’s no wonder why so many employees consider themselves functionally uninsured despite being covered by their employer’s health plan. The standard employer-sponsored health plan comes with nearly an $8,000 out-of-pocket expense. And, when an employer’s price […]
Temporary staffing firms may qualify as “retail or service establishments” and therefore may be able to apply the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) “retail sales” overtime exemption to some of their employees, according to a recent opinion letter from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).
Employers are getting a look at a bill that would set a $15-an-hour federal minimum wage by 2025. The bill, which is in line with President Joe Biden’s call for an increase in the federal minimum, which has stood at $7.25 since 2009, is likely to spur calls for relief from certain employers, according to […]
One of President Joe Biden’s latest executive orders calls for the federal government to begin planning how to move toward instituting a $15-an-hour minimum wage for federal employees and private-sector workers that work on federal contracts. Such a move is in line with recent calls from the labor movement for a nationwide federal $15 minimum […]
Courts again recently thwarted the Trump administration’s efforts to change the H-1B rules and increase the wages U.S. employers are required to pay to foreign workers. Twice in December 2020, a federal court order in California and a preliminary injunction in New Jersey stalled abrupt rule changes that would have dramatically altered the H-1B program […]
For many, January is a time for new beginnings, to create plans for new accomplishments, or to get back on track toward reaching existing goals. And one of the top five New Year’s resolutions—after losing weight, of course—is saving money. January is also the start of a new healthcare plan year for many employees, presenting […]
As an employer, you’ll sometimes encounter employees who are struggling with infertility or pregnancy issues. The issue is stressful for everyone, but it can help to understand their perspective.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to “shelter-at-home” proclamations from state and local governments, causing many nonessential businesses to shut down temporarily. Employers have handled the crisis in varying ways, some by temporarily paying employees to stay home, others by laying off or furloughing workers. In such instances, employers need to be aware of the qualified […]
Family-building benefits are among the most sought-after benefits being offered in 2021. In our new work-from-home climate, COVID has not deterred employees from pursuing family-building but rather has created more demand on employers for this robust benefit. More than ever, the responsibility is on employers to create an environment conducive to the sustainability of work/life […]