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IRS

Missing Participants Errors Now Top DOL, IRS Audit Focus, Nudging Out Late Payroll Deposits, Winston & Strawn Says

Federal agency audits are never far from the minds of employer retirement plan sponsors and their third-party administrators (TPAs), but knowing which recurring errors and internal controls most interest the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) right now can be helpful in avoiding or preparing for such inquiries.

Man Assaults Unusual Store Clerk for Having ‘Bad Attitude’

A man who had a few drinks didn’t like the attitude of a clerk at the cell phone store—so he kicked another clerk in response, causing injuries. But this is not your usual story from the local TV news. In a “man bites dog” scenario, the injured “clerk” was actually a robot!

remote

The Importance of Training Your Employees How to Work Remotely

Research shows that remote work is becoming more popular on a global scale and that it’s beneficial for both workers and companies. However, there are a few downsides to working remotely, as well. And your organization will need to address them via training and development initiatives if it wants to retain productive and happy remote […]

hiring

Q3 Hiring Forecasts Are In

Survey takers were recently asked, “How do you anticipate total employment at your location to change in the [next] three months to the end of September 2018 compared to the current quarter?” For those looking for new talent, you can join the 24% of employers that are also looking to hire new talent in the […]

Are Your Performance Appraisals Setting You Up for a Lawsuit?

Yesterday’s Advisor offered 10 Rules for Appraisals that will make them stand up in court. (Go here for the 10 Rules.) Today, we feature a checklist to help you review your appraisal system, and we talk about the real first step of any appraisal, a well-written job description. An effective, legally sound performance appraisal is: […]

pain

New Wearable Gadget Isn’t High-Tech, But Does Offer Comfort

Every day, the news tells you that “such and such” is the “new silent killer.” One day, we’re told that sitting will lead to a premature death; so, we go out and buy standing desks. The next day, we’re told that too much standing is bad for our health, so now what? Do we squat […]

data

Data @Work

While “artificial intelligence” (AI) seems to have replaced “big data” as the overused buzzword in corporate America, the ability to access, aggregate, and assimilate data to aid in better decision-making remains a much more realistic imperative for organizations to tackle. In the new world of digital HR, the deluge of available people-related data has provided […]

May You Require a Pregnant Employee to Take Leave?

Yesterday’s Advisor covered several aspects of pregnancy discrimination as laid out in recent guidance issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).  Today, more about pregnancy plus notice of a timely new webinar on benefits for same-sex couples. [Go here for the first part of the discussion on pregnancy discrimination] Requiring Leave May an employer […]

Faces of HR: Morgan Williams on Boundaries, Partnership, and Self-Worth

For this week’s edition of Faces of HR, we give flowers to Morgan Williams, co-founder of PeakHR. Before Williams got her start in human resources (HR), she aspired to be a psychiatrist, however, after experiencing burnout during college, she knew medical school wasn’t for her. Still, she sought a career path that would allow her […]

6th Circuit Rules Pension Fund Didn’t Properly Calculate Withdrawal Liability

The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals (whose rulings apply to all Michigan employers) recently decided a case involving an employer that withdrew from an underfunded, multiemployer pension plan. According to the court, the actuary didn’t use the best estimate when determining the employer’s share of the unfunded liability under the Employee Retirement Income Security […]