Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
No one plans on becoming disabled. But accidents and illnesses happen, and they can confine workers to bed for weeks … or longer. A serious disability takes away more than workers’ earnings—it can take away their sense of control over their own lives. Do your employees understand the importance of ensuring that they receive a […]
Hiring an auditor with limited experience auditing benefit plans, or experience auditing only small plans … may cost plan sponsors. That conclusion can be drawn from a new assessment by DOL’s Employee Benefits Security Administration of audit quality after reviewing annual reports from 400 sample retirement plans of various sizes. The agency found a nearly […]
As covered in the last installment of this series, every employer covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is required to post an FMLA general notice explaining the FMLA’s provisions and other various U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) forms and notices. The following article discusses the proper ways to deliver notices.
The day after the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration issued a proposal outlining rules it is considering for lifetime income illustrations in pension benefit statements, retirement industry professionals applauded DOL’s effort but expressed concern about how realistic the proposal’s formulas are. In the recently released advance notice of proposed rulemaking, EBSA is […]
By Jane Meacham While acknowledging that maintaining traditional defined benefit (DB) pensions has become either too expensive or too burdensome, several Fortune 500 company retirement plan sponsors would like to replicate for their defined contribution (DC) plans some of the efficiencies from their DB plans, according to a new survey report from BNY Mellon.
By Bill Duvall As the prognosis for Canada’s economy remains uncertain, the Canadian court system continues to churn out employment cases arising from distressed employers. On this front, two recent cases are of interest. In the first, an Ontario court concludes that employees may not be entitled to statutory severance pay when they are provided […]
Caesars Palace in Las Vegas employed Catharina Costa as a warehouse worker and heavy-equipment operator. She was the only woman in this job and in her local Team- sters bargaining unit. Eventually, Costa was fired after an altercation with a male co-worker.When Costa sued for sex discrimination, Caesars contended her termination stemmed from Costa’s lengthy […]
Eligibility for medical services at an Indian Health Service (IHS) facility does not disqualify an individual from being able to establish a health savings account (HSA) — but actually receiving such services can. That is what the IRS said in Notice 2012-14, which it issued on Feb. 1. The IRS said that individuals who are […]
Employees’ rights to take unpaid leave from work to deal with their own serious health problems or those of family members received a boost in recent years with changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Ghosts and goblins bedevil the children this Halloween week, but it’s retention that bedevils HR managers. Will counteroffers help retention? In this two-part article, today’s experts say yes, tomorrow’s say no. Retention is once again raising its head as the bugaboo of HR managers. You think you’ve got things settled and then suddenly your best […]