Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Under flexible benefit or cafeteria plans, once the plan year starts, employees are locked into their benefit elections and can’t make changes except in a few limited situations. But in a move that will be welcomed by employees, the IRS has recently announced rules that take effect immediately and greatly expand your employees’ ability to […]
The following is a list of the bestselling paperback business books as ranked by the New York Times on April 27. 1. Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan by Suze Orman. Managing your money in hard times. 2. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell. How and why certain […]
Last year is ended on a high note, at least in terms of one economic indicator: the nation’s unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent in December. Despite that good news, many states are still experiencing record unemployment; this rampant unemployment was the number one issue addressed by state legislatures this past year. Here is a […]
As summer rolls on and TV reruns continue, I did like Michael Scott would do during an average workday: I turned my attention to surfing the Internet. I came across an article on the Wall Street Journal’s site entitled “Did You Hear the One About the Recession?” by Kayleen Schaefer. The article discusses how workplace […]
What right do employers have to access personal e-mail records or personal e-mail accounts that are on company-owned computers? — Robert, HR Manager in L.A. Technology-related privacy concerns are on the rise for nearly every HR professional. We sought Trey Wichmann’s views on this question. In this situation, the employer’s rights depend […]
By Austen K. Townsend The Supreme Court’s decision on Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act in U.S. v. Windsor No. 12-307 (June 26, 2013) raises many issues for employers and other plan sponsors to consider about their qualified retirement plans. Section 3 of DOMA provided that the term “marriage” meant only a legal […]
Finding just the right person for a job is the constant challenge for recruiters. Even when they have the benefit of up-to-date training, high-tech tools, and good common sense, they often face an uphill struggle. They’re either inundated with applications—many from unqualified candidates—or they’re left with such a small number of suitable applications that they […]
The U.S. Department of Labor on Oct. 21 reversed 2008 guidance that discouraged retirement plan fiduciaries and their investment advisers from considering environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when choosing companies for their portfolios. The reversal, made through a new interpretive bulletin that reinstates 1994 guidance, recognizes a growing consensus that fiduciary duty may in […]
Employers have a lot to worry about these days. Fortunately, the expiration of the marketplace notice form issued by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) isn’t something else to add to the list. The form, New Health Insurance Marketplace Coverage Options and Your Health Coverage, comes in two versions: one for employers that offer some […]
Plan sponsors in areas Hurricane Sandy affected may want to prepare for an increase in loan or hardship withdrawal requests after the IRS on Nov. 16 said it temporarily will relax its rules that apply to such emergency funding for retirement plan participants. The IRS announced the relief in Announcement 2012-44. Hurricane Sandy should be […]