Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
We reported in September on a federal appeal court ruling that Xerox Corp.’s pension plan improperly calculated lump-sum distributions from cash balance retirement accounts, resulting in lower benefits for certain employees who left the company between 1990 and 1999. Now Xerox has agreed to pay $239 million to settle the lawsuit, ending speculation over whether […]
According to a recent survey by consulting firm Watson Wyatt Worldwide, 15 percent of multinational companies operating in the United States already have a plan in place in the event of an avian flu outbreak. The survey of 90 multinational companies also found that 48 percent of companies operating in the United States are considering […]
Hiring the right people is key to a company’s success. And the job interview is one of the most important ways you can assess whether someone is a good fit. So how can you get the most out of interviews? A good place to start is to ensure that the interviewer has the right skills […]
During our own audit of our pay for salaried workers, we discovered some discrepancies that I think might be questionable if someone were to sue us for discrimination. Statistically, it appears that we may be underpaying women as compared to men in the same job groups, but regional pay differences and other factors such as […]
There is some persistent confusion over what the implementation of the health reform law means for health flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts. The short answer is that with one exception, employers and plan administrators must follow different steps for health FSAs and HSAs. Understanding these steps is crucial, because the time to prepare […]
The IRS recently issued Notice 2007-100, which gives employers an opportunity to correct unintentional operational mistakes concerning nonqualified deferred compensation plans. Internal Revenue Code Section 409A, which covers these plans, specifies the manner in which they must be reported to avoid premature taxation. The notice gives employers the opportunity to self-correct unintentional operational errors—the failure […]
Recently we began to explore ways to keep older workers engaged so they are more likely to stay at your company. Today we’ll explore a few more tips for keeping them engaged, including reduced schedules, additional training, and reducing age discrimination.
IBM has agreed to pay $65 million to settle a class action lawsuit charging the computer firm with misclassifying employees as exempt from overtime. In particular, the suit alleges, IBM incorrectly classified technical services professionals and information technology specialists as exempt, even though those positions don’t qualify for exemption under California or federal wage and […]
When I talk to HR leaders, they often mention how frustrated their employees are by how difficult it is to get timely answers to simple questions about corporate policies, benefits, workplace amenities, and other everyday issues.