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9 Ways to Reduce FMLA Leave Abuse

We know that FMLA is one of your biggest HR headaches. And intermittent leave abuse just makes your job that much tougher. It’s a problem to be sure, but there is good news. We’ve tallied up the top 9 ways you can limit leave abuse at your company, all while staying compliant. Go to Tip […]

Most homecare workers entitled to minimum wage, overtime under new rule

A new rule taking effect January 1, 2015, means most direct-care workers employed by agencies and other third-party employers will be entitled to at least the federal minimum wage and overtime pay. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) says the change will affect nearly two million direct-care workers, such as home health aides, personal care […]

IRS Releases 401(k) Compliance Check Survey Results

There are more than half a million 401(k) plans in the United States, covering 60 million Americans, says the IRS. That is just some of the information in the 401(k) Compliance Check Questionnaire Interim Report, which the IRS released on Feb. 16, 2012. The report summarizes survey responses from 401(k) plan sponsors that filed a […]

Special from BLR’s National Employment Law Update: The Surprising Security Risk Posed by Your Photocopier

Your photocopier may be keeping copies of your records that have been scanned into the copier’s hard drive. You can access those records easily—and so can anyone else who knows how to work the copier’s hard drive. “That’s something everyone should be aware of,” said attorney Catherine Moreton Gray, speaking at BLR’s National Employment Law […]

Most Prevalent Incentive Payments? Survey Says …

Approximately one-third of employers report that their organizations supplement wages and salaries with cash incentives in the form of individual or team awards, spot bonuses, and similar payments, according to a recent survey of Cash Compensation practices conducted by BLR. Long term incentive bonuses were most frequently reported to be paid to employees at the […]

Federal Officials Discuss Health Reform Duties for Employers Between Now and 2014

When it comes to health reform’s new Summary of Benefits and Coverage, the feds will give some compliance leeway in cases where plan sponsors cannot fit data into the narrow spaces prescribed in the law, a prominent federal official told benefits attorneys in Washington, D.C. Many in the industry say the health reform law was […]

Employers Increase Surfing Controls

There has been a 20% increase in the number of companies blocking employees from using social networking sites. The percentage increases in 2009 vs. 2008 of companies banning web sites by specific categories include: social networking sites, 20%; travel-related sites, 28%; restaurant/bar websites, 27%; sports-related sites, 26%; shopping sites, 26%; job search sites, 19%; and […]

Rule on Reform’s Reinsurance Fee Clarifies Payments for Health Plans

Employer-sponsored plans that are secondary to Medicare are not subject to health reform’s expensive transitional reinsurance fee, nor are health flexible spending arrangements, health savings accounts and most health reimbursement arrangements. On March 11, 2013, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published its final regulation on the transitional reinsurance fee, which takes effect […]