Tag: Compensation

What Is the Pension Protection Act?

Protecting retirement benefits is a hot-button issue, especially when the news cycle periodically tells us about the risks of a shortfall in the Social Security Administration’s ability to pay out benefits over the long term. These headlines serve to highlight the fact that employees and employers alike are faced with risks in where we put […]

Survey: Pay Hikes Will Spread to More Companies Even as Profit Growth Stalls

“Wage and salary increases are becoming more widespread, according to panelists in the January 2016 NABE Business Conditions Survey, even as sales growth and hiring at their firms flatten, and they trim their expectations for expansion in the overall economy,” says National Association of Business Economics (NABE) President Lisa Emsbo-Mattingly, director of research in the […]

What is FICA?

FICA stands for the Federal Insurance Contribution Act, which outlines the required income tax withholdings related to social security and Medicare. Employers are required to withhold this tax from employee paychecks on behalf of the employee and submit them to the IRS. Unlike most payroll taxes, employers also have a separate employer FICA tax responsibility […]

What is a Job Analysis?

Job descriptions can easily become inaccurate. Over time, many job requirements will change and evolve as the role changes and the business needs change. They can also change simply as a result of the employee taking responsibility for new tasks or from new projects that change the landscape of the role.

Salary Structure for Small Companies: Too Much?

On the surface, the formal salary structure program Judy Canavan helped implement at a 20-person, not-for-profit company might seem like wearing a tuxedo to a hoedown—a bit much. But when you look a little deeper, you may get a different impression.

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What Does ‘Hours Worked’ Mean?

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employers must pay employees at least the minimum wage for all hours worked. This sounds simple enough. But what does “hours worked” mean in this context? Does it mean just the hours that the employee is scheduled? What about time spent on call? What about break time? What […]