Month: May 2011

Benefits on the Web: Why Companies Should and Why the Excuses They Use Not to Aren’t Relevant

by Jennifer Benz, Benz Communications A benefits-enrollment system on the Internet and information on a corporate intranet are not sufficient to engage employees and improve adoption rates in the age of social media. Companies need to get their benefits information to the decision maker, which isn’t always the employee, and make sure the information is […]

Gatekeeper Approach to Mental Health Care

Worried about the rising the cost of your health care? If so, you may be searching for something—short of dropping coverage for mental health and substance abuse—that can help. The twofold answer may be right in front of you: your employee assistance plan (EAP) and managed care techniques.  John Kamilis, LCPC, clinical director of CuraLinc […]

Boosting Employees’ Financial ‘Health’ Pays Off for Employers

by Kristie Howard, Longfellow Benefits With the adoption of worksite wellness growing as a key business strategy to improve workers’ health and productivity, leading employers are already seeing bottom-line benefits from investing to keep employees healthy. As bad news continues to mount on the economic frontand people become more stressed about their personal finances, employers […]

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Broad-Based Variable Compensation Plans

As the economy crumbled around our collective feet, the proper design of a compensation program may not have seemed like a priority. But with more candidates than jobs available and the U.S. unemployment rate determined to break into double digits, you may be surprised to learn that compensation programs continue to play a vital role […]

COBRA Premium Subsidy Law —What a Difference a Year Makes

Last year around this time, COBRA administrators were waiting with dread to see if Congress would enact yet ANOTHER extension to the continuation coverage premium subsidy law. The law had been extended three times before, so why not four? But due to the political shifts in Congress as a result of the 2010 elections, and […]

Michael’s Goodbye

Tonight’s episode, a rerun of Part 1 of Michael Scott’s goodbye, had, unfortunately, limited employment law relevance.  But one thing did stand out — Gabe’s relentless pursuit (or re-pursuit) of Erin. Gabe demonstrates well the dangers of office romances. Gabe’s inability to cope with Erin’s decision to dump him has Gabe hounding Andy to stay […]

More Reasons for Wellness in the Workplace

These findings illustrate how providing exercise facilities at the workplace is in business’ self-interest. Well: Less Active at Work, Americans Have Packed on Pounds. Click here for the actual study. Have you ever looked at the black and white pictures of Americans (waiting in line, working, at a baseball game … whatever) before 1965 with […]

U.S. Supreme Court Building

Supreme Court: Arizona Immigration Law That Targets Businesses Is Valid

Thursday, May 26, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Legal Arizona Workers Act (Act), an Arizona employment law that allows the state to sanction employers that knowingly or intentionally employ “unauthorized aliens.” The first provision of the Act punishes certain employers that hire unauthorized aliens by suspending or revoking their business licenses. The second provision […]

Paid Time Off—How’s It Working? Let’s Find Out

By Stephen D. Bruce, PHR Editor, HR Daily Advisor Just My E-pinion Instead of designating employee paid time off as vacation days, sick leave, and such, many employers have started to lump it together and simply call it paid time off, or PTO for short. But there are pros and cons. The advantages of undesignated […]