Month: February 2013

The FMLA Comes of Age: New Rights for Military Families

Employers have expand job protections for military members and their families who need time off, to comply with regulations finalized by the U.S. Department of Labor Feb. 5. Major provisions, which implement changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act, include: Defining a covered veteran, consistent with statutory limitations, as limited to veterans discharged or […]

Court Supports Sponsor Interpretation of Plan, but Equitable Relief Claims Still Possible

Plan sponsors may take heart at a district court’s ruling supporting the interpretation of plan language by one of their own — but a partial dissent could spell more claims for equitable relief. The 6th U.S.  Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a ruling for the plaintiff in a surviving-spousal benefits suit and supported the defined […]

What’s ‘Affordable,’ What’s ‘Value’ under the ACA?

In yesterday’s Advisor, we introduced IRS’s Q&A on the ACA (Affordable Care Act); today, more questions and answers on complying with the ACA, plus an introduction to the best way to stay in compliance—the HR Audit. [Go here for yesterday’s Q&A] How does an employer know whether the coverage it offers is “affordable”? If an […]

Tackling the ADA—‘Affordable’ and ‘Minimum

[Go here for yesterday’s Q&A] How does an employer know whether the coverage it offers is “affordable”? If an employee’s share of the premium for employer-provided coverage would cost the employee more than 9.5% of that employee’s annual household income, the coverage is not considered affordable for that employee. If an employer offers multiple healthcare […]

Study Shows Impact of Generational Differences in the Workforce

“This is the most comprehensive quantitative study performed on generations in the workforce,” says Warren Wright, vice president of LifeCourse Associates. Wright adds, “We now know what engages different generations.” The study included Millennials (age 30 and under), Generation X (ages 31 to 51), and Boomers (ages 52 to 69) who are employed full-time. The […]

Karma in the C-Suite: What Goes Around …

Oswald, CEO of BLR, offered his thoughts on karma and leadership in a recent edition of The Oswald Letter. Here’s what he said: “Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.” […]

Do You Know the FUNdamentals of Safety Training?

When it comes to openers and closers, safety consultant Linda Tapp urges trainers to keep in mind the law of primary and “recency.” Trainees are going to remember what you do first and last. So you want to make sure to choose the right activities—activities at the beginning of the session that will get trainees […]

Interns: Will work for experience (sometimes)

by Lyndel Erwin An eager young college graduate approaches you looking for work as an intern and offering to do the job for free just to gain experience and make contacts in the industry. A retiree offers to volunteer in your hospital just to have something to fill her day. It looks like a win-win […]

What’s the Highest Paying Job with a 2-Year Degree?

With the rising cost of higher education, some are considering whether a 4-year degree is worth the price, or whether they could land a high-paying career with an associate’s degree. A new CareerBuilder® survey, conducted with Economic Modeling Specialists, lists the highest-paying jobs that require an associate’s degree. Here are the top five jobs, along […]