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Corporate Pension Funding Highest in Five Years, Above 90 Percent for September

Two indicators of U.S. corporate pension health topped 90-percent funding ratios for September, a significant sign of improvement in the vitality of defined benefit plans. Mercer’s S&P 1500 Indicator Rises Funding levels of DB plans sponsored by Standard & Poor’s 1500 companies monitored monthly by human resources consultant Mercer improved in the latest month, reaching […]

‘Worker centers’ thriving in the absence of unions

by W. Scott McLellan I’m based in Austin, and as you may know, Texas is not exactly a hotbed of traditional labor unions. Unlike employers in other parts of the country, Texas employers have long enjoyed a degree of flexibility in operations and employee relations that unions can prevent. However, that flexibility can lead to […]

S.F. Ordinance Would Expand Flex Time Rights for Childcare

A new city ordinance would require employers doing business in San Francisco to consider flexible scheduling for workers with caregiving responsibilities. The city’s Board of Supervisors passed the Family Friendly Workplace Ordinance Oct. 1, and remains to be signed by the city’s mayor. It would amend the city’s administrative code to allow employees in San Francisco to […]

Case Study: Yes, Supervisors Can Be Personally Liable for Failing to Provide Required Training

Steve Early had no experience or prior training operating a forklift nor was he certified as a forklift operator. Nevertheless, on his first day of work at the AZ Company, he was assigned to operate a forklift. “There’s nothing to it,” his supervisor told him. “It’s just like driving a car.” “OK,” Early agreed. “I […]

How Big Is the Number? (True Cost of EE Healthcare?)

In yesterday’s Advisor, , consultant Karl Ahlrichs presented a wellness program that grabbed the interest of 93 percent of employees and spouses. Today, more of his wellness wisdom, plus an introduction to the all-things-HR-in-one website, HR.BLR.com®. How Big Is the Number? Most HR managers underestimate the full costs of employee health (or lack thereof), says […]

What is Your Executive Compensation Philosophy?

Executive compensation levels can set the tone for the competitiveness of the organization. How a company defines its executive compensation philosophy will determine how much is offered to executives, which will in turn influence the strategic direction of the organization. For example, does your organization strive to hire only people who perform higher than all […]

IRS: Bike-share Is Not a Qualified Transport Fringe Benefit

Bicycle share expenses — incurred, for example, when one dips a credit card into a pay kiosk on the street in order to rent a bicycle from a public bike rack — do not qualify as payment for transportation on “mass transit facilities,” as some have argued, nor do they constitute a “qualified bicycle commuting […]

Medical Approval, Carpal Tunnel, and More

Yesterday attorney David Schmit, founder of Schmit Law in Oakland, addressed some common (yet vexing) return-to-work questions. Today, his thoughts on a few more—plus an introduction to a workers’ comp webinar you won’t want to miss.

“Team building” requires much more than a weekend retreat

by Dan Oswald We talk a lot about teams in the workplace today. When we recruit to fill a position, we say, “We’re looking for team players.” When the team achieves success, we say, “We win as a team.” When we consider whether we have the right people on the team, we say, “The team […]