Category: Benefits and Compensation
This topic provides guidance on how to handle compensation issues in a way that attracts and retains the best talent and advances the strategic goals of your business. You get news and tips on what’s going on nationally and in the states, and updates on changes in regulations, possible governmental action, and emerging compensation trends.
Top 7 Compensation Articles of 2012 from Compensation Daily Advisor
Misclassification: DOL and IRS Declare War Misclassification—calling individuals “independent contractors” or “volunteers” who properly should be employees—is a burgeoning legal battleground for employers. A recent 30-million-dollar suit on behalf of newspaper carriers is a good example of the stakes involved, says attorney Christine V. Walters. Unauthorized Overtime–Must Be Paid Even if Forbidden Many employers have […]
Plan’s Network Policy Was Clear Enough to Ward Off ERISA Claims (in spite of poor call center performance)
Rejecting a plan participant’s claims that plan documents should specifically list in-network providers, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that a plan clearly providing information on how to check for provider status was sufficient to escape benefits-denial and fiduciary-breach claims. In affirming a lower court decision, the court also rejected an argument that […]
Rhode Island Recognizes Other States’ Same-sex Marriages
Same-sex marriage is not legal in Rhode Island, but employers there must make provision for employees’ same-sex spouses nonetheless. Gov. Lincoln Chafee (I) on May 14 signed an executive order announcing that Rhode Island will recognize the validity of same-sex marriages entered into in states where it is legal. The executive order went into effect […]
EBSA Loosens Health Reform Rules for SBC Delivery, Stays Enforcement
A set of safe harbors related to the enforcement of summaries of benefits and coverage (SBCs), which insurers and plan sponsors must distribute as part of health care reform, was issued May 11 by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Employee Benefits Security Administration. The DOL/EBSA guidance creates regulatory exceptions for situations where insurers […]
Pay Budgets for 2013–What’s the Plan?
Take the 2012-2013 pay budget survey now. For years, BLR has surveyed HR, compensation, and benefits professionals to get an accurate gauge of pay budget planning. We want to find out how companies like yours are planning for compensation this year and next. Please help by filling out our brief survey; we’ll share the results […]
Here’s to the Crazy Ones
Perks, Imputed Income, and Phantom Stock—Exec Comp’s Tools
In yesterday’s Advisor, consultant David Wudyka offered insights on designing executive pay plans; today, more of his tips, plus an introduction to a unique guide just for smaller HR departments. Wudyka is managing principal of Westminster Associates in Wrentham, MA. His tips came at a recent BLR/HRhero-sponsored webinar. Perquisites Perquisites are benefits unique to executives, […]
Executive Pay—Different Pay Strategy Required
Executive compensation is sometimes called the “third payroll,” says consultant David Wudyka. There’s a general compensation strategy for exempt and nonexempt, but execs are paid differently, he adds. There are different types of incentives for executives, and taxation becomes increasingly important in compensation planning, says Wudyka, who is managing principal of Westminster Associates in Wrentham, […]
DOL Debuts MHPAEA Web Page, Adds FAQs
The U.S. Department of Labor has collected its rules, guidance and other materials on the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act into a new MHPAEA Web page. The materials on this page include a new set of frequently asked questions on “understanding implementation” of MHPAEA, which when enacted in 2008 substantially beefed up HIPAA’s […]