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.

Health Reform News: Final SBC Rule Tries to Eliminate Redundancy with SPD

The departments implementing health reform can turn around a project when they are under the gun. Responding to concerns that the new “summary of benefits and coverage” (SBC) mandated by the health reform law is redundant, HHS, DOL and Treasury/IRS quickly turned around a final rule that eases some SBC requirements. The final rule and […]

IRS to Answer Your Questions on 401(k) Compliance

As a follow-up to its “Section 401(k) Compliance Check Questionnaire Interim Report,” the IRS will host a phone forum March 6. The phone forum will be hosted by Monika Templeman, Director of Employee Plans Examinations at the IRS, along with IRS employees Janice Gore and Rhonda Migdail. Submit any questions you have about the Interim […]

A More Flexible Contraceptive Mandate? Carve-outs for Religious Organizations Look Likely

After increasing hammering from conservatives, the White House looks like it is ready to compromise on health reform’s contraception mandate. The administration had included contraceptives and sterilization in its list of preventive services all (except the few grandfathered) plans must cover starting plan years in August 2012. It had offered a year-long delay to religious […]

10 Keys to Market Pricing in Tough Times

Everyone’s talking market pricing, but many are not doing it well. Even with limited resources, you can take the steps to align your pay structure with the market, says consultant Mary A. Rizzuti CCP, PHR. In today’s Advisor, Rizzuti, who is a principal at PHR Compensation Resources, Inc. in Upper Saddle River, NJ, shares her […]

Expert Explains Five Issues Raised by IRS’ Guidance on Lifetime Annuity Contracts

In this post, we reported on new IRS proposed rules on purchasing qualified lifetime annuity contracts (QLACs) under certain retirement plans. Recently in his blog, an industry expert provided more details on the guidance’s significance. In his blog the Business of Benefits, Attorney Robert Toth Jr., explains how: With just a relatively short regulation and […]

California Same-sex Marriage Ban Unconstitutional, 9th Circuit Says

Employers and plan administrators in California should continue to watch the pendulum regarding same-sex marriage in the Golden State, which has swung again. A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 on Feb. 8 in Perry v. Brown, Nos. 10-16696, 11-16577, that Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that amended the […]

Managing Base Compensation with Pay Grade Planning

The economic environment presents comp managers with many challenges, but base pay management is at the head of juggling act, says compensation consultant Mary A. Rizzuti, CCP, PHR. How can we remain competitive with smaller budgets? In today’s Advisor, Rizzuti, who is a principal at PHR Compensation Resources, Inc. in Upper Saddle River, NJ, shares […]

You don’t have to be an 800-pound gorilla to create a better health plan for employees … but it sure helps

Self-funded companies can do a lot to improve employee health through wellness programs and creating “micro health delivery systems” (my term) with goals tailored to the firm’s employee population. The catch may be that only employers that are very large, very innovative and want to get very involved in health care may be able do […]

Releases for ADEA Claims

In yesterday’s Advisor, attorneys Chris Anderson and Sarah C. Maxwell provided guidance on Early Retirement Incentive Programs (ERIP); today. their tips for employee releases, plus an introduction to the all-in-one site for HR managers, HR.BLR.com. Releases of claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) are typically part of ERIPs, but they have to […]