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.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one — a car is burglarized, and hardware goes missing that turns out to have sensitive personal data on thousands of beneficiaries, employees, patients and customers. Same old story — but in the millions this time. Medical information on nearly 5 million military clinic and hospital patients was on backup […]
Gross Misconduct Means No COBRA, But … Termination for gross misconduct is not a qualifying event under COBRA, so COBRA continuation coverage does not have to be offered to an employee and his or her spouse and dependent children if the employee was terminated for gross misconduct. Unfortunately, the term “gross misconduct” is not defined […]
Incentive comp is certainly on the front burner these days as companies struggle with strapped budgets and weary employees. It’s not getting easier for comp professionals. But what’s happening in the real world? Who’s paying what to whom? Let’s find out. Please participate in this brief survey and we’ll determine just what employers are offering […]
Employers and plan administrators that have a hard time choosing the version of the Form 5500 to file for earlier plan years, and which schedules to file, now have some help. That assistance comes from none other than the Department of Labor (DOL) — one of the agencies that imposes the filing requirement in the first […]
If a plan participant needs a special diet that costs more than an ordinary, everyday diet, or had to have a hearing aid repaired, he or she can deduct those expenses. Specially Prepared Foods In Information Letter 2011-0035, the IRS said that if an individual consumes a special diet for medical reasons, the amount by […]
The Compensation Daily Advisor® announced today the release of a free report for compensation professionals, Top 100 FLSA Overtime Q&As. This report provides employers with an examination of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime regulations in Q&A format, including tips for bringing workplaces into compliance in an affordable manner. It will be available […]
It’s important to disclose information through ERISA-required documents properly: it can be a plan administrator’s last line of defense if participants allege that they suffered losses because they didn’t know their rights or important plan terms. That obligation has grown in response to the financial scandals of the last decade (Enron, WorldCom, mortgage-leveraged bonds, etc.). […]
Bottos, who is Vice President of Compensation at data provider Kenexa, offered her suggestions at a recent webinar sponsored by the company. Here are her 10 steps: 1. Analyze your organization’s jobs to determine: Main function of the job and key responsibilities Knowledge/skills/abilities required Organization level and reporting relationships 2. Develop a brief job summary: […]
If I call colleagues in other companies to see what they are paying, am I creating a Sherman Anti-Trust Act violation? It’s likely, but there are safe harbor provisions, says Bottos, Vice President of Compensation at data provider Kenexa. Her suggestions came at a recent webinar sponsored by the company. What’s the Practice in the […]
It has now been almost a year since health care reform was first enacted. The first year involved many compliance challenges, not the least of which was keeping up with the many pieces of guidance issued by DOL, IRS and HHS. Plans had to expand coverage (more dependents, fewer dollar limits, no more questions about […]