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Compensation & Benefits

Lower Rx cost growth rate projected in 2019

10/02/2018
Prescription drug costs are projected to grow more slowly in 2019, according to findings of the 2019 Segal Health Plan Cost Trend Survey.

Benefits to attract & retain women: Go beyond the obvious

09/27/2018
The path to attracting and retaining top women employees in a hot job market is clear.

General Mills unveils improved paid time off policy

09/25/2018
Beginning Jan. 1, new parents will receive 12 weeks of paid time off at full pay. New mothers can get an additional six to eight weeks paid time off to recover from childbirth.

Out on medical leave? Don’t automatically reject bid for promotion

09/25/2018
You might assume that if an employee is out on medical leave and applies for a promotion or a different position, you can reject her application because she can’t currently work. But that could turn out to be a big mistake.

Employees who resign aren’t usually eligible for unemployment compensation benefits

09/25/2018
Generally, an employee who voluntarily resigns is ineligible for unemployment compensation benefits. However, there are some exceptions.

Cheaper retirement plans are just around the corner

09/24/2018
Final regulations issued by the Department of Labor, which became effective Sept. 30, 2019, allow employers to band together to offer association 401(k) plans, technically called “multiple-employer retirement plans.”

ACA affordability safe harbors set for 2020 plan year

09/24/2018
For the 2020 plan year, group health plans are affordable if employees’ monthly premiums don’t exceed 9.78% of your chosen safe harbor.

Special analysis: Hot job market + cool fringes = Payroll headaches

09/24/2018
The unemployment rate hasn’t been this low in more than 50 years. So HR is tasked with coming up with fringe benefits that will incentivize new hires to sign on and entice current employees to stay. Too bad they didn’t consult you first.

SSA reinstates employer no-match letters

09/24/2018
The Social Security Administration is again sending no-match letters, called Educational Correspondence Announcements, to employers that file W-2s on which employees’ names and Social Security numbers don’t match its records. Warning: W-2s with these mismatches may also garner penalties from the IRS.

Wage report spurs worries about retention

09/20/2018
With the economy humming along nicely, employers know they need to retain workers or face the task of trying to find new hires. That’s increasingly difficult to do.