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Compensation & Benefits

Flex funds can cover summer camp

04/29/2014
Employees who send their kids to day camp can reap a double bonus—their kids will be entertained, and they can defray some or all of those expenses through the company’s dependent care assistance plan, up to the $5,000 annual limit. For kids who aren’t nature lovers, expenses incurred for specialty camps, such as computer camps, count too.

Bonuses prevalent across employer sectors

04/28/2014
A large majority of employers rely on incentive-based pay practices to compete for top talent, as well as to motivate and reward employees, according to research by the nonprofit WorldatWork organization, Deloitte Consulting and Vivient Consulting.

eTeam execs urge physical, mental fitness for employees

04/25/2014
When IT experts at eTeam need to stretch their legs, they can do it in an on-site fitness room or use the gym memberships that the 15-year-old company helps pay for.

Regardless of age, we’re mostly conservative retirement investors

04/25/2014
Asked whether they prefer retirement investments that are secure with low growth potential, or high growth with lots of risk, this is what working-age investors said.

Gender pay gap is 77%

04/24/2014
On average, working women in America earn 77 cents for every dollar men earn. Wage inequality varies greatly by state, according to the American Association of University Women.

Overlook these health plan failures at your peril

04/24/2014
If you focus strictly on the ACA health care reform law’s free-rider penalties for not providing full-time employees with health insurance, or not providing insurance that’s affordable and offers minimum value, you’re missing the bigger picture.

Any limits on time between shifts?

04/23/2014
Q. We need to schedule an employee for a shift from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. in order to close our store and begin a shift the next morning at 8 a.m. to open the store. Does California law require a minimum amount of time, such as 12 hours, in between scheduled shifts?

Is there a reason not to limit smoking breaks?

04/23/2014
Q. Two of our employees go outside to smoke almost every hour for about 10 minutes. Our other employees are starting to complain. Do we have to allow these 10-minute rest periods every hour?

San Diego newspaper delivery drivers awarded $5M

04/23/2014
Workers who delivered the San Diego Union-Tribune will split a $5 million judgment against the paper’s former owner. A state judge ruled that about 1,200 carriers who worked for the paper from 2005 to 2007 were employees, not independent contractors.

Papa John’s HQ pays up after franchisee stiffs workers

04/23/2014
The Papa John’s pizza chain has come through for employees left in the lurch when a franchisee in Sacra­­mento abruptly closed eight stores.