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Compensation & Benefits

Real-world cost of health insurance: $270 per month

03/31/2014

The news is full of reports on the premiums being paid for health coverage acquired through the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges. Depending on the political spin, they’re either onerously expensive or ridiculously cheap. Could the truth be somewhere in the middle?

OCSE sets parameters for standard Income Withholding Orders

03/31/2014
Just how standard must a standard child support Income Withholding Order be? Very standard, according to the Office of Child Support Enforcement, which created it and mandates its use.

New voluntary retirement savings program proposed

03/28/2014
Sen. Tom Harkin, D–Iowa, has introduced legislation to create a new government-backed private pension system allowing employees to put away up to 6% of pay each year.

April 2014: Employer’s business tax calendar

03/28/2014
NOTE: Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays as observed in the District of Columbia are taken into account to determine due dates. Under the federal deposit rules, you’re allowed a deposit shortfall of the greater of $100 or 2% of your tax liability.

How do we pay an employee who does ‘extra’ work?

03/27/2014
Q: An exempt employee will be paid to photograph the company’s annual charitable 10K run. HR would like Accounts Payable to handle it through a separate check, so no taxes would come out of the payment. This doesn’t sound right to Payroll. Who’s right?

How should we handle pay when employee works unauthorized overtime?

03/27/2014
Q. What can we do if our employees worked overtime despite our instruction that they shouldn’t?

T-shirt maker settles OT complaint for $171,000

03/27/2014
San Diego-based Fashion Graphics has agreed to pay back wages and penalties while voluntarily stopping all shipments until the $171,000 is paid to its current and former employees. The screen printer supplies such retail chains as Macy’s, Walmart, Kohl’s and Hot Topic.

Logistics firm settles wage theft allegations

03/27/2014
Mira Loma-based Schneider Logis­­tics has agreed to settle charges it cheated a group of warehouse workers out of $4.7 million in wages. The company, which handles logistics for Walmart, agreed to the settlement without admitting any wrongdoing.

Beware promising that benefits are permanent

03/27/2014
Here’s something to think about when you revise your handbook or send out an announcement outlining your benefit plan: Be sure to tell workers that benefits can change at any time and that this year’s offering isn’t a promise that the benefits described will continue indefinitely.

Negotiating return to work? Don’t rush firing

03/27/2014
Sometimes, employees end up on unpaid leave after complaining about discrimination. Then the employee’s lawyers try to negotiate a settlement that includes returning to work. If you turn down such terms, make sure you get clarification on whether the worker will return even if you don’t meet her demands.