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Compensation & Benefits

Changing hours: Must we talk to the union first?

03/19/2014
Q. Our employees recently voted for a union and we are now negotiating. Our policies say full-time em­­ployee status starts at 30 hours per week. All of our full-time employees currently work 40 hours per week. We want to decrease the hours of some employees (about 25% of them) from eight to six per day. Do we have to bargain with the union on this change or can we just notify them? 

St. Paul teachers reach contract accord, avert strike

03/17/2014
Days before a scheduled strike vote in late February, St. Paul teachers reached a tentative deal on a new contract. Overall, teachers will receive an 8.6% increase in pay and benefits over two years.

No excuses accepted for missing appeal deadline

03/17/2014
Here’s another reason to stay on top of deadlines: If you plan on appealing a decision to grant unemployment benefits for a former worker, don’t miss the 20-day deadline.

Listen to employee’s side of the story before contesting unemployment benefits

03/17/2014
Workers terminated for misconduct aren’t eligible for unemployment compensation. But before you oppose benefits, consider the employee’s side of the story. Rest assured, the hearing officer will. And even if you win the first round, an appeal may consume time and money better spent elsewhere.

Training, flex are rewards for good work at PwC

03/14/2014
Managers at PwC offer training, flexibility and recognition as rewards for good work. Here’s how the professional services firm pats its employees on the back.

Refund claim sinks on no proof of mailing

03/14/2014
Drop a tax return in the mail on the day it’s due and it’s considered timely filed, under the IRS’ timely-mailing-is-timely-filing rule. But you must still have proof that you mailed it—a registered or certified mail receipt, for example. A taxpayer who couldn’t present a receipt was out of luck for his refund, ruled a federal appeals court.

State-by-state chart on vacation pay-upon-termination laws

03/13/2014
A common question: Is the value of accrued vacation time due to a terminating employee? Here’s a chart summarizing state vacation pay laws.

Base pay on the job–not the job description

03/12/2014
The Equal Pay Act makes it illegal to set separate rates of pay for men and women doing the same work. But some employers don’t understand that job titles and job descriptions don’t matter much when it comes to comparing jobs.

Cash-strapped still raiding 401(k)s to pay the bills

03/12/2014
Here’s another sign that, while the economy is generally improving, flush times can still be elusive for individuals. Fully 35% of people who voluntarily or involuntarily left their jobs last year cashed out their retirement savings instead of keeping their money in tax-advantaged accounts.

What drives wellness participation?

03/11/2014
Incentives such as prizes or lower premiums aren’t the main motivators driving participation in employer-sponsored wellness programs. In fact, most employees just want better health.