Compensation & Benefits

Regulatory alert: What’s new from the IRS

02/17/2014

The IRS has been busy adding to its regulatory agenda. Here’s the latest news from the regulations front.

When is it OK to punish by docking pay?

02/13/2014

Q. May I dock an employee’s pay as a penalty for disciplinary infractions?

Purina’s benefits cover employees’ pets, too

02/13/2014

Nestlé Purina Petcare’s employee benefits program offers workers a little help with their own pets. The pet food maker offers $200 to any associate who adopts or becomes a pet owner to help defray initial costs.

Survey: Employees like current health benefits, are open to ACA exchanges

02/12/2014

Most workers are satisfied with the health benefits they have now and aren’t interested in changing the current mix of benefits and wages offered by their employers, according to a new survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

Is there any hidden obligation to give raises?

02/11/2014

Q. Does any law require a company to give employees a raise at the end of the year or other amount of time?

New myRAs seek to spur retirement savings among low-income workers

02/10/2014

In his State of the Union address, President Obama announced that he was directing the Treasury Department to create “myRA”—a government-backed affordable “starter retirement savings account that will help millions of low- and middle-income Americans begin to save for retirement.”

Employers dropping internships to avoid liability

02/10/2014

Fallout from the landmark “Black Swan” court ruling in 2012 is being felt in workplaces across the country. More employers are dropping their internship programs after a federal court said Fox Searchlight must pay its unpaid interns at least minimum wage.

Special analysis: Beware of employees who work interstate

02/07/2014

If you’re located in only one state, you never have to worry about withholding another state’s income taxes or applying another locality’s paid sick leave law, right? Not necessarily. It’s possible that you’ve become an interstate employer without knowing it.

ACA FAQ explains wellness issues

02/06/2014

The Obama administration has released its 18th round of frequently asked questions about implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

Post-Windsor, what’s the tax status of benefits for same-sex married couples?

02/05/2014

Q. In the wake of United States v. Windsor, we have extended a number of our employee benefits to same-sex married couples. Can you provide any guidance on the proper treatment of flexible spending account (FSA) expenses and health savings account (HSA) and dependent care assistance program (DCAP) contribution limits for same-sex married couples?