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Compensation & Benefits

Bypass Healthcare.gov: Small employers can buy health insurance through brokers

11/19/2013

The Healthcare.gov website may be broken, but that doesn’t mean small business owners who want to buy health insurance for their employees have to wait. They can learn about coverage options, costs and available tax credits by working with an insurance broker who has registered with CMS to facilitate SHOP policy sales.

Unclear rules could warrant unemployment benefits

11/19/2013
Someone who is fired for breaking a workplace rule isn’t entitled to unemployment benefits. That’s because rule-breaking is misconduct. But if the rule is unclear, all bets are off.

No unemployment if jail prevents coming to work

11/19/2013
You can terminate an employee for missing work because he had to spend the night in jail. He won’t be eligible for unemployment benefits because the firing was for misconduct related to regular attendance.

DHR posts same-sex marriage guidance for employers

11/19/2013
The Minnesota Department of Human Rights website has posted a list of frequently asked questions to help employers understand their obligations now that same-sex marriage has been legal in Minnesota since August.

Found misclassification problem? Fix it fast

11/19/2013
Avoid costly litigation by reviewing how you classify your em­­ployees as exempt or nonexempt. If you discover you have made a mistake, fix it right away. You’ll cut your misclassification liability.

72 AEP employees use $3,000 adoption benefit

11/19/2013

American Electric Power employees who adopt children get a little help from their employer: 30 hours of paid leave and $3,000 per child. One of the largest utilities in the country, American Electric Power has helped 72 of its employees with adoptions.

Holiday bonuses: Pass the bucks

11/18/2013
Good, bad or sluggish economy, there are valid reasons—mostly sustaining employee morale—to pay holiday bonuses. If your company will be doing so, now’s the time for Payroll to plan for them.

Regs continue to outline affordability under the ACA

11/18/2013
Under the Affordable Care Act, employees who don’t have access to affordable group health insurance that provides minimum value may obtain individual insurance through the exchanges. As part of their core responsibilities, exchanges determine whether employees qualify for advance premium tax credits and other cost-sharing reductions. Two sets of regulations relate to the concept of affordable health insurance.

How much is that paid internship worth?

11/15/2013
Undergrads working in organizations that offer paid internships earn a mean hourly rate of $12.74, according to a SHRM survey.

Don’t let court take employee’s word on hours; keep your own time records for all staff

11/15/2013
Here’s a case that should send chills down your spine if you don’t keep meticulous records of every hour worked. A court has allowed an employee’s lawsuit to proceed based on little more than her vague allegation that she wasn’t paid overtime for hours in excess of 40 per week.