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Compensation & Benefits

If pieceworker has downtime, you must pay at least minimum wage for those hours

04/23/2013
Do you employ workers on a piece-rate basis but require them to stick around when things are slow or perform other tasks between the piecework? If so, watch out!

Beware one-sided arbitration agreements

04/23/2013
A California Court of Appeal re­­cently held that an arbitration agreement was unenforceable because it was unconscionably one-sided.

Workers ignoring our time clock rules: Can we dock their pay?

04/23/2013
Q. Many of our 60 employees fail to correctly clock in or out and it’s creating major payroll issues. I’ve met with employees who are chronic time-clock abusers and placed warnings in their files. Can we dock an employee for failing to clock in or out?

Check no longer in the mail: The case for direct deposit, paycards

04/22/2013

Most employees ditched paper checks in favor of direct deposit decades ago. So your job is done, right? Wrong. Some employees remain wary of direct deposit. How can you eliminate those pesky paper checks once and for all?

Beware payroll ‘phishing’ schemes

04/19/2013
Federal law enforcement authorities urge employers that outsource payroll operations to be on the alert for phony emails from third-party providers.

Better late than never: Refunds of ‘excess’ transit benefits

04/19/2013
Tax season just came to a close for most taxpayers. Exception: A late-season update to the IRS’ website informs employees who had more than $125 a month withheld for qualified mass transit benefits during 2012 on how to claim a refund for their excess income and FICA taxes.

Wellness incentives show healthy growth this year

04/18/2013
Employers plan to spend an average of $521 per employee on wellness incentives this year, according to a survey by the National Business Group on Health. That’s 13% more than in 2011, and double the $260 average reported in 2009.

New York PR firm allows time for employees to recharge

04/17/2013
New York-based public relations firm Weber Shandwick is helping its em­­ployees recharge mind, body and soul through an array of programs that en­­courage them to engage in new experiences, take care of themselves and keep in touch with one another.

401(k)s bounce back, but many workers still leave money on table

04/16/2013
Employee participation rates in their employers’ 401(k)s are up, according to a new survey by WorldatWork and the American Benefits Council. But fewer than 10% of employees contribute the maximum to their retirement plans.

Utility fights chronic disease with full-on wellness push

04/15/2013

In 2005, Georgia Power discovered that more than 53% of its 8,500 em­­ployees had or were at risk of developing a chronic health condition. Since then, the utility has enrolled thousands of employees in its “Southern LifeStyle” wellness program, helping workers slim down, eat healthier and cut their risk for diseases.