Compensation & Benefits

SECURE 2.0: Is it the answer to both the retirement crisis and employee retention?

07/19/2023

With HR struggling to boost retention numbers, some experts believe SECURE 2.0 provides part of the solution. “SECURE 2.0 is the most sweeping legislation we have seen in the retirement industry,” said Mike Griffin of UBS Workplace Health Solutions.

Retaining top talent, managing higher costs driving employers’ benefits strategies

07/17/2023

Eighty percent of employers surveyed by Willis Towers Watson said competition for talent is the top priority influencing their benefits strategy right now. The second highest priority: managing higher costs, cited by 67% of employers. Coming in third and fourth were a focus on inclusion and diversity (cited by 41%) and caring for employees’ mental health (39%).

Encourage employees to save for retirement

07/14/2023

If your company offers a retirement plan, mentor your team members and encourage them to participate. And if not, you can still encourage them to save via the various programs available.

Salary survey projects 4% pay raises in 2024

07/10/2023

Salary budgets are expected to remain high in 2024 as employers become accustomed to ongoing labor market challenges, according to consulting firm Willis Towers Watson.

New York City upends gig economy with minimum wage

07/10/2023

Gig workers regularly find themselves taking home hourly earnings far less than they would as minimum-wage, overtime-eligible employees. Now one government agency believes it has found a way around the problem.

Summer’s here and so are new employment laws

07/07/2023

Summertime is often when new employment laws take effect, and this summer is no exception.

What striking down student-loan forgiveness might mean for employers

07/03/2023

On June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that the Biden administration’s plan to forgive up to $20,000 in student-loan debt for millions of Americans was not legally permissible. The decision in Biden v. Nebraska has implications for employers as well as former college students.

Offer pay to play: Vacation stipends encourage staff to take time off to recharge

06/28/2023

This summer is shaping up to be the season of post-COVID vacations. Employers are actively encouraging employees to take long-delayed vacations. Some are even adding financial incentives in the form of vacation stipends. They are literally paying employees extra to go on vacation.

5 tips to improve open enrollment this fall

06/26/2023

While everyone else is on vacation this summer, HR pros are busy planning for the upcoming open-enrollment season. Follow these tips to make the process run more smoothly for you and more effectively for your employees.

They didn’t seriously argue that, did they? Religion in the kitchen stirs the DOL to action

06/21/2023

Religion in the workplace is a touchy matter. What if your boss brought in a priest and encouraged everyone to confess their sins? What if you weren’t Catholic? It’s not a hypothetical question. An employee of a California restaurant testified that his employer brought in a person identified as a priest to hear their confessions during work hours.