Compensation & Benefits

Self-insured plans, HSAs, HRAs must pay research fees

01/08/2013

To determine what works in providing medical care, the Affordable Care Act health care reform law created the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. For seven plan years, it will be funded with fees on plan sponsors of self-insured plans, including retiree-only and COBRA plans.

8 no-cost and low-cost perks that workers love

01/07/2013

When you think of rewards that retain employees, you might see only dollar signs. Lots of them. But keeping morale high and employees engaged need not rely only on pay raises. There are plenty of low-cost or even no-cost benefits you can offer to help keep employees engaged and committed.

Punch in, punch out: State appeals court allows time clock rounding

01/03/2013

If you use a time clock, you probably also use a rounding method so employees who clock in a little early or clock out slightly late are only paid for their scheduled time. The presumption is that over time, employees will clock in both early and late. Fortunately, a recent California appeals court decision sanctions this common-sense practice.

Nebraska cuts cost of employee health claims by millions

01/03/2013

The Nebraska state government reduced employee health claims by $4.2 million over three years after introducing a wellness program that features 100% coverage of preventive health care and lower premiums. The effort led Nebraska to become the first state to win the C. Everett Koop National Health Award.

Fiscal cliff averted: New law sets 2013 withholding rates; ‘payroll tax holiday’ expires

01/02/2013

In the waning hours of New Year’s Day, Congress passed legislation averting a plunge off the “fiscal cliff” and making permanent Bush-era tax rates for all but the highest earners. Now employers can finally make concrete plans for their 2013 payroll operations.

2012 FUTA credit reduction states announced

12/27/2012

The IRS has named the states that will be subject to FUTA credit reductions for 2012 FUTA taxes. FUTA credit reductions arise when states borrow from the federal government to pay regular unemployment benefits and fail to timely repay the loans.

Tax Year 2012 SSA Employer Service Liaison Officers

12/26/2012

Here’s a state-by-state breakdown of employer service liaison officers.

How should we handle 1099s for retirees we can’t track down?

12/26/2012

Question: Three retirees receive monthly pension checks. Two have stopped cashing them and the post office keeps returning the other retiree’s check as undeliverable. We’ve searched the obituaries and looked in our old HR files for their next of kin, but we’ve come up empty. We have to provide Forms 1099-R to them by the end of this month. What do we do?

Self-insured? New health plan fees due to IRS in July

12/24/2012

The IRS has announced final regulations governing new fees—payable by health insurers and employer sponsors of self-insured health plans—that will help fund a new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

Fiscal Cliff Watch: IRS OKs using 2012 withholding rate for now

12/21/2012

Employers should continue to use 2012 withholding tables and personal exemption amounts until further notice.