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Compensation & Benefits

New Calif. fast-food worker law could spread

09/08/2022
The California legislature has enacted a first-in-the-nation law designed to grant broad protections to employees working in fast-food restaurants. As is often the case, it’s a California employment law that could well become a model for similar legislation in other states.

New research projects 6.5% higher health costs in 2023

09/06/2022
Average costs for U.S. employers that pay for their employees’ health care will increase 6.5% to more than $13,800 per employee in 2023, predicts the Aon consulting firm.

Health benefits costs expected to rise 5.6% in 2023

08/30/2022
U.S. employers anticipate they will have to spend 5.6% more for health benefits on a per-employee basis next year, according to the Mercer consulting firm’s National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans 2022.

Offer inflation bonuses to retain employees

08/30/2022
Like covid-19 bonuses that employers paid to retain front-line workers during the height of the pandemic, making one-time bonus payments to offset higher costs of living can help keep workers from leaving for other jobs.

Snapshot: Which workers will get better benefits in 2023?

08/23/2022
Employers say recruiting and retention challenges will prompt them to enhance benefits for line workers next year.

Remote I-9 document inspection takes one teeny step toward permanence

08/22/2022
Since the onset of the pandemic, employers have generally been allowed to inspect employees’ Form I-9 documents remotely. ICE would now like to actually write this flexibility into the I-9 regulations. Here’s a preview of what that might look like.

E-Verify returns to pre-COVID rule on SSA mismatch

08/18/2022
During the pandemic, employees were given extra time to resolve discrepancies found in E-Verify between their Social Security numbers and government records. But that flexibility has now ended.

Huge settlement highlights local law risks

08/18/2022
Gone are the days when big verdicts or settlements were all the result of running afoul of federal laws. These days, employers also have to worry about increasingly aggressive state and local government agencies enforcing their own anti-discrimination laws and other employment ordinances.

Stop unauthorized work by remote employees

08/18/2022
If you have employees who work remotely at least some of the time, you know how difficult it is to keep tabs on exactly what they are doing and when they’re doing it. That can be bad news if those employees are nonexempt. They must be paid for all work they perform—whether you knew they were working or not. The good news is that you can set up systems that prevent unauthorized telework.

It’s open enrollment: What about mental health benefits?

08/17/2022
Employees have been through a lot over the last couple of years and the strain is showing. More say they want robust mental health benefits, including medical time off. With open enrollment coming, now is a good time to take a look at the mental health benefits your group plan offers.