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Compensation & Benefits

Does your wellness program clash with new genetic bias law?

08/17/2010
Approximately 70% of employers sponsor wellness programs designed to drive down health care costs, reduce absenteeism and promote better employee health. But now, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act has muddied the wellness waters. Learn how to comply while still offering incentives for employees to participate in your wellness program.

401(k) matches start getting back to normal

08/17/2010
Less than half of the employers that reduced or stopped matching contributions to their employees’ 401(k) plans during the recession had restored them as of this spring—but almost all of them said they will, according to the most recent Towers Watson Defined Contribution Survey.

Understanding the new ‘grandfathering’ rules

08/13/2010
Group health plans that were in effect when the health care reform law was signed can earn “grandfather” status. That means they only have to comply with some of the market reforms. But employers can lose grandfather status if they change insurance carriers or “substantially increase” out-of-pocket costs for employees. Here are seven changes that could imperil grandfathered status.

Can we terminate an employee who has been discussing how much he gets paid?

08/12/2010
Q. Our company has a confidentiality policy about employee wages. We recently learned that one of our employees has been violating this policy by disclosing his hourly pay rate to co-workers. Can we terminate this employee for violating our company policy?

What are our FMLA obligations when an employee has to care for a child he isn’t related to?

08/12/2010
Q. An employee has requested FMLA-protected leave to care for his partner’s son. We are aware that the child is not legally or biologically related to our employee. Do we have to grant the leave?

Is an employee who resigned (instead of being fired) eligible for unemployment benefits?

08/12/2010
Q. We recently decided to conclude a long-time worker’s employment with our company. We gave the employee the option of resigning instead of being fired. She chose to resign and is now trying to collect unemployment benefits. Is she still eligible even though she resigned?

Unpaid interns teach some employers a costly lesson

08/12/2010

For employers and job-seekers alike, unpaid internships seem like an attractive option. But internships come with risks. Before you begin taking on interns, do a thoughtful and careful analysis to make sure state and federal law allows you to classify an individual as an unpaid intern rather than a paid employee.

Former Opus West employees allege pension fraud

08/12/2010
Minnetonka-based Opus Corp. and its founder, Gerald Rauenhorst, face charges they illegally shifted corporate funds so they wouldn’t have to pay a subsidiary’s employees and fund their pensions.

Illness won’t bar unemployment; violating call-in policy may

08/12/2010
Employees who are terminated because they become ill and can’t meet attendance standards can still collect unemployment compensation benefits. But employees terminated because they didn’t follow call-in policies can’t. That’s misconduct, which bars receiving benefits.

Creative thinkers awarded with $2,500 plus a sabbatical

08/12/2010
Managers at public relations and marketing agency CRT/tanaka want employees to have a “what can be” spirit, so they reward three who do that with $2,500 and a sabbatical each year. The agency’s annual “whatcanbe award” winners have helped create “a bigger, brighter, better future” for the agency, its clients and the community at large, notes company spokesman Jeff Wilson.