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Compensation & Benefits

California leads nation on Fortune ‘best companies’ list

03/19/2010
Sixteen of the firms on Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list are headquartered in California, the most in the nation. Texas came in second on the Fortune list, with 13 companies.

Pay the minimum or more? Broad tip pools OK

03/19/2010
The FLSA has complicated rules for employers that pay less than the minimum wage to staff who receive tips. If tips aren’t large enough, then the employer has to top off the wages so the employee makes at least minimum wage. But what happens if the employer pays the customarily tipped employee minimum wage or more right from the start? That’s the question the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals recently answered for the first time.

Base health communication strategies on 5 behavioral quirks

03/19/2010

When researchers at HR consulting giant Towers Watson were compiling new stats on 2010 employer health care costs, they uncovered some fascinating findings from the world of behavioral economics that innovative employers are applying to their health communication efforts. As you look for ways to encourage employees to be active, informed consumers of the health benefits you offer, see how many you can incorporate into your own communication plans.

Babies at work: Morale boost or productivity buster?

03/18/2010

The number of organizations with a babies-at-work benefit has more than doubled to 130 in the past two years, says the Parenting in the Workplace Institute. The key: Set clear guidelines. Find tips for creating a policy at www.theHRSpecialist.com/babies.

Even with economy on the mend, comp & benefits will lag

03/17/2010

We’ve all heard the good news about the economy: that the recession is crawling to a resolution and things will slowly get back to normal. Most of the executives I know don’t believe it. Now that we have reduced our workforces, frozen salaries, eliminated bonuses and suspended 401(k) matches, the question remains: When the recovery does occur, is any of that going to change?

Virginia state employees compete in healthy lifestyle contest

03/17/2010

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has set a weighty goal for the commonwealth’s 1,500 employees: lose 10 pounds each in 13 weeks. During the challenge, which began Feb. 15 and ends in mid-May, employees of the state of Virginia who choose to participate will compete on four-person teams and weigh in weekly.

DOL: Filing of Form 5500 goes all electronic

03/16/2010

The Employee Benefits Security Administration has converted to a total electronic system for online filing of the Form 5500 and the new Form 5500-SF. Filers must submit the annual form electronically through the so-called EFAST2 system at www.efast.dol.gov.

The health care affordability gap continues to rise

03/15/2010

According to Towers Watson’s 2010 Health Care Cost Survey of 552 employers, health costs (insurance and out-of-pocket expenses) are outpacing inflation at record-high levels. The average employee will pay $400 more for health insurance this year than in 2009, bringing the annual average total to $2,487. Employers are paying more to offer health benefits, too.

Suspect sick leave abuse? Set strong policy to stamp it out–and allow legit FMLA leave

03/12/2010

Unplanned absences can disrupt even the best-run workplaces. Of course, you don’t want truly sick employees to come to work if they have some contagious illness. Nor do you want to discourage employees from taking legitimate FMLA leave. Your challenge as an employer: Craft and enforce an attendance policy that allows or even encourages legitimate sick leave use while discouraging abuse.

Under PTO policy, must we pay out unused leave upon employee’s termination?

03/12/2010

Q. We offer employees a set number of paid time off (PTO) days per year, which they may use for any reason, including vacation and sick days. Must we pay out all earned but unused PTO days upon termination?