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Compensation & Benefits

Adopt 5 HR best practices to weather the recession

09/04/2009

During a recession, every organization seems to face its own unique HR challenges, and that’s leading to creative solutions and new ways of thinking. Here are five best practices that can help comp and benefits pros make changes that contribute to their organizations’ survival.

The 3 health reform changes most likely to survive this fall

09/04/2009

After a summer spent getting an earful from vocal constituents, Congress is trying to muster support for—or stop—competing versions of what President Obama now calls health insurance reform. There’s no guarantee that Obama will have a bill to sign before the end of the year. But if he does, it will almost certainly include three elements that will affect comp and benefits pros:

Pass your own health care reform with these 4 best practices

09/04/2009

Don’t depend on comprehensive health care reform to significantly cut the cost of the health insurance benefits you provide to employees. Many of America’s best companies have found that a few best practices do a remarkably good job of improving employee health and controlling health care expenses. Here are some of the best practices in health benefits used by America’s best employers.

Switch to PTO nearly eliminates sick days

09/04/2009

The 350 employees who work for nine Monarch Bank branches in in Virginia call in sick no more than a collective 10 days a year. That wasn’t always the case. Until five years ago—when bank execs combined sick leave and vacation time into a use-it-for-anything paid-time-off (PTO) bank—each employee was far more likely to use all of his or her 10 paid sick days rather than forfeit them.

Tracking software helps reduce overtime by 70%

09/04/2009

Overtime is lower at equipment rental chain RentalMax than it has been in a dozen years—and it’s not because of the economy. The Chicago-based firm reduced overtime by 70% by using time-tracking software …

9 ways to cut costs with strategic work/life & flex benefits

09/04/2009

Amid layoffs, furloughs, pay cuts and frozen salaries, most organizations are holding onto their work/life benefits during the recession. And some of them are using flextime, telework and other employee favorites as cost-cutting strategies. Here are nine ways your organization can make strategic use of work/life benefits to cut costs, save jobs and pump up employee morale during the recession.

GLBT group helps hotel chain with community outreach

09/04/2009

A new resource group for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) employees at Choice Hotels International is doing double duty as a support system for workers and a humanitarian ambassador for the Silver Spring, Md.-based organization.

Payback time: Employer wanted its money back—and got it!

09/02/2009

Forgive us if we pat ourselves on the back. In two recent decisions, our firm, Bond, Schoeneck & King, was successful in recovering relief against employees. The cases offer good news for employers frustrated with losing money when they haven’t done anything wrong.

Beware firing ill employee after FMLA expires

09/02/2009

Employers sometimes have the mistaken belief that employees with serious health conditions who have used up all their FMLA leave can be terminated if they can’t return to work. That’s simply wrong. In fact, those employees may be entitled to reasonable accommodations—including additional time off—under the New York State Human Rights Law and the New York City Human Rights Law.

Record of support for pregnant women, working moms helps win discrimination cases

09/02/2009

Employers that support pregnant and working mothers fare better if they do get sued by someone who believes she suffered pregnancy discrimination. That’s because courts are reluctant to believe that an organization would suddenly become biased after demonstrating a history of progressive policies for pregnant women and working mothers.