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Compensation & Benefits

To do this week: Confirm new tax withhholding, begin using new I-9s

03/31/2009

HR pros have two important items to add to their to-do lists this week:

  • Ensure that this week’s payroll reflects more generous federal income tax withholding levels mandated by the economic stimulus law enacted in February.
  • Start using the new Form I-9 on Friday, April 3.

Ledbetter’s lesson: Revamp salary guidelines to make pay as fair as possible

03/31/2009

Now that the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is the law of the land, it may be time to revisit how you set starting and incumbent salaries. If you currently allow managers and supervisors flexibility on pay issues, consider reducing that discretion.

N.J. Supreme Court: Strikers may be entitled to unemployment

03/30/2009

The New Jersey Supreme Court recently held that an employer that continues to provide all or substantially all of its services during a strike will be hard-pressed to oppose its striking employees’ applications for unemployment benefits. That’s true even if the strike results in significant losses in revenue and profits.

Courts crack down on workers’ comp for minor injuries

03/30/2009

It used to be that an employee who continued to suffer any pain following a work-related injury could continue receiving workers’ compensation payments until she was fully healed. Now, however, Industrial Commission judges are getting tougher on pain that isn’t backed up by medical evidence. That’s good news …

North Carolina Legislature considers new employment laws

03/30/2009

Barely two months into the 2009-2010 session, the North Carolina General Assembly has already introduced a profusion of employment-related bills. Employers should keep a watchful eye on several bills that already appear to have strong support this new legislative year.

May we supplement unemployment comp benefits for temporarily laid-off workers?

03/30/2009

Q. We need to temporarily lay off some employees. It will be hard for them to make it on the amount of unemployment benefits. Can we supplement their unemployment benefits without interfering with the unemployment benefits?

If we supplement unemployment comp benefits, must we pay FICA/FUTA on it?

03/30/2009

Q. If we have a Supplemental Unemployment Pay Plan to supplement unemployment benefits, do the company and the employee have to pay FICA and FUTA taxes on the supplemental pay?

Does North Carolina have a mini-COBRA law?

03/30/2009

Q. Our company employs fewer than 20 employees, so federal COBRA does not apply to us. Is there a state law that allows continued health care coverage following termination of employment?

Is there a state health continuation subsidy?

03/30/2009

Q. Is North Carolina providing a subsidy for health care continuation for employers with fewer than 20 employees similar to the federal subsidy contained in the new economic stimulus law?

Spell out FMLA intermittent leave timing in handbook—or risk a million-dollar mistake

03/30/2009

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a verdict of more than $1 million in an FMLA intermittent leave case involving a foreign adoption. The sad fact is that the employer could have avoided the entire problem by studying up on intermittent leave and adoption.