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Compensation & Benefits

Domestic violence victims get help from their employer

07/03/2008
Domestic violence victims who work for Phoenix-based marketing communications firm McMurry Inc. have a place to stay. They get unlimited paid leave and support from their managers, who help check them into a free shelter. If they need lawyers, the company pays for them …

Watch what you say about termination

07/03/2008
It’s crucial to prepare accurate notes about any meeting in which managers are discussing whether to terminate someone. Otherwise, a jury might hear a simple question like, “Can we get in legal hot water for firing someone on disability leave?” as “Let’s find a way to get rid of her!” …

Tailor incentives to encourage most important health behaviors

07/03/2008
Half of large employers use incentives to encourage employees to quit smoking, lose weight or otherwise improve their health, and that number will leap to 74% next year, predicts HR consulting firm Watson Wyatt Worldwide …

10 ways to help ease employees’ pain at the pump

07/03/2008
Nearly a third of HR pros in a recent survey reported knowing at least one employee who quit in the past year because the high price of gas made the commute too expensive. Some organizations are addressing the driving dilemma—and revving up their retention programs—by pushing telework and shorter workweeks. But other employers take an even more direct approach: paying for employees’ gas …

By the Numbers: Faking it: Excuses for arriving late

07/03/2008
Twenty-four percent of employees admit they lie when explaining why they’re late for work. Here are their top excuses…

Energy firm workers stay fit with scuba

07/03/2008
Oklahoma City is a long way away from the ocean, but Chesapeake Energy Corp. encourages employees to stay healthy by taking scuba diving lessons. The push is part of the company’s “Living Well” program, which pays employees up to $1,000 a year for improving their health through exercise and education …

Long list of conveniences keeps employees on board

07/03/2008
The HR team at Insomniac Games in Burbank, Calif., constantly surveys employees to learn which benefits they want. The exercise, says HR Director Carrie Dieterle, boosts productivity. One employee favorite: the firm’s $125,000-a-year snack program …

Employees reveal 6 most pressing workplace challenges

07/03/2008
BusinessWeek readers have identified their top six workplace challenges: work/life balance, staying “entrepreneurial,” toxic bosses, time management, negotiating bureaucracy and generational tension …

How should we pay exempt employee who was terminated midway through the week?

07/01/2008
Q. We recently terminated an exempt employee halfway through a workweek. Given the Fair Labor Standards Act requirement that exempt employees must be paid on a salary basis, are we required to pay the employee for the entire week?

Employee benefits stable in ’08 despite slump

07/01/2008
lthough a poor economy is roiling employers nationwide, they’re managing to maintain the level of employee benefits offered, according to SHRM’s 2008 Employee Benefits study released last month. On average, benefits will cost employers 39% of payroll in 2008, about the same as last year …