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Compensation & Benefits

Texas water company to pay $597,000 for FLSA violations

05/05/2008
A Texas company that provides water transfer services for the natural gas industry has agreed to pay $597,530 for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act. An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor found that the Western Company of Texas, Inc., based in Justin, owed back wages to 237 employees. The company had failed to pay them overtime …

HR handles all transfers? Beware ERISA violation risk

05/02/2008
HR is usually the first to know when an employee files an ERISA complaint or lawsuit. Since HR also typically handles transfer, hiring and promotion paperwork, that can put the company at risk for a retaliation lawsuit …

Add HIV/AIDS education and counseling to EAP offerings

05/02/2008
The workplace might be the best place for employees to learn how to prevent HIV and AIDS, says a new Conference Board report. Two-fifths of U.S. employers distribute information to workers about the risks of becoming infected with HIV—the human immunodeficiency virus, which causes AIDS. Nearly 90% of corporations worldwide conduct HIV and AIDS education …

10 tips to ease the pain when tightening the benefits belt

05/02/2008
A slowing economy and tight cash flow might make it tempting to trim benefits and bonuses. But drastic cuts could be penny-wise and pound-foolish. Here are 10 ways you can help soften the blow of reduced benefits and incentives …

Tapped-out accountants get work/life help in tax season

05/02/2008

The children of Crowe Chizek and Co. accountants stay with baby sitters every Saturday morning during tax season, and their parents don’t pay. “We try to do everything we can to help them manage their work/life responsibilities,” Jane Hoff, HR leader, says …

To avoid negligence liability, set strict control rules for contracted labor

05/02/2008
Employees who are hurt at work can collect workers’ compensation but generally can’t sue their employers for negligence. The workers’ compensation law makes employers immune from such additional lawsuits. But what if you contract with another company to provide on-site labor and someone gets hurt? …

Workers’ comp rates to drop 5% in July

05/02/2008
The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) has announced a 5% overall rate reduction in workers’ comp rates, the first reduction since 2001. The decrease will take effect July 1 …

Feeling poor? It could be worse: At least you’re not a reporter

05/02/2008
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown has expressed support for a union of editorial workers seeking a new contract at the Dayton Daily News. Union members took to the streets in April after the newspaper announced plans to deny part-time workers affordable health care and freeze wages …

Tailor benefits messages to employees’ ages, circumstances

05/02/2008
When it comes to effectively communicating benefits messages, one size does not fit all. Employees have different benefits needs at different stages of their lives. Make sure your print and web-based benefits communications efforts take those differences into account …

Lower health care costs with strategy to change behavior

05/02/2008
Colleges and universities with the lowest health care costs also have the most productive employees, says a new survey by HR consulting firm Sibson. Here are five lessons all businesses can learn from healthy campuses …