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Compensation & Benefits

What ‘Brown’ does for employees, education

02/01/2008

UPS uses a tuition assistance program to attract part-time employees to work the graveyard shift. Much of the $300 million the firm has spent on tuition assistance programs over 10 years has paid for its trademarked Earn and Learn program for part-time employees …

Does your insurance cover you for employee injuries that fall outside workers’ comp?

02/01/2008

Nothing can sink an organization faster than having to pay a huge damage award without insurance coverage to pick up at least part of the tab. And if you don’t have the right policy, that can happen under an exception to Michigan’s workers’ compensation law …

Plenty of bustle, too little hustle for U.S. Airways workers

02/01/2008

U.S. Airways didn’t meet its holiday goals for on-time flights and baggage handling, so its workers did not receive the $100 bonus awards offered through the airline’s “Holiday Hustle” program …

Pay commission? Make sure contracts are clear about terms

02/01/2008

Commissions are a great way to motivate some employees to work harder. Usually a contract spells out the commission terms and how the payments work. But if the contract is the least bit unclear, expect trouble—especially if someday you have to discharge a commissioned salesman for poor performance …

Can you force staff to participate in wellness programs?

02/01/2008

Your organization, like many, may have embraced a wellness program to help employees quit smoking, lose weight, exercise more or participate in screenings for high blood pressure or cholesterol. You may have even thought about requiring employees to participate. But that’s a controversial practice that is likely to step on laws ranging from HIPAA to the ADA …

Got mental health benefits? Spread the word

02/01/2008

According to the nonprofit Partnership for Workplace Mental Health, more than 40% of employees who work for organizations with mental health benefits don’t know anything about them. Yet they’re keenly aware when workplace stress takes its toll on their productivity and happiness …

When is retirement not retirement? When the retiree is on workers’ comp

02/01/2008

No doubt about it, the workers’ compensation system is a headache for employers. It’s full of frustrations and surprises. Consider, for example, the fairly common scenario of a retired employee receiving workers’ comp payments. Seems like retiring would end workers’ compensation payments, right? Not necessarily, as the following case illustrates …

Ohio partners with IRS on employment tax enforcement

02/01/2008

Ohio is one of 29 states that have signed memoranda of understanding with the IRS to share enforcement information on employment tax collection matters. The move is part of the IRS’ Questionable Employment Tax Practices (QETP) initiative …

‘Ad hoc’ leave benefits are a discrimination trap

02/01/2008

Sometimes, employers may want to maintain some flexibility to handle unique leave situations. For example, what would your organization do if a valued, loyal and long-term employee developed a terminal disease? Would you allow him a “leave of absence” with continued insurance coverage until his death to save his family from financial ruin? You can, if you are careful about exactly how you go about it …

Focus on safety–Not reducing claims–When discussing workers’ comp

02/01/2008

Employers naturally want to reduce their workers’ compensation claims—it means lower insurance costs, less lost time and higher productivity. But be careful how you frame the issue. Don’t discourage legitimate claims or retaliate against those who file claims …