Compensation & Benefits

When disaster strikes, create a crisis-support framework for your team

01/21/2025

Smoke fills the sky over Southern California neighborhoods as another fire season forces thousands to evacuate their homes. For HR leaders across the affected communities, the focus shifts from routine operations to a critical mission: supporting employees through a natural disaster. While we can’t control when disasters strike, we can control how we respond to our employees’ needs during these challenging times.

It’s not just the FLSA—monitor and comply with state and local wage-and-hour laws, too

01/15/2025

Make it a point to monitor state and local wage-and-hour laws and prepare in advance to comply.

IRS clarifies the parameters of Section 530 relief

01/13/2025

Way back in the dim mists of antiquity, the IRS embarked on a campaign to reclassify independent contractors as employees, sticking employers with huge tax bills. In response, Congress added Section 530 to the Revenue Act of 1978. As a result, the IRS was forbidden from publishing regulations or revenue rulings with respect to the employment status of any individual for purposes of payroll taxes. But this doesn’t mean the IRS can never issue guidance interpreting Section 530.

Measure productivity loss when tallying health costs

01/13/2025

The costliest illnesses to insure aren’t necessarily the ones that take the biggest chunk out of your bottom line. When measuring how much money your organization sinks into employee health, don’t stop once you’ve calculated your share of employees’ insurance premiums.

Friday wrap: Tax deadline extended, 2025 labor penalties, disaster relief and more

01/10/2025

Tax deadline extension, inflation-adjusted penalties, wildfire disaster relief and more to end the week.

The next wave of talent: Gen Z’s workplace priorities

01/08/2025

The latest generation entering the workforce isn’t just looking for a paycheck—they’re seeking comprehensive benefits packages that prioritize education and long-term financial security.

February 2025: Employer’s business tax calendar

12/31/2024

Here’s your monthly guide to critical payroll due dates.

What 2025’s salary budgets mean for your organization

12/23/2024

The days of dramatic salary budget increases may be behind us, but don’t expect a return to pre-pandemic norms just yet. Recent data from WTW’s Salary Budget Planning Report reveals that U.S. companies are maintaining their salary-increase budgets at elevated levels, with projections hovering at 3.7% for 2025—just a slight dip from 2024’s 3.8%.

Two last-minute laws ease 1095 reporting

12/19/2024

Two laws combined will ease your health-care information reporting responsibilities. The president has indicated he will sign them. These two laws become effective for Forms 1095-C required to be furnished to employees after Dec. 31, 2024.

More flexibility for 401(k) matching funds? IRS open to applying them to other expenses

12/18/2024

For many employees, access to an employer-sponsored 401(k) retirement plan is one of the most highly prized benefits. Employers often match employee contributions up to a certain percentage of an employee’s annual salary, essentially doubling that employee’s contribution towards retirement. But younger employees tend to leave some of that free money on the table because they can’t afford to contribute their share.