Compensation & Benefits

New rules make 401(k) plans easier to administer

02/01/2005

Your organization’s 401(k) plan should be a bit less complicated to administer in the coming years, thanks to new Treasury Department regulations.
The new rules, the first major revision of …

Turn to temporary managers to fill gaps and cut costs

02/01/2005

Issue: Temporary managers and executives can fill a short-term void and save money in the long run.
Benefit: Filling the right positions with interim replacements can enhance your reputation as …

Work with managers to motivate part-time employees

02/01/2005

Issue: Improving the productivity of your part-time employees.
Risk: Part-timers often feel, and are sometimes treated, like second-class citizens, which can hurt their performance.
Action: Work with supervisors to …

Cut prescription expenses by comparing prices online

02/01/2005

More independent Web sites now evaluate prices of generic and brand name drugs, as well as prices at online and brick-and-mortar pharmacies. Check the drug costs of your organization’s health plan, …

Offer, don’t force, light duty as option for FMLA leave

02/01/2005

Issue: Court ruling says employees can perform light-duty work during their FMLA leave.
Benefit: In such cases, time spent on light-duty work would count toward the employees’ 12-week FMLA allotment …

You can set weekly vacation rule, but should you?

02/01/2005

Q. I know we’re allowed to tell employees which months they can’t take vacations, but can we also require that vacations be taken only by the week, and not in daily, hourly or half-day increments? —P.A., Nebraska

Travel Time Is ‘Work Time’ if It Cuts Across Workday

02/01/2005

Q. We hired a new branch manager in a one-person office in another town. Because she earns $19,240 a year, she doesn’t meet the new annual threshold of $23,660 for exempt status, correct? Several times a year, she escorts trips involving overnight stays. While she’s out, she forwards her calls to the host office and closes her doors. How do we compensate her? Am I right that she has to be considered "hourly"? And how do we compensate for the overnight and travel time? —K.H., Kansas

Compensation & Benefits

New rules make 401(k) plans easier to administer

Turn to temporary managers to fill gaps and cut costs

Work with managers to motivate part-time employees

Cut prescription expenses by comparing prices online

Offer, don’t force, light duty as option for FMLA leave

You can set weekly vacation rule, but should you?

Travel Time Is ‘Work Time’ if It Cuts Across Workday

Beware time clock ’rounding’ errors; push for an upgrade

Revamp employment contracts to account for new tax rules

Check state law before deducting cost of lost tools

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