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Compensation & Benefits

Time off to vote? It may be required in your state

10/15/2024
There is no federal law that requires employers to provide voting leave. Whether you provide paid time off depends on your policies and whether you are in a jurisdiction that requires it.

Social Security wage base increases to $176,100 in 2025

10/10/2024
The 2025 taxable wage base for the Social Security portion of FICA increases to $176,100, the Social Security Administration announced this morning. This is a 4.44% hike over the 2024 wage base of $168,600.

Employers embrace pay transparency

10/10/2024
New laws in a growing number of jurisdictions now require some form of pay transparency from employers. The House of Representatives has introduced the Pay Transparency Act, which would amend the FLSA.

The states with most stressed and most chill workers

10/07/2024
A study identified which states offer the best and worst working conditions, based on factors like average hourly earnings, working hours, injury rates, unemployment rates, commute times and remote work.

Baseball wildcard series Friday wrap: Federal contractor employees get raises, time is running out for 2023 1040s, disaster relief and more

10/04/2024
Raises for federal contractor employees, 2023 1040 deadline approaching, new CAF number process and more in the first wrap of October.

Ensure layoffs don’t target ‘costly’ workers

09/30/2024
When employers decide to reduce their workforces, it’s often because they need to save money. Laying off highly paid employees is one thing. It’s entirely another matter to target employees with costly medical problems that strain your self-insured health plan. That’s an almost foolproof way to trigger a lawsuit.

Gender wage gap widened for first time in two decades

09/30/2024
According to a recent Census Bureau report, working men earned a median $66,790 in 2023, a 3% change from 2022. Wages for working women increased by half as much.

With health-care costs rising, employers prioritize affordability

09/30/2024
As the cost of health care rises to a record post-pandemic high, nearly half of employers expect that their health-care costs will exceed budget projections this year. In response, employers are focusing on more competitive, cost-effective plan designs to control costs, according to a new survey by the Willis Towers Watson consulting firm.

Smart strategies for surviving this fall’s open enrollment

09/30/2024
Open enrollment for health insurance benefits is an inevitable autumn ritual that can cause great stress for HR and for your employees. It usually comes at the busiest time of the year, when HR pros—along with everyone else—are tending to year-end deadlines. Smooth the process by implementing these strategies.

Reproductive health benefits: A report card on the top 100 companies

09/25/2024
A new report sheds light on the reproductive and maternal health benefits offered by America’s largest employers, which offers insights for companies of all sizes. The report found that major employers now provide family-formation benefits and paid parental leave. Many are also taking innovative approaches to make health coverage more accessible and affordable for workers.