Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
House Republican efforts to postpone, block and repeal Obamacare were key reasons for the federal government-shutdown crisis, under which 800,000 federal employees stayed home beginning Oct. 1. The House Republicans, whose opposition to Obamacare paralyzed spending bills, demanded that the administration acquiesce on two demands: postpone the “individual mandate” that individuals have federally approved minimum […]
Nearly every defined contribution plan sponsor now offers target-date funds in its participant investment menu, as these funds, often named for the year a participant expects to retire, eliminate the need for employees to construct their own investment portfolio. A recently released white paper about TDFs examines plan fiduciaries’ uncertainly regarding what TDFs should contain […]
Red Circle employees indicate you are spending too much on compensation relative to the value of the jobs, says consultant Terry Pasteris, CCP, GRP, but Green Circles may set you up for a lawsuit. Pasteris’s comments came at a recent BLR-sponsored webinar. Red Circle employees are those who are paid over the maximum for the […]
The federal agencies implementing health reform continue to delay aspects of roll-out, especially as they relate to state-based health insurance marketplaces (also called “exchanges”), which are supposed to be up and running on Oct. 1. The Obama White House announced on Sept. 27 that federally run health-insurance exchanges, required by health care reform, will not […]
There are numerous methods and materials available to help you prepare and equip employees to better do their jobs. In this exclusive white paper we take a close look at each of the myriad techniques, and examine their advantages and disadvantages. We also explain how you can combine the various methods into an effective blended […]
by Dan Oswald Either you love the New York Yankees or you hate them. I’m a hater. I grew up hating them. They were the antithesis of my beloved Chicago Cubs. That is to say they were winners. But I didn’t hate them because they were winners—well, maybe a little. I hated them because of […]
Why Are Compensation Metrics Important? Pasteris, who is president of TLMP Consulting Group, offered her tips at a recent BLR-sponsored webinar. She says that metrics help with the following: Knowing whether you are succeeding in following your compensation philosophy. For example, say you want to pay at the 75th percentile of the marketplace. You have […]
The training question is, “What is the difference between diversity training and harassment training, and what do trainers need to know about adequately covering both topics?” Here is how a training expert responded: “They are quite different and should be different,” says Linda Willing, president of RealWorld Training and Consulting (www.rwtraining.com). She describes harassment/discrimination training […]
In California, PTO is legally the same as vacation. An employee may use the time for any reason she or he likes, subject to notice and scheduling requirements. PTO, like vacation pay, also "vests" as it is earned/accrued over time and must be cashed out at termination.
With the DOMA ruling so recent in our minds, employers have more unanswered employee benefits questions than ever before. Is it now illegal to tax healthcare benefits for a same-sex spouse? How should multi-state employers react if the final ruling comes down that only same-sex couples who reside in a state that recognizes same-sex marriages […]