Author: Stephen Bruce, PhD, PHR

How to Build Winning Wellness Plans

Seven in ten employers say developing a workplace culture where employees are responsible for their health is a top priority. Building a great wellness program is the key to reducing healthcare costs, says Mari Ryan, CEO and founder of AdvancingWellness in Watertown, Massachusetts.

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Maternity and Paternity Leave in the United States

Perhaps you’ve heard the statistics in the news lately: the United States lags behind most other nations in terms of how much guaranteed maternity and paternity leave is provided to employees. In fact, it shocks some people in other countries to learn that there is no mandated maternity and paternity leave at all!

The Next Challenge? Beating a Workers’ Comp Fraud Claim

  It’s amazing how many people think they can get away with workers’ compensation fraud—but it’s especially mind-blowing when one of them is a former NFL star who’s busted for appearing on the show Survivor. Brad Culpepper played as a starting defensive tackle for such teams as the Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Chicago […]

Small Amounts Left in Retirement Accounts Add up to Big Sponsor Costs

As U.S. employment mobility has increased, one result of an estimated 9.5 million job changes a year has been a large number of defined contribution retirement accounts left behind at former employers. These often are small in dollar value, but can become a more costly and “insidious” problem than many plan sponsors realize. Small accounts […]

Load up on Loading Dock Safety Training for the Holidays

  It’s the most wonderful time of the year … for retailers and all of the other companies that feed into the holiday retail frenzy. This means that while the cash registers are buzzing in the front, the loading docks are buzzing in the back as well as at countless suppliers. Keep these areas—where workers, […]

2014 Employer Holiday Practices Survey (Slide Show)

BLR has released the results of the new 2014 Holiday Practices Survey, which examines employer practices for providing paid holidays and paying nonexempt employees during the 2014 holiday season and provides information on planned paid holidays for 2015. The slide show below highlights survey findings and links to an article by BLR Legal Editor Susan […]

Assessing Salary Competitiveness: Market Survey 101

Do you ever wonder if your employees’ salaries are in line with the market? Perhaps you are finding that applicants are often turning down job offers—and you suspect the salary level might be to blame. How can you know? One of the best ways to get data on competitor salary offerings is to use a […]

Will Annuities Make Their Way Into Defined Contribution Plans?

Defined contribution plans do not typically include an option that provides a lifetime stream of income for participants, as pension participants and beneficiaries could rely on in years past. With the switch to DC plans from traditional defined benefit plans, the federal government is very concerned about plan participants having a secure retirement. As a […]