Author: Denise Rand

Terminations Are No Picnic

Terminations are no picnic for anyone, but since they are the genesis of many lawsuits, it’s worth learning how to do them right. Handling them carefully can save cash, calm frayed nerves, and maintain morale and productivity—as long as you don’t commit one of these 10 sins.

Why You Can’t Afford Not to Hire College Graduates

By Krista Williams I have been working with college students … well, since I was in college. In most, if not all, of my positions I have had the fortune of working with interns, new graduates, placement offices, faculty, and students. My support has not only been to assist in job placement but also to […]

Matching Your Total Rewards to Your Talent

Start by taking a talent inventory, says Barton, who is chief operating officer of Willis North America Human Capital Practice. She made her suggestions at the recent SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition in Orlando. You might start by populating a chart such as this, she says: Then think about what you can offer to each […]

‘Could’ Versus ‘Would’ Is Important Difference in Fiduciary Acts, 4th Circuit Says in Tatum

An appeals court decision coming on the heels of a recent Supreme Court stripping the presumption of prudence for fiduciaries may raise the stakes even higher for plan sponsors. A panel of judges in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals required that fiduciaries make a decision about company stock in their retirement plan based […]

Use Internet to Find Missing DC Participants, DOL Says in Revamped Guidance

The U.S. Department of Labor on Aug. 14 issued a new set of guidance for plan sponsors about tracking missing defined contribution retirement plan participants and distributing their assets. It takes into account vastly improved Internet search capabilities that have emerged in the decade since its last instructions about obligations to missing participants. Field Assistance […]

Is Your Total Rewards Package Making a Difference?

Barton, chief operating officer, Willis North America Human Capital Practice, made her suggestions at the recent SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition in Orlando. She offers the following chart to help you classify your various reward elements. Measuring the Effectiveness of Your Current Total Rewards Strategy Barton offers a 13-part review for your total rewards strategy. […]

What Can You Learn About Training from the World of Warcraft?

Professional gaming—that’s not an oxymoron—is gaining legitimacy in the United States. Even U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is on board. Just last year, a professional South Korean Starcraft player received a 5-year U.S. visa reserved for internationally recognized athletes in professional sports—only the second visa of its type to be awarded to a professional gamer. […]

Avoiding the 10 Most Costly Management Mistakes

“It’s a case of perception vs. reality. The plaintiff perceives he (she) was disciplined, retaliated against, and harassed.  The reality is different. He (she) was terminated for a legitimate, non-discriminatory, non-retaliatory reason by a professional, well-trained manager with supportive documentation.”

Verbal COBRA Notice Is Sufficient, Says Court in Ruling for Employer

In a decision that overlooked key COBRA guidance, a federal district court ruled that an employer/plan administrator fulfilled its notice obligation by verbally providing a notice of COBRA rights and accepting premium payments — which apparently the qualified beneficiary had to pay a few days after her employment termination. In dismissing a COBRA notice claim, […]