Category: Benefits and Compensation

This topic provides guidance on how to handle compensation issues in a way that attracts and retains the best talent and advances the strategic goals of your business. You get news and tips on what’s going on nationally and in the states, and updates on changes in regulations, possible governmental action, and emerging compensation trends.

minimum wage

9th Circuit Adopts Workweek as Proper Measure for Minimum Wage Compliance

Following the lead of several other courts of appeals and the long-held position of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals—which covers Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington—recently concluded that minimum wage compliance under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is determined by dividing the […]

retirement

Exception to the Rule: Understanding the DOL Fiduciary Rule

In part one of this article, we covered the roles and responsibilities of a plan fiduciary and evaluated the new U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) fiduciary rule’s impact, even though full implementation has been delayed—extended to July 1, 2019. In this article, we’ll cover the exception to the fiduciary rule, as well as some steps […]

Is Mental Health First Aid Training Necessary?

Health issues can strike anywhere, and when people spend so much of their waking hours at work, the workplace is often the setting for health emergencies. Many companies train employees on basic first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) so that there are people able to assist in such emergencies. But these training programs focus specifically […]

Insurance Giant Nixes the Prior Pay Question

Progressive, one of the largest providers of insurance in the United States, has announced its hiring plans for 2018. It has also announced that it will no longer ask job candidates to disclose salary history.

IRS

IRS Issues 2018 Form W-4, Updated for TCJA Changes

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued the 2018 version of its Form W-4, which reflects changes made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Employees are not required to resubmit Form W-4 to their employer, but some will find it advisable to do so.

COBRA

COBRA Continuation Coverage: Who Pays?

Most employers are aware that the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) requires group health plans sponsored by covered employers to allow qualified beneficiaries to have “COBRA continuation coverage” in the event that they lose group health plan coverage for specified reasons.

health

Trump Administration Seeks to Expand Short-Term Health Insurance

The Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and the Treasury (the Departments) issued a proposed rule on February 20 seeking to expand the availability of short-term, limited-duration health insurance by allowing consumers to buy plans providing coverage for any period of less than 12 months, rather than the current maximum period of less […]