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.

Different Locations, Different Pay: Getting Pay Differentials Right

The goal for a compensation program is to set a competitive wage range for a given position, and pay the people who perform that job within the salary range. Complications arise, though, when your workforce is spread from city to city, state to state, or country to country. How can you determine what is competitive pay if you have employees doing the same job in Manhattan and in Kansas City?

Employee Benefits Addressing Financial Wellness Show Care, Drive Retention, Says Research

Replacing employees is expensive. In a time of low employee retention and high turnover, employers are striving to improve programs with a positive impact on employee engagement. “While individual benefits may not drive retention, benefits packages that address employees’ needs demonstrate that a company cares and, in so doing, become a driver of retention,” said […]

health

IRS Delays QSEHRA Notice Requirement

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has postponed the notice requirement for the new “qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangement” (QSEHRA) program, until the agency issues further guidance.

parents

83% of Women Over 25 are Postponing Starting a Family to Focus on Careers, Says Survey

First comes love, second comes marriage, then comes … delayed family plans? Eighty-three percent of women over the age of 25 who plan to have children are postponing starting a family to focus on their career, compared to 79% of men, found a recent CareerBuilder survey. Wanting to earn and save enough money to provide […]

ACA

ACA Repeal Proposal Released; Cadillac Tax Remains

On March 6, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) released long-awaited proposed legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) through a budget process known as reconciliation—a process that allows legislation to be passed with a simple majority in the Senate. The legislation is part of House Republicans’ American Health […]

HIPAA

Misuse of Former Employee’s Login Credentials Leads to $5.5 Million HIPAA Settlement

Memorial Healthcare Systems (MHS) has paid the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) $5.5 million to settle potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rules. MHS has also agreed to implement a robust corrective action plan. MHS is a nonprofit corporation which operates six […]

High Deductible Health Plans Have Mixed Results

If you are among the employers offering an high deductible health plan (HDHP), it’s likely you see it as a way to reduce health care costs for the company. It can also be a helpful step on the path toward creating better health care consumers, by allowing employees to understand the real cost of their insurance – an important aspect of containing costs.