Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
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.
A 2013 laptop theft led to a $3.2 million Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) penalty against a Dallas hospital, after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) determined that it had failed to address known security risks for years beforehand.
Most HR professionals (and a lot of laymen, too) are at least familiar with Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) in general terms. We know that it gives employees the chance to continue their former employer’s insurance coverage for a while after leaving a job. But what law is this part of? And how long […]
On procedural grounds, a federal appeals court rejected a lawsuit from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against an employer that had conditioned health coverage on participation in a wellness program.
Does your workplace offer any type of flexible work arrangements for employees? Or are your employees requesting more flexible options? With ever-improving technology, more and more jobs can be performed from any location, which opens up a lot of options for employers looking to provide this sought-after benefit for employees. What options are most common?
Federal government enforcement lawsuits brought by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)—including those centered on Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) violations—continued at an aggressive pace in 2016 but were less effective in terms of number of filings and recoveries when compared with previous years, according to annual report on workplace class action litigation.
by Lisa Higgins, Contributing Editor
According to IMS Health 2015 Report of Use of Drugs in the US, 35%–40% of pharmacy-related costs for employers can be attributed to specialty medications, even though they are used to treat just 1%–2% of pharmacy benefit members. That shouldn’t be a surprise, considering the dollars involved.
Given that safety issues in the workplace can literally be of life or death importance, it makes sense that an organization would do everything in its power to minimize any and all safety risks. Employers have a lot of tools at their disposal to improve and maintain safety in the workplace and plenty of reason […]
Generally speaking, money contributed to a health flexible spending account (FSA) in any plan year can be used only to reimburse qualified expenses incurred during that year; money not used to reimburse eligible medical expenses incurred during the plan year is forfeited.
by Lisa Higgins, Contributing Editor Is pay transparency right for your organization? Many believe in a more-is-better approach to transparency in compensation, and there are some great reasons to explore the idea. But not everyone is on board.
The practice of allowing employees to work from home—known as telecommuting—is a growing trend. Today’s technology allows many employees to work from anywhere. Telecommuting can be a plus for both you and your employees. Your company benefits because you pay less in fixed overhead costs when you don’t have to provide a traditional office for workers, and employees often enjoy the flexibility of working from home.