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Eldercare Remains Silent Problem (But It Shouldn’t)

 Imagine an auditorium full of HR reps and managers, assembled to hear the latest about employee benefits. A hush falls over the crowd as Chuck Bongiovanni, founder and president of CarePatrol, takes the stage. He looks around the room, waits a moment, then asks the audience a pointed question: Can anyone in the room guarantee […]

Deflategate and the power of external investigations

After more than three months of waiting, we finally got the investigative report regarding the New England Patriots’ “Deflategate” incident that occurred during the NFL’s AFC Championship Game earlier this year. Was it worth the wait? Was the NFL’s subsequent punishment just? It’s pretty clear it depends on whom you ask. Authored by Ted Wells […]

Terminations: ‘Maybe’ Involve HR? No, Always Involve HR

By Stephen D. Bruce, PHR Editor, HR Daily Advisor In a recent CBSmoneywatch article about how not to fire an employee, columnist Amy Levin-Epstein notes that it’s often a good idea to involve HR when terminating. I’ll say. But the rule should be: always involve HR. Consulting with HR before any termination should be an […]

IRS Finds High Percentage of Errors on W-2 Reporting of 401(k) Elective Deferrals

Many employers that sponsor 401(k) retirement plans make mistakes in the way they report elective deferrals on Form W-2, the federal tax agency’s Wage and Tax Statement sent to employees. IRS on Feb. 13 said on its website that its Employee Plans Compliance Unit sampled filings from employers that provided Forms W-2 and found 75 […]

New York

Pay Me: New York Real Estate Company Uses Its Handbook as A Shield Against Liability

Employee handbooks are recommended for several reasons, including that they set forth key company policies. Well-written handbook policies state how compensation will be addressed and who has the power to bind the company. In a recent case, the Appellate Division, 1st Department, held that a company’s handbook was enough to defeat an employee’s claim to compensation based on oral promises.

Are Your Employees Trained in Essential First Aid?

Picture this: A worker is hurt in an accident and blood is gushing from the wound. One of your employees chokes on a piece of food and can’t breathe. Someone goes into cardiac arrest right at his workstation. Would your employees be ready to act with speed and competence in a workplace medical emergency? They […]

Snapshot—5 Key Points on DOL’s New Overtime Regulations

By BLR Legal Editor Susan Prince, JD, M.S.L. The federal Department of Labor’s (DOL) overtime regulations were updated and modernized in May 2016. December 1, 2016, is the effective date of these regulations. The alarming wave of Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) enforcement activity shows a distinct trend and emphasis on FLSA and compensation-related lawsuits […]

Compliance Issues Loom Large for Plan Sponsors

As you’ve perused coverage of the new requirements placed on 403(b) plans, you may have experienced mixed feelings. Even though the requirements to maintain a written plan document and to file a Form 5500 are no more burdensome than those placed on sponsors of other qualified plans, 403(b) plan sponsors are starting from a deficit […]

‘Top-Hat’ Executive Benefits Not Protected from Garnishment by ERISA

Creditors of retirement plan participants sometimes try to tap into a participant’s supplementary benefits under various legal arrangements, including garnishment and domestic relations orders. If a plan administrator or adviser is faced with the prospect of a participant’s deferred compensation being assigned to a creditor, the administrator must be familiar with a number of complicated […]