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.
Many provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or heatlhcare reform law, that have significant impact on employers will be taking effect within the next few years—some within the coming months. In this video, BLR Legal Editor Jessica Webb-Ayer provides an overview of what’s on the horizon, and what employers should be thinking about and […]
A Connecticut-based fiduciary investment adviser agreed in a settlement to pay about $1.3 million to 13 pension plans to resolve alleged ERISA violations related to mutual fund fees the firm received. USI Advisors Inc. made investments in mutual funds on behalf of ERISA-covered defined benefit plan clients and received 12b-1 fees from those funds, according […]
Concerns are mounting in the United States about the increase in retirement plan “leakage” — hardship early withdrawals and loans being taken against such plans during tough economic times. As more Americans deplete their retirement savings to meet emergency expenses resulting from long-term unemployment, tightened credit or high medical expenses, policy makers are seeking ways […]
Thanks to all who participated! Here are the detailed results: Most Common HR Policies The most widely implemented policy, according to our survey respondents, is harassment and/or discrimination with 94.5% having such a policy, followed closely by employee leave at 91.1%. Also above the 90% mark are computer and Internet use, confidentiality and proprietary information, […]
Non-federal governmental plans may omit language describing how participants can seek remedies under ERISA in notices to be given when the plan makes an adverse decision. Notices of adverse benefit determinations are required as part of health reform’s claims appeal and external review rules. Such plans need not include the language because ERISA remedies are […]
“Best Practices” means “what most experienced large multinationals have been doing”—that doesn’t mean those practices best for your organization. You have to decide that for yourself, says Fisher, principal at Chicago-based consultant Laurus Strategies. Fisher was joined by colleague Patrick Gallagher for his presentation at SHRM’s Annual Conference and Exhibition, held recently in Atlanta, Georgia. […]
HR Far Removed? I Don’t Think So HR is far removed from the people and points that make a difference to the business? Tell that to the disgruntled high performer who’s thinking about leaving the company if better retention efforts aren’t made, or the vengeful terminated employee who sues for an amount that could devastate […]
“Best practices” tend to be what the big multi-nationals do, and that’s often not right for your company, says Fisher, principal at Chicago-based consultant Laurus Strategies. Along with colleague Patrick Gallagher, he offered his tips at SHRM’s Annual Conference and Exhibition, held recently in Atlanta, Georgia. The first step in developing a global rewards strategy, […]
A company owner and another manager are not fiduciaries as defined by ERISA and the contributions they failed to make to their employees’ pension plans were not plan assets, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled. This decision supports the premise that individual company officials who serve only as conduits for employees’ payments to […]
The standard industry fare level rates that employers will use to calculate the value of trips taken aboard company aircraft during the second half of 2012 were issued Aug. 14 by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The rates have increased about 4 ½ percent from those that were in effect for the first half of […]