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.

‘When Did Immigrants Become the Enemy?’

Three Big Developments HR managers need to be aware of the effect of three incidents that are shaping our world today, Rice says. 9/11. Our concept of physical security is forever changed when the firth poorest country in the world can mount such an attack at a cost of about $300,000. Global economic financial shock. […]

Hassles: Old—Harassment—and New—Technology

Segal, a partner in the Philadelphia office of Duane Morris LLP offered his tips at the SHRM Annual Conference and Exhibition, held recently in Atlanta. Harassment Remains a Problem Before 1986, sexual harassment was not recognized. Then came the 1986 Vinson case and the 1991-Hill-Thomas hearings. They raised public awareness on sexual harassment and there […]

Comp and HR In the Year 2525

Segal, a partner in the Philadelphia office of Duane Morris LLP offered his tips at the SHRM Annual Conference and Exhibition, held recently in Atlanta. Wage and Hour Prior to 1938 we had a manufacturing economy, Segal says. In 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) was enacted. With the exception of minor interim adjustments, […]

Let’s Eliminate Base Pay Merit Increases

Rubino, who is founder and president of Rubino Consulting Services in Pound Ridge, New York, offered his suggestions at the 64th SHRM Annual Conference and Exhibition, held recently in Atlanta, Georgia. Rubino asked his audience of HR managers how many of them had merit increase base salary systems. Most hands went up. Then he asked, […]

Immediate Reform Implementation Is Revenue-reporting and Tax-related (apart from SBC)

With the Supreme Court’s June 28 ruling affirming health reform, its legal requirements on employer health plans are a green light. Plans therefore continue to face important requirements this calendar year. Fortunately, they’re the same ones employers have known about for some time. But if an employer has been holding off from comprehensive implementation, a […]

Politics, Negative Ads, and Trust

Oswald, CEO of BLR, offered his thoughts on negative ads in a recent edition of The Oswald Letter: Take a look at the 2012 presidential race between President Obama and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. The race has already taken on a very negative tone. A recent study by Wesleyan University showed that 70% of […]

Significant Lumpsum Payment Beats Merit Increase

Special from Atlanta–SHRM Annual Conference and Exhibition Yesterday’s Advisor featured consultant John Rubino’s plea for employers to eliminate merit base pay increases and replace them with lumpsum pay-for-performance awards. Today, more of his tips, plus an introduction to a new, reasonably priced, total training resource. Rubino, who is founder and president of Rubino Consulting Services […]

House Leader Schedules Vote to Overturn Health Reform

Expressing strong concerns about health reform’s negative impact on health costs and people’s ability to choose health care options, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., set a July 11 date for the House of Representatives to vote on legislation that would repeal the health care reform law. He said health reform is precluding people from […]

Hope Dims for Transit Benefit Parity

Employers may not have to adjust their qualified transportation fringe benefit programs after all — at least not just yet. A legislative provision that would have affected QTFBs by boosting the mass transit exclusion to the same level as that for qualified parking — the so-called “mass transit parity” provision — did not make it […]

Unintended Consequences of Sales Comp Programs

For example: If salespeople don’t view your program as competitive, your best salespeople will seek greener pastures. If salespeople don’t view your program as fair, there will be morale issues. (For example, if plans aren’t carefully thought through, some territories may experience a high volume of easy sales, while other territories have little opportunity to […]