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Compensation & Benefits

California Supreme Court makes independent contractor status tougher for motor carriers

08/29/2014
If your company is classified as a motor carrier, don’t expect the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994 (FAAAA) to protect you from misclassification claims. That’s the lesson learned by one motor carrier after a recent Cali­­for­­nia Supreme Court decision.

In California, raise arbitration issue before administrative hearing on unpaid wages

08/29/2014
If you use an arbitration clause in your application or require employees to arbitrate claims, try to get the case moved to arbitration as soon as possible after the employee files a wage claim with the Cali­­for­­nia Department of Indus­­trial Rela­­tions.

How much do those ‘fat cat’ CEOs really make?

08/29/2014
Looking at a broad swath of U.S. corporations—not just large, publicly traded ones—it turns out that only a handful of CEOs crack the $1 million mark in annual cash compensation.

ACA credits: Status quo for now

08/29/2014

The IRS isn’t planning on changing how it administers the ACA’s premium tax credit, said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. Koskinen was reacting to dueling federal appellate court decisions on eligibility for the credit, both issued on July 22.

Health care costs growing slower than expected

08/28/2014
Spending on health care rose less than 0.3% this summer, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a strong sign that the health-cost curve may be flattening over the long term.

Sweet dreams: The upside of lying down on the job

08/28/2014
Some employers are encouraging workers to sleep on the job. The Society for Human Resource Management’s 2014 poll of HR pros says 6% of workplaces have nap rooms where employees can catch up on their Z’s.

Coming soon: $10.10 hourly wage for fed contract workers

08/27/2014
Under proposed regulations, the minimum wage for employees who work on new or renewed federal contracts or subcontracts, including employees with disabilities who work under special certificates, will increase to $10.10 an hour, from $7.25 an hour, beginning Jan. 1, 2015. Final regs should be released shortly. Here are the contracts to be covered.

36% of Americans haven’t saved a dime for retirement

08/27/2014
Over a third of all Americans (36%) have not saved any money for retirement, according to a new Bankrate.com survey.

Where child care costs your employees the most

08/26/2014
According to ChildCare Aware of America, a child care advocacy organization, day care takes up a larger share of the family budget than housing in every region except the West.

Remind retirement plan participants: Don’t neglect stock investments

08/26/2014
Most Americans are unaware that the stock market is booming, according to a new Gallup poll. The S&P 500 gained 30% in 2013, yet only 7% of those polled knew that, and only 52% believe now is a good time to invest in stocks.