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Compensation & Benefits

Is there any hidden obligation to give raises?

02/11/2014
Q. Does any law require a company to give employees a raise at the end of the year or other amount of time?

New myRAs seek to spur retirement savings among low-income workers

02/10/2014
In his State of the Union address, President Obama announced that he was directing the Treasury Department to create “myRA”—a government-backed affordable “starter retirement savings account that will help millions of low- and middle-income Americans begin to save for retirement.”

Employers dropping internships to avoid liability

02/10/2014
Fallout from the landmark “Black Swan” court ruling in 2012 is being felt in workplaces across the country. More employers are dropping their internship programs after a federal court said Fox Searchlight must pay its unpaid interns at least minimum wage.

Special analysis: Beware of employees who work interstate

02/07/2014
If you’re located in only one state, you never have to worry about withholding another state’s income taxes or applying another locality’s paid sick leave law, right? Not necessarily. It’s possible that you’ve become an interstate employer without knowing it.

ACA FAQ explains wellness issues

02/06/2014
The Obama administration has released its 18th round of frequently asked questions about implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

Post-Windsor, what’s the tax status of benefits for same-sex married couples?

02/05/2014
Q. In the wake of United States v. Windsor, we have extended a number of our employee benefits to same-sex married couples. Can you provide any guidance on the proper treatment of flexible spending account (FSA) expenses and health savings account (HSA) and dependent care assistance program (DCAP) contribution limits for same-sex married couples?

Obama to order higher minimum wage for fed contractor employees

02/05/2014
President Obama plans to issue an executive order requiring federal contractors to pay employees at least $10.10 per hour, starting in 2015. The announcement came during Obama’s State of the Union address.

17 California employers make Fortune’s ‘best’ list

02/05/2014
Fortune magazine has tallied the 100 best companies to work for in 2014 and 17 California firms made the list. Five of the top 10 are based in Cali­­fornia—and one heads the list.

Post-DOMA: Cafeteria plans given leeway for same-sex spouses

02/05/2014
Breathe a little easier if you have a cafeteria plan that, after the demise of the federal Defense of Marriage Act and before the IRS released guidance, allowed same-sex married employees to cover their spouses’ health insurance on a pretax basis or allowed them to seek reimbursement from health or dependent care flexible spending accounts.

Sample Request Form for Corrected/Reissued 2013 W-2s

02/04/2014
It’s almost inevitable that some employees will misplace their original W-2 statements. Here’s a sample form employees can use to request a reissued W-2.