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Compensation & Benefits

Market pricing is No. 1 method for setting pay rates

12/24/2013
Market pricing continues to ­outpace all other methods em­­ployers use to determine management and executive compensation levels, according to a new report by the nonprofit HR organization WorldatWork.

They just can’t make beautiful music together

12/23/2013
Long-running negotiations in the Minnesota Orchestra lockout broke down in November after musicians’ representatives walked out of negotiations to resolve disputes about staffing, pay and artistic differences.

Software firm’s culture centers on celebrations

12/19/2013

On the desk of every Benefitfocus employee is a cowbell, which the associate may ring to announce that he or she has closed a big deal—or gotten engaged or is expecting a baby. In fact, employees of the Charles­­ton, S.C.-based benefits software company spend a lot of time celebrating personal and professional milestones.

The 2014 Payroll Checklist

12/18/2013

Year-end for Payroll and Accounts Payable doesn’t just begin in the third quarter, ramp up in the fourth quarter and wind down at the end of the first quarter of the next year. Year-end is, really, a year-long process. Download our 2014 Payroll Checklist to help guide you through each pay period, month and calendar quarter.

This year’s holiday cheer

12/18/2013
Workers have reason for holiday cheer this season as employers continue to give back to employees with year-end perks. Here’s how employers are recognizing employees this holiday season:

IRS to begin enforcing tip vs. service charge rule in 2014

12/18/2013
Regardless of what you call it, tips are amounts customers willingly determine and leave of their own accord; service charges, sometimes called automatic tips, are added to the bill. Tips are taxable when employees report them to their employers; service charges are immediately taxable. The IRS will begin enforcing this rule on Jan. 1, 2014.

Mattel offers paid leave for school activities, volunteering

12/16/2013

Mattel employees who want to attend their children’s soccer games and school plays can take 16 hours of paid time off each year to do it. Full-time employees may participate in their children’s school activities or volunteer at school events that don’t involve their own kids.

Are retirement incentives in lieu of health benefits reportable?

12/16/2013
Question: Employees have three retirement incentives from which to choose: The company picks up their health benefit contributions for three years, they can take a lump-sum payment that equals our single premium rate for up to three years or they can keep their current health benefits and get a prorated cash payout. What’s reportable on their W-2s?

Where do we get health insurance?

12/13/2013
More than half of Americans are insured through an employer-provided health plan, according to a Kaiser Health Tracking Poll.

Wish list: 10 alternatives to Christmas cash

12/12/2013
Are you putting anything extra in employees’ stockings this holiday? While most employees say they’d prefer cash, padding paychecks isn’t the only way your organization can say “Happy Holi­­days!” Consider these wise alternatives: