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Compensation & Benefits

Take 10: How to handle the California Labor Code mandate to provide midshift breaks

01/20/2012
California’s Labor Code requires employers to give covered em­­ployees a 10-minute break or rest period during each four-hour work period. Many em­­ployers have wondered how far they have to go to make sure employees take their breaks …

Set formal schedule for off-hours meetings

01/20/2012
California employees who report to work and then are sent home are generally entitled to at least a partial payment for that day. If you regularly have mandatory workplace meetings that fall outside some employees’ regular workday, consider scheduling those meetings for a specific time period. As the following case shows, that could save some money.

When can worker take 401(k) hardship distribution?

01/20/2012
Q. An employee’s spouse has become disabled. Even though this employee is younger than 59½, he’d like to take a distribution out of his 401(k) account. Can we accommodate him?

Indiana experiments with pay for performance

01/19/2012
Pressured to demonstrate that they’re responsible stewards of tax dollars, states have begun to experiment with variable pay for government employees. Indiana is pointing the way …

Health insurance premium penalties are taking hold

01/18/2012
Premium penalties tied to health problems are on the rise, according to a study by Towers Watson and the National Business Group on Health. In 2012, nearly 40% of larger employers plan to penalize employees who don’t participate in wellness programs, or for not meeting certain health goals.

6 factors that determine independent contractor status

01/17/2012

Today’s tight economy has prompted many employers to try to reduce costs—including overtime—by classifying workers as independent contractors instead of employees. That hasn’t escaped the notice of the IRS and the U.S. Department of Labor, which have stepped up efforts to deter misclassification.

How to help employees understand the value of their benefits

01/17/2012

Boosting your benefits communication during lean economic times can help your organization retain good employees and ease their worries so they can focus on work. The key: Show employees the value of their benefits.

ACH fraud is Payroll’s newest headache

01/17/2012
You couldn’t have direct deposit or online banking without the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network. Unfortunately, online banking through the ACH network has generated a new cyber crime—ACH fraud. Payroll, which uses the ACH network for direct deposits and other transactions, is particularly vulnerable.

7 comp questions you must be able to answer

01/16/2012
For everything else that contributes to employee satisfaction, most people wouldn’t do their jobs free. Compensation is a critical tenet of the employment contract. If you’re committed to attracting and retaining excellent employees, you had better be prepared to answer these questions about your compensation practices.

It’s time to give your wellness program a legal checkup

01/12/2012

Many employers (and the consultants who encourage them) aren’t doing a good job of managing the legal risk and cost associated with wellness programs that ignore the law. Federal, state and sometimes local laws can affect wellness programs. Employers need to understand them.