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Compensation & Benefits

Sales stars get action figures–of themselves

12/01/2011

The action figures adorning the desks of employees at Arlington, Va.-based Decision Lens aren’t of ordinary superheroes. They’re of the employees themselves. That’s one of the rewards the employees can earn for their hard work.

Does our ‘sick leave bonus’ count toward employee’s regular rate of pay?

11/30/2011
Q. We pay a bonus for not using accrued sick leave. Does that count when determining an employee’s regular rate of pay for overtime purposes?

Can we offer more vacation in lieu of OT pay?

11/30/2011
Q. May an employer compensate an employee for overtime work by awarding additional paid vacation time equal to the total accrued overtime?

New law limits double-dipping of severance, unemployment

11/30/2011
The Texas Legislature has amended the Texas Labor Code to limit un­­employment benefits for employees who receive severance pay after losing their jobs.

The reduced FICA tax rate: Will it stay or go?

11/30/2011
As part of an economic stimulus effort, the withholding rate in 2011 for the employee’s share of the Social Security tax was reduced from the usual 6.2% to 4.2%. Will Congress agree to extend the 4.2% rate through 2012?

How will your organization celebrate the holidays this year?

11/29/2011
Maybe the economy is rebounding! Seventy percent say they’ll have catered holiday parties in 2011!

New rules for commissioned sales employees?

11/29/2011
Q. What are the new developments regarding overtime exemption for commissioned sales employees?

General labor doesn’t make manager nonexempt

11/28/2011
Every year, hundreds of retail and restaurant managers sue, claiming they should be classified as nonexempt because they spend almost all their time doing the same kinds of tasks their subordinates do. But that’s not the test. In fact, managers often do double duty, performing manual tasks while also managing their workers.

Landscaper’s generous benefits cut recruiting costs to nothing

11/25/2011

The general manager of A Yard & A Half Land­scaping says she spends nothing on recruiting because the firm’s employees are eager to get jobs there for their family and friends. That might be because the organization’s benefits include the usual (medical, dental and retirement plans) and also the unusual.

Proving the ROI of wellness programs just got easier

11/24/2011

Every employer seems to be jumping on the wellness bandwagon in an effort to curb health care costs. But it’s always been hard for HR to prove its wellness investment is worth it. Reason: the inability to nail down a return on investment (ROI) on wellness programs. Now, a host of new approaches and tools have come to the rescue.