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Compensation & Benefits

Form 941, Schedule R filers asked to conform

11/24/2011
The IRS wants agents who file their clients’ Forms 941 to please color within the lines on Schedule R, Allocation Schedule for Aggregate Form 941 Filers.

EBSA says employer took liberties with retirement funds

11/23/2011

The U.S. District Court for West­ern Pennsylvania has ordered Kevin T. Weir, chief executive officer of Liberty-Pittsburgh Inc., to repay $67,138 to his employee’s 401(k) plan. The settlement resulted from an in­vestigation by the U.S. Depart­ment of Labor’s EBSA.

Contesting unemployment? Prove misconduct was willful

11/23/2011
Employees fired for willful misconduct aren’t eligible for unemployment compensation. If you terminate someone for breaking a workplace rule, be prepared to prove that the employee knew about the rule and understood it.

Part-time after childbirth? Careful how you figure pay

11/23/2011
Here’s an unexpected factor to consider when an employee requests part-time work following childbearing leave: How you set her pay rate may create Equal Pay Act problems.

Employee eligible for unemployment comp if he quits because hours have dried up

11/23/2011

Employees generally aren’t eligible for unemployment compensation if they leave their jobs voluntarily. On the other hand, employees are eligible if they leave for “compelling and necessitous” reasons. One of those reasons may be a drastic reduction in available work.

What do you think? Should the Supreme Court affirm or overturn the Affordable Care Act health-care reform law?

11/22/2011
The 2010 health reform law is about as popular with HR pros as it is with the public.

Don’t let the FLSA’s pay rules snow you under this winter

11/21/2011
Winter isn’t a challenging season just because of the lousy weather. It’s tough on payroll staff, who must ensure that the company’s pay policies jibe with the Fair Labor Standards Act when employees leave early, arrive late or just stay home because of snow. Here are the rules for nonexempts and exempts.

10 tips toward a recognition program that drives performance

11/20/2011
Almost 90% of businesses use rewards and incentives to spur sales, improve retention and employee loyalty, and raise productivity during an era of slim pay raises and uncertain bonuses. If you’re starting or updating a rewards, incentive or recognition program, consider these 10 tips.

What are the rules on setting a late policy?

11/18/2011
Q. We would like to institute a rule subjecting em­­ployees to discipline for clocking in late. Are we permitted to do this even though we round our employees’ time to the nearest quarter-hour?

Update from Sacramento: 4 new California laws will affect HR

11/18/2011
Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed bills enacting several new em­­ployment statutes. Each becomes effective Jan. 1, 2012. Here’s how the new laws affect private employers.