Credit Union Memberships Can Save Employees Money
May 12, 2008—You may not be able to insulate your employees from the escalating costs of health care, gas, and groceries. Once your salaries are set at a competitive level, you may feel like there isn't much more you can do to help them through this rough economy. But what if you could save your employees more than $800 a year, without costing your company anything?
Self-Audit Of Compensation Plans Reveals Strengths, Weaknesses
May 05, 2008—A compensation plan self-audit may seem intimidating, and it's true that you may want to seek expertise to help you the first time through. But once the tracks are laid, you can follow them every year or so to learn whether your compensation plans are doing what you want them to--or whether they are not.
How Do You Cope with an Economic Recession?
April 28, 2008—Is the U.S. economy already in recession? Is that condition just around the next corner? Across the nation, employers find it nearly impossible to ignore the possibility that revenues and profits could drop--and they're already feeling the pain in real estate, construction, financial services, and the automotive industry. If you're still at the stage of the jitters, should you act on them?
The Wage and Hour War: Managing Risk in an Ever-Changing Environment
April 21, 2008—Wage and hour class action litigation has now outstripped all other employment-related litigation--and no wonder, because fully 80 percent of all employers aren't in compliance with the FLSA.That was the message of Tammy McCutcheon and Lee Schreter, shareholders at Littler-Mendelson, in a recent SHRM webcast.
Law Firm Helps Parents Meet Needs of Work and Family
April 15, 2008—While a 70+-hour work week may be less common than it once was, the legal profession is intense and demanding. Women (and men) who are in the early stages of climbing the ladder in their chosen field are also often at the point in life when they want to start a family. These two aspirations collide, and women may decide to quit the field entirely. What can law firms do to address these issues?
The Art and Science of Paying Unique Jobs and Critical Skills
April 08, 2008—With an abundance of salary surveys available, it is very likely that you can find pricing information for the job you're evaluating, in your area, at any given time. The process comes down to three simple steps: choose a salary survey, locate the job, price it at the 50th percentile. But there are always a few jobs, perhaps those in high demand in your area, or those requiring a unique set of skills, for which you'll need to inject a bit of art into the process.
Supreme Court Ruling: A Big Win for 401(k) Participants?
March 31, 2008—A tenacious management consultant, convinced that his plan "fiduciary" had bungled his 401(k) retirement savings plan, took his employer to court to recoup what he said was the resulting shortfall in his account. He ultimately won the right to sue, but what his victory may mean for future plaintiffs is still uncertain. BLR spoke with two attorneys to help make better sense of it all.
Nuts and Bolts of Workers' Compensation
March 24, 2008—Workers' compensation administration is one of the daily challenges crossing the HR desk, so an understanding of its highly complex, sometimes-esoteric workings is an essential part of the HR toolkit. In a recent webinar, Dr. Richard Victor, executive director of the Workers' Compensation Research Institute explained how workers' compensation works--and highlighted some telling differences among states in terms of comp related costs and state system successes.
Creativity in Customizing Benefits Keeps Employees Happy at CFHA
March 17, 2008—Ingrid Provencher took a hard look at the demographics in her area. As Human Resources director at Central Florida Health Alliance (CFHA), it is her responsibility to make sure the hospitals making up the alliance are well-staffed. With that in mind, she asked herself, "What do people in this area want and need from an employer?"
Retirement Security for Disabled Employees
March 10, 2008—Because neither an employer nor an employee can continue to contribute to the company's qualified retirement plans on behalf of a person who is not an active employee, a disabling injury can mean a much smaller pension at retirement. What can be done to guard against such a scenario?
