Compensation & Benefits

As corporate health insurance costs continue to rise across the nation, more employers are rewarding employees for their healthy behaviors and penalizing employees who fail to lead healthy lifestyles. Because healthier employers tend to miss less days of work and draw less on company health insurance plans, employers are turning to wellness programs to help them reduce health care costs and boost employee productivity.

Salt Lake County Republican councilmen have proposed to extend health insurance benefits to the domestic partners of county employees, but at a cost. The Republican proposal came as a direct response to a Democratic councilwoman’s repeated requests to extend the county’s health insurance coverage to domestic partners of county employees.

Payroll and tax compliance can be time-consuming and burdensome for any business. However, a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) study, “The Impact of Regulatory Costs on Small Firms,” showed that America’s small businesses are the hardest hit financially. The study found businesses with fewer than 20 employees faced a 45 percent greater federal regulatory burden than their larger business counterparts. Small businesses annually spend $1,304 on tax compliance per employee, 67 percent more than larger companies with 500 employees or more.

A recent survey shows that about one third of all employees faked an illness to take a day off last year.

While 75 percent of the employers said they generally believe excuses given by employees, 35 percent reported they checked up on at least one employee who called in sick.

A recent study has found that employees with significant depression who participated in a program improved work productivity and greater job retention than those receiving standard care.

The researchers say that depression is as costly as any other health problem for employers.

Panicking can get in the way of allowing the stocks and bonds in your 401k plan to work the way they're meant to work for you.

New rules from the Labor Department could revolutionize the way Americans save for their retirement. The government has laid out a preferred route rather than letting people flounder in planning for their retirement.

Talent shortages are a major concern for companies across the world. For that reason, attracting and retaining talent has become a greater priority than ever before.

A recent study says that less than one quarter of businesses surveyed are doing a good job using compensation to attract and retain high quality employees.

For people who have wondered if someone makes more money than they do for the same amount of money can wonder no more. The answer is more than likely yes.

Perhaps the biggest factor involved in being compensated fairly is geography - even when taking into account the difference in the cost of living.

Almost three decades ago, Ted Benna had a vision for the future of retirement. It was at that time he founded the original 401(k) plan.

Benna said that since its inception, the 401k plan has taken on a different role than was originally intended.

Many companies have begun providing free individual financial counseling.

With company-backed pensions going by the wayside, many companies are attempting to help workers access advice to better manage their own retirement savings and often their larger financial picture.