Compensation Design and Communication
-
Global Salaries Will Climb, but Only Modestly in North America: Study
The slight increase in North America is not surprising, according to Hay Group analysts, because the U.S. economy is only expected to grow 2.1 percent in 2013.
-
Morgan Stanley Sets 2013 Comp Plan to Fuel Growth
The company released details of its 2013 adviser compensation grid Dec. 7. No changes were made to the basic cash grid, but revenue bonus awards were cut by 2 percentage points, while the company implemented a new growth award program that puts the premium on drumming up new business.
-
Two-Tiered Pay Scale for Autoworkers Raises Debate
Some say entry-level workers are suffering with far less pay and less-generous health plans. But others say the industry had to exercise options to save U.S. jobs.
-
Tech Firms Pony Up Pay for Top Gen Y Workers
A new survey reveals average salaries for millennials are topping $90,000 at some technology firms, although pay for the typical younger employees were far less, with average salaries at $39,700.
-
Retired NFL Player Cannot File for Workers' Comp Benefits in California
The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals rules California workers' comp law doesn't apply to retired NFL player because he did not clearly show that he was injured in the state.
-
Waste Workers' Wages Reduced in Scranton, Pennsylvania
Mayor Chris Doherty reduced the entire city's payroll to $7.25 an hour, including his own, the Times-Tribune of Scranton reported.
-
The Golden Egg of Incentive Pay Policies Is an Elusive Bird
Even with the best-designed programs, companies face challenges in making incentive and merit-pay programs effective in today's economy.
-
Compensation Plan Helps Insurance Firm Cash In
The practices can be time-consuming and arduous to implement, but the time taken to focus on talent management has paid off in ConnectiCare's overall success, an executive says.
-
Median Salary for Grads Climbs 4.5 Percent
Graduates earning math and science degree received a median salary of $40,939, up 2.5 percent from the previous year. Computer sciences grads' starting salaries rose to $56,383, up 2.4 percent.
-
Workers' Comp Assessments 5 Times Higher for N.Y. State Employers: Analysis
The average premium assessment among 32 states that impose the taxes is 4.2 percent. In contrast, New York state employers pay assessments totaling 20.2 percent of their premiums.
-
Study: Wage Bill Would Benefit 1M New Yorkers
The study found that 880,100 New York employees earn less than $8.50 an hour. About 352,000 of those are in New York City, about 40 percent of the state total. In the city, 92 percent of those workers are at least 20 years of age.
-
Golden Parachutes Appear to Be Losing Their Luster
A new report suggests that corporate boards of directors are becoming increasingly wary of so-called ‘golden parachute,' that is, change in control severance agreements.
-
Selling Cars Online Is More than a Typical Sales Job
Moving from the showroom to the Internet desk can be a tough transition for a salesperson. Internet car sales require a different skill set from showroom car sales. But if a salesperson succeeds, the payoff is sizable.
-
Novartis Agrees to $99M Settlement in Sales Rep Wage Dispute
The $99 million settlement resolves the wage-and-hour claims brought in 2006, as well as additional wage-and-hour claims covering a more recent time period, according to the joint announcement by Novartis and Sanford Wittels.
-
Average Tech Pay in Silicon Valley Tops $100,000
For the U.S. as a whole, technology workers reported their average annual wage rose to $81,327 in 2011 from $79,384 in 2010, according to a survey by Dice.
-
Court: Ex-Temp Creates Fake W-2s
The former temporary worker, Valerie Yvonne Brown, faces charges of aiding or assisting the preparation of a false or fraudulent document and identity theft, according to the filing.
-
Grads Snag Highest Wages Among Securities Firms
Securities employers paid grads an average starting salary of $58,571. Overall, they provided 42,000 jobs to the Class of 2011.
-
Class of 2011 Salaries Rise 2.3%
The average starting salary for those with bachelor’s degrees in the class of 2011 was $41,701, up 2.3 percent from the class of 2010, according to the winter 2012 Salary Survey report published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
-
Comp and Circumstance: TD Executives Get Big Boost in Total Pay
The investment company's total pay figures, disclosed in a proxy statement filed yesterday with the Securities and Exchange Commission, include both cash compensation and stock awards.
-
Lady Gaga's Ex-Personal Assistant Sues Pop Star for Overtime Pay
Jennifer L. O'Neill said her annual salary was $75,000, but she was not paid overtime for working more than 40 hours a week. She said she was on duty 24 hours a day.
-
Out-of-State Workers Due Overtime for California Work: Appeals Court
The case involving three employees of Redwood Shores, California-based Oracle, who lived in Colorado and Arizona but also worked in California and elsewhere. The employees, classified as instructors by Oracle, trained customers to use Oracle software.
-
Employers, Experts Wary of Feds’ 401(k) Tax Proposals
Two plans to cut the federal deficit could drastically change the tax treatment of 401(k) plans. The first, called the ‘20/20 cap,’ would limit annual 401(k) contributions to $20,000 or 20 percent of salary.
-
Compensation in 2012 Will Be Looking Very Familiar
Average base-salary increases will be in the 3 percent range in 2012, like in 2011, analysts say.
-
Survey: HR Expecting Higher Bonuses Ahead
Human resources executives are by far the most optimistic group of professionals regarding extra pay surveyed by Robert Half, which polled the bonus expectations of people in such occupations as accounting, technology, law and advertising.
-
Groupon puts Employees—and Investors—on Notice as IPO Nears
The Chicago-based website offering deep discounts on local businesses has been more aggressive in doing performance reviews, starting earlier this year. It raised quotas and began holding employees more accountable to those targets and forcing out those who couldn't hit them.
-
Despite Complaints, Labor Department Nixes Additional Fees for 401(k) Advisers
The agency finalizes controversial rule calling for level-fee arrangements; the new scheme also greenlights computer models.
-
Analysis Shows Most Employers Restore 401(k) Match
The suspensions occurred from January 2008 through January 2010, though most occurred during the first half of 2009, which was the peak of the Great Recession, according to research by Towers Watson.
-
Where Is Pay Rising? Try Accounting, Finance, IT
Employees in these highly credentialed fields will see an average 3.5 percent pay hike next year, according to staffing firm Robert Half. ‘There is a drought of highly skilled people,' says a recruiter.
-
Former Press Box Hostess Sues Indianapolis Colts Over Pay, Work Hours
According to court documents, the woman is seeking class-action status that would include other unnamed hostesses, in part because ‘some, if not most, of the individual group members may not be aware of their rights to wages under federal and Indiana law, or may not, because of financial...
-
Workers OK With Their Job but Seek Security, Communication
SHRM’s 2011 Employee Job Satisfaction Survey shows that 83 percent of 600 randomly selected employees are satisfied with their current job.
-
Court: Prior-Approval Rule Does not Require Payment for Claims Unrelated to Workers' Comp
Georgia's State Board of Workers' Compensation says insurers and self-insurers must notify medical providers of whether they will pay for a procedure within five days of receiving a pre-approval request. If the deadline is missed, payment is considered to be approved automatically by the insurer.
-
Ford to Add, Retain 12,000 Jobs With New UAW Agreement
The automaker plans to insource manufacturing work from Mexico, Japan and China. The 12,000 new or retained jobs include 5,000 previously announced positions, Ford said.
-
Investing in Employees
Despite a tough, volatile economy, 10 small to midsize companies have been able to run successful businesses while bringing stability to employees through strong benefits programs.
-
UAW Says GM Workers Ratify Labor Contract By 2-to-1 Margin
Under the pact, the automaker's 48,000 hourly workers have traded the promise of generous pay and benefits for job security and compensation gains that are more closely tied to the automaker's health, profitability and quality advances.
-
Companies Ready to Tackle Changes Must Use Kid Gloves
As the economy continues experiencing growing pains, more organizations are revamping their compensation programs.
-
Ex-Sara Lee Executive to Land $2.5 Million in Leaving Firm
According to the filing, C.J. Fraleigh will continue to receive a pro-rated amount of his most recent annual base salary of $597,000 through his termination date of Jan. 13, 2012.
-
Shellshocked Gen Y Crossing Off Stocks as Investments
Their principal concern is protecting what they have now, seemingly taking a page from their grandparents' book on saving for retirement.
-
Rabbis Demand Back Pay for Cheese Workers
A Michael Moore-style demand for a meeting with executives is rejected as an Orthodox social-justice organization seeks unpaid overtime for employees of a kosher cheese-maker.
-
Most Companies Moderately Concerned About Comparing Pay, Performance
The SEC plans to propose and finalize implementation rules for the Dodd-Frank act's provision on executive pay and corporate performance sometime between August and December, although there is no indication they would take effect for the 2012 proxy season.
-
Chrysler wont hike exec pay indiscriminately as U.S. caps end, CEO says
The Detroit automaker was restricted from paying executives more than $500,000 as part of a 2009 rescue package financed by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief fund. General Motors remains under similar restrictions as part of its government rescue.
-
Quicken Verdict Gives Employers Hope on Overtime
In a case that began in 2004, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Detroit dashed the hopes of 359 former loan officers by finding that Quicken did not misclassify them as “administrative” employees exempt from overtime compensation.
-
Living Wage Bill Would Kill New York City Jobs, Study Says
In an expected result, a $1 million analysis commissioned by Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration supports his view that mandating higher wages is a bad idea.
-
Labor Department Stiffens Incentive Pay for Flex Workweek Employees
The new regulations, which amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, will likely lead employers using this method to eliminate all incentive rewards such as commissions, bonuses or prizes, a labor attorney notes.
-
Compensation Consultants Are Focus of SEC Proposal
Comp committees would have sole discretion in retaining a compensation consultant, as well as have direct responsibility for paying and overseeing that consultant.
-
Pay 'Philosophy' Could Prompt Workers to Stay
'Organizations should focus on communicating how their philosophies were developed and continuously benchmark their scores on pay satisfaction to remain competitive,' says Ashley Nuese, director of marketing and sales services at Chicago-based HR Solutions.
-
One-Third With HSAs Spend Most of Contributions for Reimbursements
Contributions to health savings accounts averaged $2,620 in 2010, including individual and employer contributions, down slightly from $2,647 in 2009.
-
Quicken Owner Win in Overtime Trial A Victory for Right Over Wrong
The case hinged on a portion of federal labor law that spells out overtime. Specifically, an exemption from overtime requirements is granted for financial services employees who have discretion to make decisions and whose duties are primarily office-related and focused on clients of the firm.
-
Wage and Hour Lawsuits Top Employer Litigation Concerns
Wage and hour lawsuits are by far the most common type of employment litigation. The number of these lawsuits far outpaces any other form of employment litigation and verdicts and settlements are steadily increasing. What are employers doing to address this situation and to limit their liability?
-
Bill Would Repeal FSA Cap Provision in Health Care Reform Law
The measure, introduced Feb. 10 by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, would remove the provision, which, effective in 2013, places a $2,500 ceiling on FSA contributions.
-
Employers Turn to Creative Strategies to Reward Employees
As salaries slowly stabilize, employers are still seeking creative methods for rewarding employees. Noncash compensation and variable pay programs are on the rise and may be part of a new model for attracting and retaining employees.
-
Chicago Airport Shuttle Workers Win $1.4 Million Back-Wages Ruling from Government
The settlement, to be paid by the TSA and Total Enterprise, represents ‘wages that (employees) should have been receiving all along,’ a Labor Department spokesman said. It’s not clear what portion of the award Total Enterprise will pay.
-
Companies not Sure How to Measure Say on Pay Success
Under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act enacted last year, companies have to conduct say-on-pay votes at least every three years but are allowed discretion on whether to hold annual, biennial or triennial votes, according to a Tower Watson statement on the survey results.
-
Reporters Not Exempt From FLSA Overtime Requirements
Employers should carefully review overtime pay exemptions found in the federal and state overtime laws because incorrect classifications may result in substantial liability not only under those laws, but also under related state laws involving unlawful business acts or practices.
-
Recession's Effect on Local Governments Public Problems Persist
'This recession has really cut into the public sector, not only in employment but in terms of pensions and health care benefits and every form of compensation,' an expert says.
-
Wide Pay Gap Persists Among Doctors
A national study, conducted by researchers at the University of California at Davis, compared wages of more than 6,300 physicians practicing in 41 specialties in 60 communities in 2004 and 2005.
-
Many Wall Streeters Still in Denial on Bonuses
Banking pros haven’t gotten the memo on how much lower their year-end pay will be, a survey says. The new reality: Go back 20 years, when bonuses were about one-tenth what they were last year.
-
A Bittersweet Win for Former N.Y. Bakery Workers
National Labor Relations Board affirms legal ruling that now-shuttered bakery’s owners didn’t play fair with union when seeking wage concessions that led to lengthy strike. Millions in back pay at stake.
-
Want to Make Money on IPOs Learn About Companies HR Management Strategies
With all the news about IPOs, there's a secret about their success that has not been widely shared: Human resource management makes the difference between life and death at these organizations.
-
Court OKs Bias Suit by Worker Who Was Demoted, Replaced
The plaintiff filed suit in May 2008 alleging that the school district she worked for violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.
-
Wages for New York Women Outpace National Average
But the Empire State’s working women show little progress in closing the wage gap, taking home only 84 percent each week of what local men earn, new labor statistics show.
-
Performance Pay a Challenge in Academia
The success or failure of such programs depends on the thought and care put into them, an expert says.
-
Recently Acquired Hewitt to Buy Ennis Knupp
The move marks Hewitt’s second involvement in industry consolidation in just over a week. On July 12, executives from Hewitt and Aon announced that Aon will buy Hewitt for $4.9 billion in cash and stock.
-
Court Rules Employer Can Count Award Toward Workers Comp
A provision in Connecticut law entitles an employer that is paying workers’ compensation benefits to place a lien against any third-party judgment or settlement that an employee receives, court records state.
-
HHS Releases Application for Early Retiree Reimbursements
As part of the health care reform law, Congress appropriated $5 billion for the program, which was seen as a way to encourage employers to continue their early retiree health care plans until at least 2014.
-
Retiree-Only Plans Could Be Exempt From Health Care Reform Rules
Among other things, the exemption, if finalized, would mean retiree-only health care plans would not have to comply with health reform provisions such as a ban on lifetime dollar limits and the requirement that coverage be extended to adult children up to age 26.
-
Study Wall Street Compensation Took a Nose Dive in 2009
Real average annual wages in the city’s securities industry dropped 21.5 percent to $311,279 last year from 2008.
-
Investment Help Pays Off, Study Finds
People who use professional help to manage their 401(k) plans get higher returns than those who try to figure it out themselves, a recent study shows.
-
Tribune Co. Proposes Another Round of Executive Bonus Payouts
The requests for bonus payments follow a payout of $42 million in February to top managers under bonus programs for work performed last year.
