These are hard times for businesses trying to navigate the various rules and regulations related to reopening after the pandemic. No business wants to get caught up in litigation if it can be avoided. Five of the most pressing health-related … Continue reading →

As it does each year, the IRS has announced changes for health savings accounts, which are associated with high-deductible health plans. The figures for 2022: Self-only: $3,650 (a $50 increase from 2021). Family: $7,300 (a $100 increase from 2021). According … Continue reading →

The first step to controlling human resources (HR) costs is to identify the functions covered by your HR department. Generally, they include: Recruiting, sourcing, selection and hiring. Onboarding, training and development. Guiding employees through their employment life cycle. Developing HR … Continue reading →

According to the Economic Policy Institute, “Average pay of CEOs at the top 350 firms in 2018 was $17.2 million — or $14.0 million using a more conservative measure.” High salaries for CEOs always make headlines, but there’s more that … Continue reading →

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) dictates that employers with 50 or more employees must give eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for qualifying reasons. But when FMLA-covered employers vie for top talent, they usually … Continue reading →

If you have forklift operators in your warehouse, for example, and it’s a busy time of year, be prepared to pay them extra as they work into the evening and even on weekends. The same goes for secretaries. But not … Continue reading →

The pandemic taught business owners many unexpected things. Chief among them was the ability to adapt and change quickly. Businesses that preferred old-school, in-person commerce before 2020 were forced into a sudden shift during the first lockdown, adopting dozens of … Continue reading →

At a minimum, the human resources department handles: Recruiting. Hiring. Compensation. Employee benefits. Training and development. Employee relations. Employee engagement. Employee retention. Health and safety. HR compliance. To save money, many small-business owners tackle these employment activities on their own, … Continue reading →

To take leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, an employee must: Work for an employer that has least 50 employees for 20 or more workweeks in the present or previous year. Have worked for the employer for at … Continue reading →

Before Open Enrollment – Reflect on the previous open enrollment period. Note the successes and failures and formulate a strategy for avoiding prior blunders. – Survey your employees to get a sense of what they want and don’t want in … Continue reading →