Human Capital Management Blog

In May of 2016, the EEOC published final versions of rules pertaining to employer wellness plan compliance. The updates addressed: Incentive caps for wellness plans that require employees to disclose biometric information (BMI) Incentive caps for wellness plans that require BMI from employee’s spouses who participate in voluntary plans So, why the change? The intent of the regulation was to provide employers with a common standard for which to measure the compliance of their wellness plans. Prior to the regulatory update, it was possible for employer wellness programs to be in compliance with the ACA, yet violating the ADA. The regulation goes into effect in 2017 of the renewal month of employer-sponsored coverage (plans renewing in July do not need to be in compliance until July of 2017). So what do you need to know?

Today’s HR technology is allowing employers to achieve incredible economies in labor costs, productivity, and compliance management. That being said, technology resourcing will always reach its limits, and there enters the subject-matter-expert.

How will the 2016 election impact Obamacare? One of the more pressing questions presently floating around the political news channels. A recent U.S. News article unpacks the potential fate of Obamacare in the case of a Trump or Clinton victory. In this blog, I’d like to add some considerations to the ACA’s funding arrangement, and how the financial structure of Obamacare will significantly impact the prospect of a full or partial repeal.

Understanding Part IV of the 1094-C, how the IRS will be using the information therein, and who is required to complete it are all essential elements of ensuring your 1094-C is filed correctly. In this blog we will be answering the following questions: 1. Who is required to complete Part IV of the 1094-C? 2. How will the IRS be using the information in Part IV of the 1094-C? 3. What information will employers need to complete Part IV of the 1094-C? Here's the good news: it's simpler than you think. Information herein has been drawn from irs.gov. 

Had the pleasure of attending the North Country Human Resource Association (NCHRA) 2016 One-Day Conference. Hats off to President Cherie Moore and her team for another job well-done. Let's check out some quick notes from the legal updates.

FMLA administration is another one of those administrative burdens demanding HR to manage more spreadsheets, conduct more regulatory upkeep, and consult with more lawyers. At the average cost of $78,000 to defend and FMLA suit, employers can't afford to get it wrong. The reality is that most employers are either not doing anything to track FMLA leave, or they are doing it poorly. With the onset of Paid Family Leave, employers are looking for ways to improve employee leave management and reduce the potential for FMLA abuses. For those looking for FMLA outsourcing or a technology solution to FMLA administration, here are five benefits of using FMLA software.

Benetech recently hosted a webinar entitled Improving Strategic Decision-Making: The Unsung Case for Human Capital Management Software. For those who attended I enjoyed our time and appreciate all the great feedback. There was a question posed by one of the attendees that I received after the fact, and saw it as a great question worth sharing with regard to the relationship between tactical HR and strategic HR.  Question: How does this (improving tactical decision-making) relate to strategic decision making? You are talking about tactical things. Strategic thinking is longer term, for instance, what kind of employees will we need for our new product line.

(2 minute read) The worst thing you ever want to hear in a difficult performance review is, "well, I never knew that was so important to you."  One of the biggest problems with performance reviews is that, too often, employees don't discover what their evaluation criteria is until the are sitting face to face and looking at below average scores. Of course they're frustrated with the performance review process. Growing consensus amongst leaders is that performance reviews must be part of an ongoing conversation. Here's a performance review best practice that I picked up in the Marine Corps, and it proved an effective way to drive a performance driven culture in my platoon.