Headlines about "Work-life issues"

Gathered from the web by the editors at BenefitsLink.com.
Seven Companies With Unique Employee Health Benefits
"Home-improvement retailer Lowes established a partnership with the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio to offer heart surgery procedures at no cost to full-time employees and dependents enrolled in its self-insured medical plan. Lowe's covers all medical deductibles and coinsurance amounts, as well as travel and lodging expenses for the patient and a companion." (Mother Nature Network)

FUTA Reminders for 2012
"The taxable wage base under the Federal Unemployment Tax Act remains $7,000 for 2012. In addition, all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, have received certifications for the maximum additional credit allowable based on the 12-month period ending on October 31, 2011." (Wolters Kluwer Law & Business / CCH)

Survey Reveals Work/Life Balance, Learning Opportunities Have Greatest Impact on Job Satisfaction
"The survey of workers also revealed differences by age: Respondents between the ages of 35 and 44 were most concerned with work/life balance (46 percent), and those between the ages of 18 and 34 indicated the greatest interest in opportunities to learn and grow (37 percent)." (Wolters Kluwer Law & Business / CCH)

Comparing Benefits and Total Compensation in the Federal Government and the Private Sector (PDF)
"This analysis integrated Current Population Survey data from 2005 through 2010 with data on a wide range of employee benefits to compare the cost of those benefits for federal employees and for workers in the private sector who have certain similar observable characteristics." (U.S. Congressional Budget Office)

Comparing Wages in the Federal Government and the Private Sector (PDF)
"This analysis used Current Population Survey data from 2005 through 2010 to compare the hourly wages of federal employees and workers in the private sector who have certain similar observable characteristics." (U.S. Congressional Budget Office)

Union Membership, 2011
"In 2011, 7.6 million employees in the public sector belonged to a union, compared with 7.2 million union workers in the private sector. The union membership rate for public-sector workers (37.0 percent) was substantially higher than the rate for private-sector workers (6.9 percent)." (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Local Ohio Businesses Keep Employees Happy with Wide Range of Perks
"Companies in the Dayton area work to keep their employees happy, offering benefit packages that include health and disability insurance, 401(k) retirement plans, and paid vacation and holidays. Some businesses take it a step further, showering their staff with luncheons, treats in the break room, and free trips to sporting events and amusement parks." (Cox Ohio Publishing)

[Guidance Overview] IRS's 2012 Maximums for Valuing an Employer-Provided Vehicle's Personal Use
"If a company car is used for commuting or other personal uses that are more than de minimis, the employee will recognize income on the value of the personal use. That value may be determined using a general valuation rule or one of three special valuation rules: the automobile annual lease valuation rule, the cents-per-mile rule, or the commuting valuation rule." (Thomson Reuters/EBIA)

U.S. Workers Delaying Retirement (PDF)
Originally published May 2011. 'U.S. workers have been working longer and retiring later since the mid-1990s, but the Great Recession has put even greater pressure on workers to stay on the job. Yet, increases in delayed retirement are not uniform across regions, industries, or occupations. Moreover, these trends are quite predictable and thus useful forforecasting and planning. Businesses can build a better workforce strategy by incorporating retirement trends specific to their operating environment." (The Conference Board, Inc. via Financial Finesse, Inc.)

U.S. Financial Worries Rival Those of 1992, According to Gallup Poll
"Americans' worries about maintaining their standard of living (51%), being able to pay medical bills (43%) or losing their job (34%) in the next 12 months are among the highest Gallup has measured in the past 20 years, on par with the levels seen in 1991 and 1992, Gallup says." (LifeHealthPro)

Death Benefits Available to Surviving Families of Florida Law Enforcement Officers Killed in the Line of Duty (PDF)
This document is a comprehensive summary of death benefits available to surviving families of Florida law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. (Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. via Cypen & Cypen)

[Official Guidance] DOL Releases Semiannual Regulatory Agenda for Fall 2011
The regulatory agenda is a listing of all the regulations DOL expects to have under active consideration for promulgation, proposal, or review during the coming six- to 12-month period. (U.S. Office of Management and Budget / U.S. General Services Administration)

Fortune's 'Best Companies' Set the Benefits Bar High
"Fortune magazine's annual list of 'Best Companies to Work For' is out, honoring 'dream' employers that offer 'fat paychecks, sweet perks, fun colleagues, and over 70,000 jobs ready to be filled.'" (Employee Benefit News)

Financial Education Initiatives in the Workplace Survey Findings
"Approximately one-half of organizations (52%) offer financial education to their employees, [but] this percentage has decreased from 64% in 2009. These findings examine the impact that personal financial challenges have on employees as well as the types of initiatives that organizations have in place to alleviate the financial challenges faced by their employees." (Society for Human Resource Management)

Seniors Decide Retirement Doesn't Suit Them, Keep Working
"Baby Boomers are starting to . . . work past conventional retirement age, a trend fueled by an uncertain economy, improved health in older life and an understanding that staying engaged leads to a better sense of well-being. . . . The percentage of people who work and people who want to work . . . for 65 and older was 17.9% [in 2011] compared with 10.8% in 1985. For 75 and older, the rate jumped from 4.3% in 1990 to 7.5% in 2011. (USATODAY.com)

Child Care Subsidies, Maternal Well-Being, and Child-Parent Interactions
"[The] findings suggest that work-based public policies aimed at economically disadvantaged mothers may ultimately undermine family well-being." (National Bureau of Economic Research; paid subscription or individual purchase required to retrieve fulltext)

Am I Legally Required to Give Bereavement Leave
"There is no federal law on point. But, many companies still incorporate bereavement time off into their employee policies." (FindLaw)

The Supreme Court Should Reexamine Decisions That Have Made It Hard for People to Sue Their Own States
"[The case in question is concerned] with sick leave. [The plaintiff's] lawyers asked the court to consider the Family and Medical Leave Act as a whole and conclude that the law is 'an integrated response to gender discrimination.' If that's the case, men as well as women can argue that the law is constitutional." (Los Angeles Times)

Nearly a Third of Employers Willing to Cover Relocation Now
"While employers continue to struggle finding qualified workers for skilled positions, 32 percent say they're willing to pay for relocation expenses in 2012, according to a nationwide CareerBuilder study." (BenefitsPro)

Health and Welfare Benefits in 2012
"This alert provides a very brief review of recent developments and matters to watch in the new calendar year." (Ballard Spahr LLP)

The Positive Economic Impacts of Paid Family Leave for Families, Businesses and the Public
"To date, few studies have examined the economic effects of paid family leave as distinct from the effects of unpaid leave or no leave. As such, this is an important emerging area of research. If paid leave policies have the potential to protect women's and men's wages and long‐term earnings, and perhaps even to reduce the use of state‐ and federally‐funded public assistance, then any political or economic investment in such policies would be ? quite literally ? worth the cost." (Center for Women and Work, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)

DOL Allows Complaints and Questions to Be Submitted Online
"The [DOL's EBSA] has established a Consumer Assistance webpage that allows users to submit questions and complaints to the EBSA electronically." (Deloitte via BenefitsLink.com)

Employers Who Rein in Compensation Too Much Could Pay a Price Later
"Extensive research shows that employees are more willing to accept negative outcomes when they feel that decision-making processes are fair and just, Grant points out. 'When bosses can't promise eternal employment, the best substitute is to offer neutrality, transparency and employee involvement in decision-making.'" (Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania)

2012 Workplace Trends Report: Integration, Flexibility and Wellness Top Drivers of Employee Engagement
"Employees are looking to organizations for tools and resources to help them simplify their lives, stay healthy and balanced, and bring their 'whole self' to work as these continue to be top drivers of engagement. Employee engagement, productivity, brand image and loyalty continue to be relevant measures of success." (Sodexo, Inc.)

[Guidance Overview] IRS Hikes 2012 Vehicle Values
"Employers with fleets of vehicles will be glad to know that the IRS has made it possible for them to determine the value of making them available for use in 2012. The IRS on Jan. 17 released the maximum vehicle values for use with the special valuation rules for employer-provided cars, trucks and vans in 2012." (Thompson Publishing Group)

Cash Out of Paid Time Off May Be Tax Trap
"PTO plan designs run the spectrum from strict use-it-or-lose-it plans to plans that allow employees to accumulate days, months or even years of PTO over their careers. Unfortunately employers often overlook laws that prohibit or restrict certain plan designs or that create unintended tax consequences." (Poyner Spruill LLP)

In Observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day Today: Video of 'I've Been to the Mountaintop' Speech in 1968
"Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his last speech, known colloquially as his 'I've Been to the Mountaintop' speech, in Memphis, Tennessee on April 3, 1968. The next day, he would be assassinated." (Open Culture)

In Observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day Today: Video of 'I Have a Dream' Speech in 1963
"For MLK's birthday, [Open Culture brings] back the full 'I Have a Dream' speech, delivered at The Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. Seventeen eloquent and brave minutes that changed the world and made it a better place." (Open Culture)

'Right-to-Work' Hurts Private-Sector Pension Coverage
"In a study published last year, [EPI economists] analyzed the relationship between ['right-to-work'] status and wages and benefits after controlling for the demographic and job characteristics of workers, in addition to state-level economic conditions and cost-of-living differences. They found that the rate of employer-sponsored pensions is 4.8 percentage points lower in RTW states." (Economic Policy Institute)

Wisconsin Reports Record Number of State Worker Retirements
"In 2011, the state pension fund received a record 18,780 retirement applications from employees of state agencies, school districts and local governments, compared to an average of approximately 10,500 in each of the previous seven years, the state Department of Employee Trust Funds said, according to the Wisconsin State Journal." (PLANSPONSOR.COM)

'Value' in Health Insurance Acquires New Meaning
"National reform will further encourage value-based insurance design in 2014, when it allows employers to reimburse employees up to 30% of health insurance costs if workers meet health and wellness goals. The current reimbursement rate is 20%. . . . Value-based insurance adjusts out-of-pocket costs based on an assessment of the clinical benefit value -- not simply the cost -- to a specific patient population . . . ." (California Healthline)

[Official Guidance] List of Expiring Federal Tax Provisions, 2011-2022
"For purposes of compiling this list, the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation considers a provision to be expiring if, at a statutorily specified date, the provision expires completely or reverts to the law in effect before the present-law version of the provision." (The Joint Committee on Taxation)

Proof That Giving Your Employees More Freedom Makes Them More Productive
"Best Buy was one of the first Fortune 500s to create a flexible work-schedule program for its corporate employees. Tech companies have been doing this for a while, and for good reason: these programs work." (Business Insider, Inc.)

Generous Benefits, Recognition Energize and Retain Workers
"Employee retention is one of the best ways to keep your business running smoothly. The Society for Human Resource Management refers to retention as a key economic driver. 'It costs an organization a significant dollar amount whenever an existing employee must be replaced.'" (San Angelo Standard Times)

[Guidance Overview] 2012 Payroll Tax Rates and Limits (PDF)
"The maximum [Social Security Employee] withholding for the period January 1, 2012, to February 29, 2012, is $770.70 (calculated at 4.2% ofmaximum wage base). The maximum withholding for the period March 1, 2012, to December 31, 2012, if the payroll tax holiday is not extended, is $5,688.50 (calculated at 6.2% of maximum wage base). The sum of $770.70 and $5,688.50 is $6,459.20." (Lindquist LLP)

Breast-Feeding at Work Now Protected by Law
"The Affordable Care Act, which was signed into law in March 2010, amended the Fair Labor Standards Act, and for the first time employers are now federally mandated to provide women with breaks and a place to breastfeed. The final rules regarding the law have not been finalized, but that hasn't stopped the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour division's enforcers from going after employers who don't make accommodations for working moms who want to pump." (msnbc.com)

Tax Return Filing Deadline Extended to April 17 in 2012
"The IRS will begin accepting e-file and Free File returns on January 17, 2012. Additional details about e-file and Free File will be announced later this month." (planadviser; free registration required)

Employers Should Prepare for Some Tax Hikes in 2012
"Regardless of what Congress ultimately decides with the payroll tax, there are a couple of other taxes on the horizon that business owners need to be aware of. They include state and federal unemployment insurance taxes." (The Washington Post; free registration required)

Six Workplace Perks That Can Do More Harm Than Good
"The problem with most perks is that they may be intended as rewards, but all they really do is create artificial distinctions based on arbitrary and often self-serving criteria. That's why dropping most perks ' either yours or those extended to certain others ' is a great way to eliminate real or perceived barriers between you and your employees." (Mansueto Ventures LLC)

Workplace Perks Aren't What They Used to Be
"Pet insurance, at-your-desk meditation services, jewelry discounts and funeral planning -- from the quirky to the somber, workplaces are providing a range of unique benefits in 2012." (www.greenbaypressgazette.com)

Some Employers Turn to Quirky Perks for Workers
"Pet insurance, at-your-desk meditation services, jewelry discounts and funeral planning -- from the quirky to the somber, workplaces are providing a range of unique benefits in 2012." (USA TODAY)

Firms Adjust to Aging Employees with Morning Stretches at Duke Energy, Ice Packs at Harley-Davidson
"Companies also tend to value older workers because they are less likely to job hop. Besides, reducing strains on workers can cut medical-insurance and workers-compensation costs arising from injuries." (The Wall Street Journal)

IRS Releases 2012 Version of Publication 15-B, Employer's Tax Guide to Fringe Benefits
"Publication 15-B . . . is a useful reference for employers on the tax treatment of fringe benefits. But it is important to remember that this publication does not provide full coverage of the many rules that apply to the fringe benefits it summarizes. Instead, Publication 15-B refers readers to other IRS publications, guidance, and websites for more detailed coverage of certain aspects of these fringe benefits." (Thomson Reuters/EBIA)

[Guidance Overview] Standard Mileage Rate for Medical and Moving Expense Purposes Will Decrease Slightly for 2012
"Transportation expenses that are deductible medical expenses under Code ? 213 generally can be reimbursed on a tax-free basis by a health FSA, HRA, or HSA." (Thomson Reuters/EBIA)

Many U.S. Workers Fail to Use Their Earned Vacation Days
"While most employees clearly value their vacation time, three recent studies, all conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of firms in the travel industry, found that many fail to take full advantage of the time off they've earned." (Human Resource Executive Online)

Nebraska's City of Bellevue's Costly Carry-Over Time Still Vexing
"Under a long-standing policy, . . . City of Bellevue employees have been allowed to bank all their unused vacation and cash it out at their current salary. Most employees have waited until retiring to cash out." (The Omaha World Herald)

Step-by-Step Guide to Connecticut's Paid Sick Leave
"The Paid Sick Leave law goes into effect Jan. 1, making Connecticut the first and only state to require employers to provide paid sick leave." (New England Business Media)

Counting Paid Time Off As FMLA Leave? Tell Employee You're Running Them Concurrently
"Smart employers make sure that employees understand that's how it works. That way, employees won't run out of leave and lose their jobs because they didn't realize the clock was ticking." (Business Management Daily)

A Sabbatical Your Employer Might Actually Like
"We're seeing that allowing sabbaticals impacts retention numbers for companies, loyalty, and creativity and innovation. People come back better able to contribute." (The Wall Street Journal)

GAO Report on Health Care Coverage: Job Lock and the Potential Impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
"[GAO] examined two key questions: 1. What has research shown about whether and the extent to which workers stay in jobs they might otherwise leave out of fear of losing health care coverage and the impact of those decisions on the labor market? 2. What are expert views on the ability of PPACA to mitigate job lock?" (U.S. Government Accountability Office)

PTO Programs One Way to Provide Employees with Adequate Leave While Cutting Down on Absenteeism and Costs
"The benefits of the program, according to survey respondents, include reduced unscheduled absenteeism and administrative burden, improved morale, cost savings and a competitive advantage in the job market." (Governing)

U.S. Fares Poorly in Employee Holiday Entitlements
"Workers in the U.K. and Poland have the most generous statutory employee holiday entitlements while employees in the U.S., Canada, Philippines, China and Thailand have the least generous entitlements, according to an overview of employee regulation and employment practices released by Mercer." (Employee Benefit News)

Abilene, Texas, Entities Say Paid Maternity Leave Rare, but Options Are Available
"A recent Census Bureau analysis indicated 51 percent of first-time mothers in 2006-08 took paid leave, up from 37 percent in 1981-85, though most Abilene businesses and entities interviewed Monday said they use guidelines established by the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993." (Abilene Reporter-News)

[Guidance Overview] IRS Releases 2011 Version of Publication 521 on Moving Expenses
"Code ? 132(g) allows employers to reimburse employees for certain moving expenses on a tax-free basis, so long as the expenses would have qualified for an individual tax deduction under Code ? 217 and the accountable plan rules are met." (Thomson Reuters/EBIA)

Sick on the Job? Myths and Realities about Mental Health and Work
"The report challenges some of the myths around mental health and concludes that policymakers need to look for new solutions. Most people with a mental disorder work, with employment rates of between 55% to 70%, about 10 to 15 percentage points lower than for people without disorders." (OECD)

Employee Holiday Parties/Gifts Range from a Meal to Free Cars
"Lantana recycling company Southern Waste Systems holds a holiday party at the South Florida Fairgrounds this weekend for its 440 employees. Five workers named 'employees of the year' go home with a Smart Car, more than a $12,000 value. All workers enjoy a catered lunch and a magic show, and employees' children go home with presents." (Sun Sentinel)

Workplace Friendlier to Gays, According to Study
"The corporate world -- especially at law firms and big banks -- is a much better place for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees than it was a decade ago, according to a report from LGBT advocacy group Human Rights Campaign." (The Modesto Bee)

Poor Mental Health Harming Productivity at Work
"One in five workers suffer from a mental illness such as depression or anxiety and these conditions increasingly affect productivity in the workplace as many struggle to cope, a report by the OECD said . . . ." (Employee Benefit News)

Dealing with Depression Difficult in Workplace
"'Stress and depression are very hot issues with employers,' said Christine Wilson, chief executive of the Mid-America Coalition on Health Care, which in 2000 began an initiative with a couple dozen large employers to understand and deal with depression." (The Kansas City Star)

New Jersey Mayors Endorse Governor's Plan to Alter Public Employees' Sick Leave and Vacation Benefits
"'As a lawyer, [the governor] ought to know that his proposal to eliminate existing local government liabilities for sick and vacation payments amounts to an unconstitutional taking,' [an] Assemblyman said. 'He also knows that local officials already have the power to negotiate caps on retirement payouts." (newjerseynewsroom.com)

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