Benefits Think

Read up on the new Treasury regulations on executive compensation. It may make for an awkward conversation with your CEO and CFO, but you´ll want to stay on the right side of the law on this one - particularly the limits on golden parachutes (you don´t want to look like another Lehman, do you?)....

Could be good news, bad news on the 401(k) front, as the IRS announced it´s raised the annual contribution limit from $15,500 to $16,500, but congressional lawmakers want to take the bull in a china shop approach to governing the plans, seeking to eliminate tax breaks for investors and mandating participation....

We've got a top-notch Web Discussion coming up for you Thursday. Our recent Benefits Forum and Expo showed that wellness programs were one of, if not the top issue on benefit manager's minds.

Were you just a bit disgusted when you heard that AIG had sent their head honchos on a resort retreat just weeks after news of their bailout broke? Just think, they were getting rubdowns and enjoying five-course meals while you were sweating away over open enrollment business in your office. If you...

BlackBerries and iPhones for all! What employers spend in mobile technology like smartphones they may regain in spades in extra worker productivity, a study of federal employees by Telework Exchange finds. Federal employees who use a smartphone for work purposes report an average time savings/productivity...

Oct. 19-26 is the third annual National Save for Retirement Week. Promote the heck out of it among your employees, as research shows not all employees participate in retirement plans, and the ones that do don´t save enough.

New survey from the folks at Grant Thornton shows that CFOs are eyeing benefits. The firm recently asked about 700 CFOs and other financial executives "which types of pricing pressure are you most concerned about?"

All you DB plan sponsors out there investing in socially responsible funds to make money and a difference: Quit it! According to EBSA, the benefits arm of the Dept. of Labor, generating big returns are the only consideration plan sponsors may consider - not "political, corporate or other purposes."...

To improve productivity and reduce absenteeism, tell your employees you have their back, so to speak. A survey of HR leaders by Work Options Group reveals that 93% of your peers believe backup care helps employees balance work and family responsibilities, 81% say backup care reduces absenteeism; more...

Employees want to become healthier, and they are receptive to wellness programs offered by their employers. That´s the take-home message from the National Business Group on Health´s new survey.