Banco Popular de Puerto Rico

Think you’ve seen/heard it all from employees looking to claim questionable reimbursements on expense reports? Think again. Robert Half Management Resources polled CFOs on the most unusual submissions; here are the funniest—and most fraudulent—responses.

Defined benefit plan sponsors say controlling funded status volatility will be their top priority this year, according to a poll from SEI. The poll surveyed 50 executives overseeing U.S. corporate DB plans that range from $25 million to $10 billion in assets. Here’s a list of their other top concerns.

With all of the rules and regulations governing benefits delivery and administration, industry pros can be left feeling like they are traversing a minefield. However, knowledge is power. So, the first step to avoiding benefits’ biggest pitfalls is knowing what they are. We’ve outlined five of them for you here.

The beginning of a new calendar year is an opportune time for employers to take a careful look at their overall global mobility strategy to make sure it matches business goals and is working well. Mercer has compiled 12 action items that HR professionals at multinational organizations can take now to ensure their international assignment policies are competitive and aligned with business objectives in 2012.

Employers can stay on the right side of regulators by complying with laws and regulations governing employee benefits. As the regulatory landscape changes, plan sponsors and administrators who keep pace with new requirements and filings prevent errors and problems down the road. CliftonLarsonAllen LLP offers these Top 10 Employee Benefits Compliance and Reporting Concerns as a tool or aid for keeping plan administration on the straight and narrow.

Chronic latecomers can cause headaches for HR/benefits professionals aiming to keep an entire employee population happy and productive. While flexible work arrangements continue to spread throughout the mainstream American workforce, excessive tardiness can lead to dismissal. In fact, a recent CareerBuilder survey shows that 34% of employers have terminated an employee for being chronically late. Employees admit their timeclock struggles, with 16% of workers reporting they arrive late to work once a week or more (up from 15% last year), and another 27% saying they arrive late to work at least once a month (up from 26% last year), CareerBuilder finds. With those kinds of numbers, managers no doubt have heard it all when it comes to employees’ tardiness excuses. Here are the 10 most outrageous ones, according to the CareerBuilder survey.

From outcomes-based incentives to helping employees through the health care maze to social media, there’s a lot in store this year for employer wellness programs. Beena Thomas, MPH, vice president, health and wellness for OptumHealth, gives us her take on the top four wellness trends of 2012.

Older workers make up the fastest-growing segment of the workforce; by 2014, it’s estimated 21% of employees will be age 55 and older. In an economy where more seniors are delaying retirement or foregoing it altogether, the need for clarity on navigation of coupling Medicare and employer-based insurance will be paramount. The Medicare Rights Center, in partnership with AgeOptions, recently released a toolkit designed to help older adults navigate the transition from employer-based health insurance to Medicare, and those who are dually covered. The toolkit aims to clearly explain how Medicare coordinates with different kinds of employer-based health insurance. Here are five key points from the extensive guide to help your employees.

It’s that time of year again when employees have trouble making it in to the office — and no, we don’t mean cold and flu season. Some employees, not quite ready to go back to the grind after extended holiday time off, may be looking for some extra time away. According to CareerBuilder, the highest period of employee absenteeism occurs between January and March, with 34% of employers noting that use of sick days peak in the first quarter of the year. Further, 29% of workers cite errands and plans with family and friends among the top reasons for calling in sick when they were well. Starting the year on a light-hearted note, EBN selected a dozen from CareerBuilder’s list of some of the most outrageous excuses employees have used to call in sick. We hope they’ll help you maintain your sense of humor as you endure the absenteeism of the winter months.

As the year draws to a close, EBN has compiled a special slide show reliving the most popular news stories of 2011 that directly affect benefits and HR professionals. Review the past year’s top articles and join us in the New Year as we continue to deliver the industry’s breaking news and regulatory breakdowns that you need to manage your business and benefit plans.