Employee Benefits Essays (Examples)

Employee Benefits
Describe the importance of employee benefits as a strategic component of fulfilling HRM goals.

Employee benefits are very important in today's highly competitive marketplace. They are function to meet a variety of their personal and family needs for employees and for that reason are highly desirable and sought offer. For human resource managers, they can serve to attract and retain the best and brightest personnel. There are legally required benefits and voluntary ones -- and each has its own associated costs to an organization and complexities. Popular benefits sought by today's skilled workers include health, dental and vision insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, stock options, tuition reimbursement, employee assistance and wellness programs, and all sorts of coverage extensions for family members and domestic partners.

Employee benefits are also important because they are expected. They can provide meaning and value to employees and impact work behavior. Poorly designed and inadequate benefit…

Yes, employees are replaceable. However, that does not mean they have no value. Genentech and Zappos see the value in each and every one of their employees, and so they provide benefits that motivate those employees to stay with the company (Genentech, 2011; Zappos, 2010). Many of the benefits offered by these two companies are not offered at other companies, so employees want to stay where they are. That encourages those employees to work harder, to make sure they can continue to enjoy their current benefits. The companies also benefit, because high morale and low turnover means higher productivity and lower cost.
3. Incentive benefits that stray outside the realm of a good salary and health insurance can be used at almost any company or organization. People like to feel valued, and when they feel valued they have a better outlook on life, including their job. They work harder, and…

Employee's do not have to sue the employer to get this compensation. It is normally paid through an insurance system that is financed through premiums paid by the employers. orkers' compensation premiums are based upon the accident and illness record of that organization. Obviously, larger numbers of paid claims results in higher premiums. The medical expenses are normally covered in full the under workers compensation laws. This is a no-fault system. In it, all job-related illnesses and illnesses are covered regardless no matter where the fault for the disability is placed. The workers' compensation coverage is compulsory in almost all states. In some states, it is elective for the employer. hen this is so, employers who reject the insurance coverage and give up many legal protections. The benefits paid out are provided generally for four types of disability, including permanent total disability, partial disability, temporary total disability and temporary…

Despite offering such a comprehensive benefits plan, Microsoft has not always been in compliance with laws governing these plans. In the case Vizcaino v. Microsoft Corporation the court ruled that the company denied some of its workers benefits under its Savings plus 401(k) plan (SPP) and Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) based on the mistaken assumption that they were independent contractors and therefore not eligible for its benefits.

Even though these workers were originally hired on the basis of being independent contractors, for tax purposes the IS reclassified them as being Microsoft employees. Due to this reclassification the workers requested eligibility for the SPP and ESPP benefits, of which they were subsequently denied. After initially losing the case at the District Court level the plaintiffs appealed, which led to the Oct. 3, 1996 Ninth Circuit Court panel ruling in favor of the plaintiffs. Microsoft requested for this ruling to be reviewed…

Employee Benefits and Services
Employers still elect to offer their employees healthcare benefits despite the ever increasing costs. This they do as a result of; pressure from the labor market, the need to increase or enhance employee performance, etc.

Some of the factors that affect employer spending on benefits include the financial health of both the company and the industry. Given the effects of the recent downturn in economic activity, I am convinced that most employers will not be able to pay out the pension benefits they have promised. Both the state and federal governments should in my view come up with strategies aimed at providing an alternative means of income to retirees who miss out on their pension benefits.

Question 3

Mandated benefits are benefits mandated by an authority that has an obligation or powers to assign the said benefits. Government mandated benefits in basic terms are the various benefits entities are required…

To address the issue of government mandated benefits it is important for the company to perform a regularly scheduled maintenance check to be sure the company is constantly in compliance. The rules and regulations for government mandated benefits are constantly evolving and changing, leaving even the best intentioned company in precarious positions at times. All it takes is one dissatisfied employee or former employee to lodge a complaint and if the company is found to be out of compliance with government mandated employee benefits it can be extremely costly. It is important for each company to have someone at the organization appointed as the person responsible to perform regular checks with government agencies to be sure the company remains in constant compliance.

The management of employee benefits can be time consuming and costly to a company. For many years the use of web site management options was cost prohibitive for smaller…

(Koen 2011, pp. 61 -- 62)
The piece of literature that was written by Shreman (2006), talks about how employee benefits will vary from one location to the next. Once there is a merger or acquisition, this could be when the employee compensation structure will change. The reason why, is because one company is purchasing the other. This will have an effect on the value of certain investments that the staff will be receiving. At the same time, this is an indication that previous obligations will be adjusted to reflect what is happening with the parent company. This means that in some cases, employees will be receiving greater amounts of benefits. While at other times, this is a sign that there could be a reduction in these benefits. The information from this source is important, because it is an indication that the firm could have a number of different issues…

Employee Benefits Issues
Though most people usually have satisfactory relationships with their employers, a significant percentage of employees often have some sort of complaint or grievance against their employers. A grievance is defined as a feeling of discontent, while a complaint, though used interchangeably with a grievance, refers to a less deep-rooted grievance. When an employee has a grievance, the normal procedure is to seek some sort of remediation of the issue or issues from the management about the problem he or she has. However, the reasons of reported grievances can be either real or fabicated. For example, a real grievance may be caused by a wage cut or an increase in working hours, while a false or imaginary grievance may appear when an employer decides to closely monitor his staff when he or she feels that that particular employee is not performing optimally. If the employer does not communicate his…

Employee benefits refer to the benefits that either full-time or part time employees get from the companies that hire them.
Target

The package targets team members that work for two and a half days or less every week. They are eligible for health cover after six months. There are other benefits that all other employees get, including free vaccinations for the flu epidemic. They are also eligible for weight watch discounts and a twenty-four-hour nurse hotline.

Starbucks

The benefits mentioned incorporate a base pay that completes health care cover for part time and full time partners that work for an average of 20 hours every week, a bean stock equity in the company, a 401(k) savings scheme that comes with employer matching, reimbursement for tuition services, paid vacation, product discounts and short-term disability.

Land's End

There are life insurance benefits and dental care cover for part time workers. Part time workers and seasonal stuff are eligible…

Human esource Management
Employee Benefits

Making employees happy is vital since it makes employees work better and satisfied working for the company. In this regard, it fulfills HM goals as it lowers turnover rates and employee complaints. Companies ensuring their employees receive the required benefits leads to employees' contentment but failure to do so results into dissatisfaction and quitting of duties. In addition, morals should be very good in the company to make the employees happy; mistreating employees makes them shun work. HMs biggest goal is to keep employees smiling and if employees are happy, even the management is happy and the company therefore runs efficiently. This ensures employees conduct their duties effectively and want to stay in the company.

The sole merit of issuing attractive benefits to employees is that it helps lower turnover rates while helping the firm recruit highly skilled workers at a competitive rate as opposed to other companies.…

It would be in the call center's best interest to keep their employees feeling happy and appreciated, which will translate to a better attitude when working with customers (Saunders, 2007). Part of this would include showing trust and responsibility to those who have earned it; in this case, Connie after four years with the company, appears to be worthy of such trust. As well, the company's one-day-per-month sick leave policy could be reworked. It is understandable that the sick days are accumulated on a month-by-month basis, due to the high turnover at call centers, but management could add on benefits for top employees. For example, an employee who has been with the company for a year would earn an additional sick day every two months, with further days added each month as their time with the call center increases.
Ultimately, when it comes to dealing with Connie, and any other…

Accounting for Intangibles, Payables and Taxation, Employee Benefits and Long-Term Liabilities
Accounting has certain terms that are common to most accounting systems. Since the international standards are being accepted by all member countries (including the United State by 2014 (Gornik-Tomaszewski & McCarty, 2003), all reporting will be standardized. The terms intangibles, payables and taxation, employee benefits, and long-term liabilities may have similar meanings when the international standards are adopted, but there will still be some differences in practice among the member nations. This essay looks into the representation, measurement, presentation and pronouncements specific to these four terms.

Intangible assets are those which is not acquired during a business transaction. The criteria for such an asset are that it lacks physical substance and that it is not a financial asset. This is why many times this asset is called goodwill (Shoaf & Zaldivar, 2005). However, the text wishes to make a definite distinction…

United States Department of Labor Case Study
Describe the major features of this website and how each feature can be used to monitor employee benefits

The website of The United States Department of Labor (DOL), www.dol.com describes the features of services offered by the department as concerns labor organizations, labor laws and employment in the United States (U.S.). The website has such features as navigation links that point the browser to the various resources on the website, sample questions that have been submitted by the website's visitors, reports, news and other statistical data plus other resources like an events calendar, and a toolbox as well as contact information (DOL, 2013). The DOL website contains a lot of useful information for the employed in the country concerning benefits that they can take advantage of. Specific issues that are of concern to most visitors are highlighted. The areas given most prominence in the website…

diverse workforce, the question of employee benefits has become increasingly complex. While salaries themselves remain important, other benefits have become increasingly so as workers seek to balance family work responsibilities in ways that -- when most families had two parents, one of whom stayed at home full time -- had not been dreamed of a generation or two ago. The current still-shaky state of the economy joined with recent corporate scandals have made more and more workers interested in the kind of guarantees about pension plans, 401ks or other retirement that companies are willing to give that are distinct from the company's own stock options. The rising cost of health care has made many employees especially concerned with the kinds of medical benefits that a company may offer. And the desire of many younger employees to have flexible hours so that they can continue their education, be able to…

The employer, according to the rules laid out by the IMSS, is expected to contribute at least a minimum amount according to the risk factors involved in the job into the fund, that is, a sum of 17.42% of each worker's wage. Basic health care, medical facilities, accident care, as well as care for illnesses are all taken care of under the social security fund. In addition, the employer is expected to pay about 5% of a fixed payroll tax into a fund that will help the employee find a home of his own easily. This fund is known as the 'National Fund for Employee Housing' or INFONAVIT. "The goal of this federal program is to provide benefits allowing employees to more easily acquire a home"

2% or 25 times the minimum wage, of a worker's salary must also be paid into the SA or the etirement Savings System under which…

Human Resources: Legal Environment -- Total Rewards
modern HRM consultant must be aware of the array of possible employee benefits. The modern trend is away from traditional notions of benefits and toward benefits that enhance the lives of employees and their productivity for the company. Two of the many possible modern benefits are training and educational opportunities and wellness programs. s specific examples will show, despite the several challenges of implementing such benefits, the reward for both the employees and the company are clear.

Two Employee Benefits That Provide Great Opportunities to Increase Employee Productivity

fter decades of research and practical experience, Human Resources specialists have moved away from traditional notions of employee benefits to a more holistic and integrated approach that simultaneously attracts talent, enhances employee growth, and motivates meaningful employee contributions to the company's goals. Competitive local and global forces have made measures once deemed extraordinary now highly strategic (Chen…

Benefit Plan Design Analysis
Select and profile an organization for the benefit plan

Extraordinary and above average people are recruited by ABC. Their task force possesses a number of exceptional skills and many of them are graduates of top universities or possess professional qualifications. One of the most interesting things about ABC is that it is continually trying to make the organization host to an increasingly global platform that employs people coming from various nationalities and cultures. This way, it makes sure that the creme de la creme of the task force is employed in the organization that is not afraid of taking on challenges. Also, the organization then comes up to their expectation by providing a healthy and competitive corporate culture.

Staff that is new to the ABC organization undergoes a series of sessions whose themes range from personal mentoring to formal training. The training is imparted by their colleagues who have…

Employees that wish to work in healthy environments are likely to be more motivated, and workers who are encouraged to be healthy will enjoy their work more, and become more productive.
"Some say it may be more effective just to award employees cash and prizes for weight loss rather than devote resources to long-term wellness programs" (Obesity, 2008, Consumer Affairs). However, this would seem to unjustly penalize poorer workers, as workers with "limited economic means may not have the ability to pay for gym memberships, smoking cessation drugs, or more nutritious food. Indeed, data from several studies confirm that those in lower socioeconomic classes have poorer smoking cessation rates and diets with less whole grains, lean meats and fresh fruits and vegetables" (Mhurchu 2010). Less affluent workers are less likely to work for companies like Google that provide amenities like on-site gyms or even gym memberships. Ironically, workers who are…

organization's ability to recruit and retain talented employees requires ensuring employees are rewarded proportionately for their contribution towards achieving organizational goals and profitability. To achieve this, a benefits and compensation policy is developed and implemented for all workers. This company has established a compensation policy that offers a full range of conventional benefits, dental, vision and medical benefits in addition to a rewards program that offers incentives based on employees' input. However, there are numerous complaints from the workforce that these benefits do not effectively address a growing problem. To address this growing problem, it's important to develop a Benefits and Compensation plan that offer packages that correspond to the employee type, reflects the organization's culture, and is comparable to the company's competitors.
Components of the Benefits and Compensation Plan

The current benefits and compensation plan is seemingly ineffective because it does not provides benefits and compensation based on the employees'…

Employee Representation
A labor union refers to an association of employees that have come together in pursuit of common goals, such as better pay. Labor relations are wider in scope; they refer to the interactions between the labor unions (employees' representatives) and employers - and usually deal with the maintenance of collective bargaining agreements.

Labor relations date way back to the formation of the very first significant unions: the Knights of Labor, the American Federation of Labor (AFL), and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). The Knights of Labor, however, failed to achieve its objectives due to its large membership. AFL, unlike the other two, initially restricted its membership to skilled tradesmen. However, with the 1935 formation of CIO, which incorporated both skilled and unskilled laborers, conflicts resulted and the two unions later merged.

Question Three

Enacted in 1926 and later on expanded to rope in the airline industry, the Railway Labor Act provided…

employee rewards has been increasingly brought to the forefront. This is because globalization is creating a shift in how firms are operating by requiring the utilization of specialized skills. These individuals are necessary for a firm to be able to adjust with changes inside the marketplace and new competitors. As a result, a number of organizations have begun focusing on transforming compensation strategies to address these needs. To fully understand how this is occurring requires focusing on: the way this can improve competitive compensation plans, how they are tied to specific jobs, the effectiveness of an equity-based rewards system, the key factors for integrating this model with traditional rewards programs and providing recommendations that will streamline these initiatives. Together, these elements will provide specific insights as to how a firm can improve their competitive compensation strategy. (Wilson, 2003, pp. 1 -- 15)
Innovations of Employee Benefits

Innovations in the type of…

(osenbloom, 2005)
Q2) Identify issues employers face with benefits, explain why they face them and share how to resolve them

The primary problem is the misuse and overuse of the insurance and medical programs included to the employee benefit and it opposite that it is never used. In either case the expenditure becomes wasteful. To prevent misuse there can be supervision of the accounts by the H and making annual checkups mandatory can avoid non-use. (osenbloom, 2005)

One problem is the distinguishing between the casual and regular workers and providing for different set of benefits for each. In this case there is the benefit that status differences boost employee morale but has its own drawbacks while treating casual employee rights and benefits, especially training. For a casual or part time employee training packages that suit the vocation make a great benefit and the legal implications of treating these employees differently from the…

A very important point is that online learning can be done individually or in groups (for example video conferences).
6. In general, in order to make a career choice one should be informed about the world of professions. Information about the profession that appears the most interesting and appropriate should be gathered. If possible, it would be important to read interviews or talk to people with similar jobs for a more accurate and realistic image. Another important part in a career choice is to assess individual strengths and weaknesses. Several personality tests are available for such a purpose (for example CPI - California Psychological Inventory, SDS - the Self-Directed Search questionnaire). For the persons in search for a career it is important to identify the skills they have and they most enjoy using. The career identified should be compatible with the interests and skills identified. In conclusion, a person who…

Human Resources -- Employee Separation Policies and Procedures
Employee separation is an inevitable aspect of the business world. Careful consideration of the company's core values, stakeholders, legal requirements and financial well-being are all taken into account when preparing a Separation Policy. By establishing and implementing procedures, some of which are followed even before an employee is hired, the company can accomplish employee separation with a minimum of financial, legal and morale risk.

Separation Policy ith Specific Procedures

A Separation Policy must be well-planned and effectively communicated to avoid some common pitfalls of employee separation. Most employees, absent a collective bargaining agreement, are "at will" employees (Zachary, 2008). However, employees still sue under several theories. To avoid successful suits by former employees, the company must take care to treat different categories of employees the same to avoid successful discrimination suits; terminate the employee only for lawful reasons to avoid successful wrongful termination suits and…

employee handbook addressing the issue of workplace equity and nondiscrimination in a health care organization. The essay includes various issues related to the non-discrimination laws and the benefits of implementation of anti-discrimination laws.
An employee handbook is a manual for employees and works as a staff handbook which is drafted by the employer. Employee handbook contains policies and procedures for the employees. It has all the terms and conditions of employment. The main purpose of an employee handbook is to communicate to the employees the fair and just policies of an organization. An employee handbook of different organizations will have different details because of the varying nature of the business carried out by the organization however the main purpose of the handbook will remain the same. An employee handbook for a health care organization will have their own set of policies and procedures.

An employee handbook for a health care organization…

Role of Labor Unions in Industrial Relations
In their definition, labor unions have always been known as organizations that have always aimed at getting their members both financial and non-financial benefits. The role of labor unions is however bigger than that and they have been known to aid in helping employers improve the productivity and discipline of their workers. Labor unions respond to issues differently. This is explained by the differences in industrial relations contexts and also policies of different states as well as strategies of the various employers around the country.

Employees come together to form a labor union to achieve a common goal. Labor unions have several goals. Some of the goals include agitating for higher retirement benefits as well as other benefits for its members. They also seek to increase the number of workers assigned for specific job tasks. They ensure that employees work under good and healthy conditions…

Employee Benefits
There are several issues with the current benefits plan, but first the overall benefits strategy needs to be addressed. There is ample literature to support taking a strategic HM approach, whereby the human resources management strategy closely aligns with the overall strategy of the company (Wright & Nishii, 2007). At present, there appears to be misalignment. HG Enterprises is a graphic design and photography service provider. The organizational chart indicates only two people who might be considered to be creatives, however, the design technicians. This firm is all senior management and clerical staff. How is this company even making money, when there is nobody to actually do the work they supposedly do? How are there three FTEs on the phone, not including the sales staff, and to whom are they talking? Why is a consultant being hired when there is already a VP of benefits on staff at $120K.…

Employee Wellness Program
Company Background

Benefits of the Employee Wellness Program

Employee Needs Assessment

Components of the Program

Marketing of the Program

Implementation of the Plan

Evaluation of the Plan

This paper aims at developing an employee wellness program for the organization so as to ensure that the due attention is paid to the health and wellness issues that are being confronted by the employees. The paper would also propose strategies for the effective marketing and evaluation of the developed employee wellness program.

Employee Wellness Program

Company Background

The organization under consideration has been in the business since last 10 years. The organization is a manufacturing concern that is indulged in the development and sales of beverages, including fresh juices and gerbil teas. The organization operates in 3 different regions of the United States of America and employs a total of 500 people. The organization has a healthy business and the employees work dedicatedly for the purpose of the attainment of…

Employee theft is noted by Mishra and Prassad (2006) to be a major component of private and public retail shrinkage.There is a consensus that theft in the workplace constitutes a serious offense and is a cause of serious problem (Weber, Kurke & Pentico, 2003).Employees have been noted to steal time, money, merchandise as well as other forms of company property like information in exchange for cash and other forms of favors. Wells (2001) noted that opportunity is the main reason for commissioning fraud. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. employees lose between $20-$40 billion annually through employee theft alone. This theft is noted to be responsible for 30% of all business failure (Condon,2003).Bamfield (2004) further indicated that employee theft is commonplace in the business today.
General prevention strategies against employee theft: A literature review

Vigilance is noted as the key to the prevention of corporate fraud and the prevention initiatives…

Employee Privacy Torts
History of Employee Privacy

Changing Trends of Employee Privacy

Impact of Innovative Technology on Employee Privacy

ole of Social Media towards Employee Privacy

Impact of Changing Community/Society on Employee Privacy

Adaptation to the new Environment pertaining to Employee Privacy

Employee Monitoring and Surveillance

Laws and Employer Policies for Text Messaging and Social Media

Electronic Communication Privacy Act

Monitoring of Employee Conversations over Telephone & Email

ecommendations for creating Effective Policies

Future Implications of Employee Privacy

As years have passed and the human race has penetrated into the epoch of twenty first century, the technological advancements have conquered almost every facet of human life, especially the workplace. The widespread platform of the internet has become the integral part of a person's life, in the same manner as businesses are employing technological advancements to perform numerous activities like internet infrastructure, maintenance of computers and so on. It means that the human race is residing in a magnificent era where the flow of…

Employee esistance
In the economy today change is inevitable in any organization in the world. This is because each and every organization strives to remain strong in the market as well as being relevant. The only way the organizations can achieve this is through evolving so as to ensure that they are at the same level with the rest of the world. Changes occur even in big organizations like Samsung electronics. Samsung electronics is among the largest phone makers in the world and change is inevitable for them. This is because there is a lot of evolution in the world of electronics and Samsung has to undergo changes within the organization that will ensure what they produce is exactly what the world wants. It is very difficult for Samsung to avoid change as it is the new ideas that promote its growth as an organization.

There are many reasons that can lead…

Employee Customer Service Training
New Employee Customer Service Training Plan

Justify the use of a needs assessment of your company's proposed employee customer service training, stressing five (5) ways in which such an assessment would expose any existing performance deficiencies.

The employees of an organization act like the 'driving force' which can either lead the organization towards success or can turn out to be the cause of its failure. A company's progress not only depends on an employee's individual performance but the way these employees communicate with the customers has its own significance. Thus, in order to run a successful organization, it is quite essential to monitor the correlation between the outcomes and the employees' input on a regular basis. To ensure employees' effectiveness, organizations usually remain concerned about training their employees.

Training means a methodical intentional process of changing behavior of organizational members in a direction which contributes to organizational effectiveness. (Hinrichs, 1976).

However,…

However, it has been a struggle to make employees view that these employee feedback programs are not just a tool for the companies to comply with has been a losing battle eports 12.
The good news of the matter is that these employee feedback programs provide duly needed positive and negative feedback which helps the management re-strategize their decision making process.

Organizational culture and employee feedback programs

The culture of the organization must at the same time reflect these employee feedback programs Gupta, Govindarajan and Malhotra 206.

Organizational culture is the personality that is exhibited by an organization through its employees. Members of the organization slowly come to sense this culture and try their best to express it in their actions in various situations. There are several effects of an organization's culture. These include influencing the technologies applied, image of the organization to the public, strategies, services and products of the company and…

Employee E-Mail and Internet Privacy Policies
The increased usage of the Internet and e-mail has changed the way companies do business. Nearly instantaneous communication can take place globally. Information on a countless number of topics can now be accessed from anywhere around the world. These technological developments have not only helped employees increase their efficiencies, but also has given them a new means of distraction from their duties. For this reason, many companies have developed e-mail and Internet policies.

At my job, our e-mail policy states that e-mails should not include illegal or libelous statements. E-mail is to be used for business purposes only and e-mail communications are the property of the company. For this reason, the company may access sent and received from work computers at any time, this includes deleted e-mails that are stored on the company's servers. The Internet policy is similar in that the Internet is also to…

On the other hand, the comparative value of the real-time presentation must be considered in relation to the potential technical issues involved. Specifically, whereas pre-recorded presentations and self-directed learning online training programs can be tested and perfected in advance to ensure there are no technical problems with delivery, that is not necessarily the case with real-time presentations, especially those involving two-way communications. No matter how much preparation and troubleshooting is conducted in advance, live two-way presentations are notoriously susceptible to technical problems that can interfere with planning and lesson delivery. Moreover, the more computer terminals and office locations involved, the greater that potential for difficulties in execution.

Anticipated Problems

Beyond technical delivery-of-training issues, other anticipated potential problems associated with online employee training include lower levels of individual engagement and reduced opportunity for meaningful interpersonal exchanges. In that regard, even the best corporate instructors cannot implement all of the same teaching techniques across…

Employee Satisfaction with a Company's Review Process
The following research examines the reason for a decline in employee satisfaction regarding the review process at XYZ, Inc. The results of the survey revealed that sample biases may have confounded the results and that the survey will have to be re-administered to reflect the true attitudes and results of the preliminary research leading up to the current survey. The result showed a high degree of satisfaction with the quality and quantity of management feedback. The results of this survey are inconclusive and further research will need to be conducted to eliminate the possible effects of sample bias.

Delimitations (See Leedy)

Premise

Hypothesis

Research question(s)

Evaluation Objective

Development Objectives

Participants

Researcher

Survey Group(s)

Assistants

Site contact

Timeline

Chapter II

A. Literature Review

B. Introduction

C. General Management Issues

D. Project Related Issues

E. Conclusions

F. Definition of Terms

G. References

H. Project Submission

Chapter III

A. Proposal

B. Introduction

C. Population

D. Sampling

E. Variables and Measures Used

F. Data Collection

G.

Data Analysis Procedures

H. Alternative Methodology (see last page of Chapter III)

I. Data…

Countering this argument of ethical responsibility is the fact that many companies mentioned in the article have intensive pricing, product development, service and support pressures on them. Yet, given the efforts placed in planning their businesses and the intensive processes in place for financial forecasting, the costs of fulfilling these financial commitments to employees must be included in all strategic plans. To not pay these benefits is comparable to not paying for a factory or production center once created, or in the case of United Airlines, reneging on paying for a new commercial jet from Boeing. If United had done that, Boeing would repossess the jet. Yet the workers promised these benefits cannot repossess years of effort and commitment; therefore it is the ethical and one could argue legal responsibility of these companies to pay the pensions and healthcare costs promised.

Benefit Packages
What are some of the key issues facing businesses today in terms of continuing to offer a competitive benefits package?

Health care has emerged as one of the most important issues in contemporary American business in relation to competitive benefits packages. That is because under the current health care framework in the U.S., employer health care plans are the most common source of health insurance access (eid, 2009). Before the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), only businesses employing at least 50 employees were required by law to provide group health insurance to their employees. That meant that smaller companies often were at a competitive disadvantage in attracting the best talent because employees value health insurance so much. Since the enactment of the ACA, smaller companies will also be required to provide health insurance plans to avoid tax penalties for choosing not to do so (Pickert, 2012).

What are companies…

Employee Comp
The future that is fast heading our way is often thought to be associated with creative technologies and businesses that do online services. But this is definitely not the full picture. Many traditional businesses are also being impacted in regard to what will be expected about some of their core operations, including in regard to how they treat and motivate their employees. Basic manufacturing is no different. In order for companies like ours to be ready for the future, we have to look seriously at the ways in which we recruit employees and keep them here once they sign on. With 120 employees whose skills encompass a broad range of talents -- some basic skills others tied to quite sophisticated technological abilities -- we have the chance to position ourselves to be ahead of the curve as the entire field of payment, rewards and recognitions is examined yet again.…

" (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nd) Key provisions of the standards include protection in the areas of: (1) access to medical records; (2) notice of privacy practices; (3) limits on uses of personal medical information; (4) prohibition on marketing; (5) strong state laws; (6) confidential communications; and (7) complaints. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nd)
III. EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT (ERISA)

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) is a federal law that places standards that are minimum to be met for "most voluntarily established pensions and health plans in private industry to provide protection for individuals in these plans." (U.S. Department of Labor, 2008) the requirements of ERISA include the provision of plan information and fiduciary responsibilities to participants and makes a requirement of establishment of "a grievance and appeals process for participants to get benefits from their plans; and gives participants the right to…

By opening stock options to middle management and employees, it was assumed that better employee performance would be incentivized. As company stock prices go up, it creates a greater spread between the option price when it was granted to the employee and the hypothetical sale price at the end of the vesting period. Consistently better performance over a longer period of time would yield greater reward when the option is exercised. However, as Hall and Murphy again point out, "even if employees can increase the value of the firm, their share of that gain through their option holdings is very small. Combining this enormous free-rider problem with the risk imposed on employees through stock-based pay, it seems obvious that cash-based incentive plans based on objective or subjective performance measures can provide stronger and more efficient pay-performance incentives."
Despite many early statements in the life of the practice that employee stock…

cannot automatically assume his or her right to serve. And even the American with Disabilities Act allows that all employers cannot necessarily accommodate all conditions, of all employees.
The eyco website, in response to criticism, defended its position, stating that smoking employees of Michigan businesses each drained their companies, and thus shareholders and fellow workers as well as company owners, of an additional $4,000 a year in absenteeism, medical benefits and the earnings that are lost to sickness and premature death. (McConnell, 2005) but handicapped employees who can still do their jobs effectively cannot be discriminated against, nor can an employee with a predisposition, genetically, to cancer, be excluded from an employee health care policy simply because he or she is more costly.

Again, these costs are not choices like smoking. But federal laws protect workers with conditions such as obesity and alcoholism, where there is at least some 'choice' or…

Employee Participation
The Person/Environment Dynamics of Employee Empowerment: An Organizational Culture Analysis"

According to this article by Pennie Foster-Fishman and Christopher Keys, participatory management is becoming more common, where innovative service delivery and staff empowerment are becoming increasingly important in management. The article examines a human service agency specifically, entitled SERVE. Among the goals of serve included the objective to strengthen "the voice of frontline staff in agency decision making and policy formation." The administrators believed that this organizational approach would be an effective means of increasing employee morale and organizational effectiveness (Foster-Fishman, 1997).

In this particular instance, the employee empowerment initiative occurred within a public bureaucracy, where typically efforts to empower employees fail due to strict cultural features. Empowerment, defined by this article represents "the process of gaining influence over events and outcomes of importance to an individual or group" (Foster-Fisman, 1997). According to the article, the primary purpose of adopting an…

Employee Concerns
I am taking a course in employer and labor relations and feel I may be able to help you out in the stated situation. Employment laws do not specifically state anything against employee dissention or workplace politics. Employers have limited rights in these situations unless here is a written policy setting limits on workplace politics. If you feel that Sue Mee is engaging in activities which are threaten productivity and creating a hostile working environment, it is important to confront her and open channels of communication with the staff.

I am afraid, Sue Mee is right when she states that without employment contracts management has increased powers to fire an employee. Employment contracts limit an employer's power over termination of employees but they need not always be in written form. If you feel that there exists an unwritten employment contract in the firm, you can convince the employees of job…

Employee ecruitment
When setting up and maintaining the human resource files, confidentiality and privacy are always significant at workplace. Today most organizations are taking different steps of ensuring that the information within the organization remains confidential and private, however employees on the other hand are seen not to be concerned of this, therefore it is the work of the top managers to make their employees understand the importance of keeping files such as the human resource files as confidential. The human resources professionals should prevent misuse of personal information by safely storing them to avoid unauthorized access. Maintaining confidentiality of information in organization does not only protect the company from the legal hassles, but it improves the productivity of the employee while providing them with a safer working environment and security (Dogra, 2012).

Maintaining privacy and confidentiality for human resource files is important for varied reasons this is because, it is very…

Participants are also protected by prohibiting employers from deducting costs from their tax liability of not complying with ERIA6.
Both ERIA and the Prudent Investor Rule prohibit certain types of transactions. According to Laura Jordan6, the U.. labor secretary has the power to grand exemptions from prohibitive rules under ERIA. When such exemption is not granted and fiduciaries engage in prohibitive activities regardless, the result could be liability to repay losses, return profits, and IR penalty taxes.

ERIA includes considerably more prohibitive rules than the Prudent Investor Rule. ome of these include a prohibition from engaging in transactions that are a direct sale of property between the plan and interested party; a loan or credit extension; furnishing of goods, services or facilities; or a transfer to a party of interest that will result in benefit to such a party. Among others, further prohibitions include any form of self-interest in the actions…

Performance appraisal systems are complex and time consuming, especially for managers who supervise extended numbers of employees

Performance appraisal systems can be stressful and ineffective (Clark, 2011).

5. Structure of performance appraisal systems

The construction of a performance appraisal system is a complex endeavor, based on both theoretical as well as practical considerations. John J. Gabarro and Linda a. Hill (1995) for instance argue that managers ought to construct their appraisal systems in a critical manner, based on both pre-existent models and frameworks, but also on internal features within the organization. Cynthia Morrison Phoel (2011) and her co-editors argue that the main criterion to an effective appraisal system is represented by feedback.

Kevin . Murphy and Frank E. Saal (1990) then argue that there exists a triple structure to create frameworks for employee appraisal. The frameworks are constructed based on four criteria: the constituents, the goals, the specific objectives and the selection criterion. Based…

Employee Privacy
Avoid liability invasion privacy Essay Question: List discuss ways employers avoid liability invasion privacy. Essay 350 words length APA format. There -text citation essay.

List and discuss different ways employers can avoid liability for invasion of privacy

Employers often justify intrusions into employee privacy based upon safety concerns: concerns about jeopardizing the health of the public can be used to allow drug and alcohol tests. Even lifestyle habits may be restricted, based upon the additional healthcare costs they can incur employers. Weight restrictions may be allowed if maintaining a certain weight is a safety hazard at some jobs, which is why "49 states allow weight standards that do not violate the ADA" (Bennett-Alexander & Hartman 2009: 682). Dating employees or the employees of a competitor business and moonlighting at another organization (which could reveal trade secrets or result in employees working too many hours to be productive) may be prohibited as…

Wal-Mart is also deemed to be a company that greatly mistreats and discriminates against its employees but there has apparently been no reliable empirical data to back that up (Van iper, 2008).
The article concludes by conceding to some Wal-Mart critics. First, Wal-Mart cites Ohio University professor ichard Vedder, who points out that Bureau of Labor Statistics Data holds that Wal-Mart's wage structure lags behind the retail sector as a whole (Van iper, 2008)

elative to what Wal-Mart pays its employee and the benefits they bestow, a third source was widely condemnatory of Wal-Mart and insisted that it could and should be paying its employees more…a lot more. The average associate at Wal-Mart, per this story, makes an average of not quite twelve dollars an hour. If annualized, that would be below the United States poverty line. The story's author insists that wages and benefits are not higher simply because Wal-Mart…

Controlling Benefit Costs
One of the most serious dilemmas facing organizations today is how to maximize profits in an extremely competitive global environment. Of course, organizations need employees, and there is a cycle that has been growing over the past three decades or so in which employees and other stakeholders are expecting greater benefit packages in order to stay with their employer. The reality of 21st century organizational environments is so competitive for some positions that employers are faced with the issue of having to increase benefits or lose top employees. Governmental regulations are now encroaching into this paradigm as well, and employee costs are now almost always one of the top two expenses for the organization. For most employers, managing these costs has a direct relationship to profitability, the ability to remain competitive in the marketplace and even new business development. However, over the last few years these benefit costs…

smaller company offer competitive benefit packages employees competing talent large corporations? FYI - School text book The Handbook Employee Benefits, Seventh Edition Jerry S.
Competitiveness of employee benefits in small size enterprises

The global economy is still striving to overcome the tremendous pressures of the economic recession that began in 2007 in the American real estate sector and soon expanded to the rest of the sectors, as well as the rest of the countries. The means in which each country or sector overcome the recession differ from one region to the other and the differences are due to elements such as fiscal policies, strength of the economic sector or the threshold for risk. Generically, more protective countries have proven better able to overcome the threats of the crisis (Bernitz and inge, 2010).

Despite the domestic particularities of each region, fact remains that overcoming the crisis should be a global effort and a…

New Trends in Employee Compensation and Benefits
This essay examines new trends in compensation and benefits. The essay discusses the impact of benefits offerings for both employer and employee, and reviews recent trends and discusses their significance.

Reasons for working vary from individual to individual, and compensation is usually among the most important reasons. However, many people list other factors that are almost equally important to them. These factors can range from opportunities to develop new skills, to an experiencing a sense of community, to more tangible benefits such as provisions for retirement. Currently benefits programs account for approximately one third of the average worker's total compensation, based on the size, profitability and philosophy of a particular employer. Programs that are effectively designed and promoted work to the advantage of both employers and employees (ish).

Compensation packages have changed significantly over the years. They no longer consist of a flat percentage increase once…

Employer Benefits
Process and Practices of Employer Offered Benefits

Employer offered benefits are often a major element of hiring packages that keep the best employees and keep the compensation packages of those employees competitive. Yet, "historically, there has been no requirement that any employer provide benefits to its employees (with the exception of statutorily required benefits such as workers compensation, disability in several states and unemployment" (Macpan Media 2012 p 3). Employers are not always forced to provide a number of the benefits that are popular within the contemporary work environment. However, in a very competitive market place, where the best employees demand higher levels of benefits, contemporary employers are finding it a necessity to include a number of benefits in order to keep their arsenal of employees beneficial to the health and productivity of the organization as a whole. From this concept, "in general, if an employer drops coverage, better-paid workers…

Compensation and Benefits: The Family and Medical Leave Act
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

The FMLA came into effect on 5th August, 1993. The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is responsible for its administration. The law covers all employees in the state, including those in the private sector and a majority of those in the congressional and federal sectors. The law entitles "eligible employees of covered employers to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year," in order to attend to specified medical and family issues (AFSCME, 2013). This could extend to 26 weeks, over the same period, in cases that involve serious illness or injury. The decision as to when the one-year period should actually begin is dependent on the employer and the policy of the organization. In the past, the FMLA has been amended a number of times to expand…

Conclusion

It is recommended that Sea Island should implement a corporate wellness program in order to gain the advantages that come with the program. These include cost savings on health insurance, increased job satisfaction levels which decrease absenteeism and employee turnover and increase employee productivity. The program should be designed to be culturally sensitive and should be tailored for the workplace environment in the company in order to include all members of the organization despite their background, history or other cultural aspects that can create barriers to participation in the program.

eferences

Barton, S.S. (2002). Aspects of the Effect of Substance Use on Health, Wellness and Safety of Employees and Families in Northern emote Work Sites. Social Indicators esearch, 60(1/3), 263-274. doi: 10.2307/27527051

Bates, J. (2012). Benefits of Corporate Wellness etrieved December 12th, 2012, from http://wellnessproposals.com/wellness-articles/benefits-of-corporate-wellness/

Heinen, L., & Darling, H. (2009). Addressing Obesity in the Workplace: The ole of Employers. The Milbank Quarterly, 87(1),…

Employee
Supervising a Problem Employee

An Employee elations Case Study

Supervising a Problem Employee: An Employee elations Case Study

SCENAIO: John Jones is a long-term employee of the Lackawanna Police Department. During his first ten years on the force, John was enthusiastic about his job and was promoted quickly. Within the last year, however, John's performance has deteriorated. He is constantly agitated and is frequently late for work in the morning. His paperwork has gotten shoddy and he often turns in reports well past their due date. John's immediate supervisor, Betty Brown wants to salvage her employee, John. She has known him for many years and she feels that something must be seriously wrong and it is directly affecting his employment with the Lackawanna Police Department.

Unfortunately, situations like John's are all too common in today's workforce. As employers continue to use more human resources generalists and fewer specialists in the human resource function,…

Human Resources -- Controlling Benefits Costs: Employing Contingent orkers, HRM Outsourcing
Employers have found that health insurance benefit costs are best controlled while making them attractive to current and prospective employees by offering multiple options and by encouraging/implementing the use of generic drugs. This is wise, as compensation plans directly impact strategic goal setting and achievement. The Human Resources Department spends considerable resources aiding in this process, as it directly affects talent acquisition, employee retention, job satisfaction, employee productivity and strong employer-employee relations.

Discuss How A Business Can Better Control Its Health Insurance Benefit Costs hile Still Being Able To Use The Benefit Package As A Recruitment And Retention Tool. Give Practical Examples And Bring In Real-Life Business Examples (Including Employer Names).

A business can better control health insurance benefit costs while still being able to use the benefit package as a recruitment and retention tool by implementing a voluntary benefits package and…

Crafting a Compensation and Benefits Plan
Description

Fishers is a mid-sized manufacturing company out to maintain market leadership through the development and implementation of a compensation plan that meets the needs of the owners, clients, as well as employees. Compensation programs are critical to the effectiveness of the organization as they play a fundamental role in employee motivation, satisfaction, and productivity. The company seeks to achieve two crucial objectives from the implementation of this compensation and benefits plan; i) to reduce turnover, which has been an imminent problem over the last couple of years; and ii) to attract new talent, while retaining and improving the existing one.

Executive Summary

The company is at a critical juncture; it can no longer offer the perks of a small entrepreneurial enterprise since it has exceeded the employee threshold for such categorization. Employees have been complaining over what they think is below-market compensation, and noticeably, their morale appears…

According to statistics, it has been noted that the current workforce is growing more and more disloyal and dissatisfied. The companies that do not respond to the current trends will end up paying a high price later. This is because, with the improvement in the job market, these companies will end up losing key employees to their competitors, which leads to reduced employee productivity. Companies need to establish a well-designed employee compensation and benefits package in order to retain its top talent and attract others. There are numerous companies that desire to attract, retain, and motivate their employees in order to meet the company's strategic objectives. Currently, employees are considered to be part of the company's assets because they have to be effectively and efficiently managed. There are numerous instruments that companies can use to attract, retain, and motivate employees. Compensation and benefits are some of the tools that companies…

In the case of retirees of 65 and over, it decreased from 7.5% in 2007 to 6.36% in 2008. The rate to which the cost trend is assumed to decline was maintained at a constant level of 5% in 2007 and 2008.
Given the company's financial situation and the current global economic conditions, it is estimated that the compensation and benefit costs will decrease in the following years. The company estimated the following evolution:

Pension benefits: $4,964 in 2008, $4,841 in 2009, $4,864 in 2010

Postretirement benefits: $2,520 in 2008, $2,636 in 2009, $2,733 in 2010

Medicare subsidy receipts: $120 in 2008, $130 in 2009, $140 in 2010

The company is very active in the stock-based compensation plan. This type of compensation is encouraged by the company's board of directors. The compensation cost in 2005 reached $143, in 2006 it reached $301, and in 2007 it reached $720.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of the pension…