by Chris Schrader | Aug 5, 2013 | Blog, Human Resources, In The News
The July Jobs Report is out showing unemployment (U3) fell to 7.4% based on meager jobs growth of 162,000 jobs, declining new jobless claims and individuals exhausting their unemployment benefits without finding work (the latter don’t count as unemployed under...
by Chris Schrader | Aug 2, 2013 | Blog, Human Resources
We all know that Gen Y is the most highly educated generation in the history of the U.S. It is therefore important to remember that there is so much they do not know with regards to work, regardless of their apparent general unwillingness to admit it. Baby Boomer and...
by Chris Schrader | Aug 1, 2013 | Affordable Care Act, Blog, Human Resources
Many companies established wellness plans prior to the ACA, but in order to optimize them they must comply with the Act. Generally speaking, the ACA prohibits discrimination with regards to wellness plans with the exception of specific safe harbors established....
by Chris Schrader | Jul 31, 2013 | Blog, Human Resources
Ever hired an employee and developed gut certainty soon afterwards that you’d made a mistake? Did you: a) Self-admit you tanked the decision, fire the employee, and start the search again regardless of how both decisions may reflect on you, your department and your...
by Chris Schrader | Jul 30, 2013 | Blog, Human Resources
Is silence really golden? No, I don’t mean the Tremaloes hit from the 60’s, but rather the inherent value and leverage found in silence. As Alex Lickerman, MD points out in his excellent article for Psychology Today, silence is hard for so many to practice...
by Chris Schrader | Jul 29, 2013 | Affordable Care Act, Blog, Human Resources
Among the myriad taxes and fees associated with the ACA, the one that applies to all employers with partially or fully self-insured health plans is the PCORI fee due by July 31 .You must file Form 720 with your payment. Here are the IRS instructions for filing. The...
by Chris Schrader | Jul 26, 2013 | Blog, Human Resources
The working from home discussion has been going on for the duration of my HR career. Telecommuting was all the rage in mid 80’s through early 90’s as technology advancements coupled with long commutes made the prospect of working from home a day or so per week or...
by Chris Schrader | Jul 25, 2013 | Blog, Human Resources
Virtually every company touts its commitment to high quality customer service. Very few actually deliver it consistently. So why the disconnect? Its actually pretty straightforward, says Sam Ford, Director of Digital Strategy at Peppercomm in an article for Harvard...
by Chris Schrader | Jul 24, 2013 | Blog, Human Resources, In The News
Justin Fox, editorial director of the Harvard Business Review Group and author of The Myth of the Rational Market, has written an interesting article offering an argument for higher wages. A fan of the Austrian School of Economics, I do not find his case that...
by Chris Schrader | Jul 23, 2013 | Affordable Care Act, Blog, Human Resources
A recent survey by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions found that the “future of the medical profession may be in jeopardy as it loses clinical autonomy and compensation.” Among the key findings: 55% expect physicians, primarily in private practice, intend to...