Ask the Experts: Overtime Pay Calculations with Nondiscretionary Bonuses | Fort Worth Benefits Firm

Question: How do we handle overtime pay calculations for hourly employees when they receive nondiscretionary bonuses? Answer: A nondiscretionary bonus is a bonus based on an employee meeting criteria such as production, sales, quality, efficiency, or other performance standards. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires that overtime pay be calculated based on an hourly employee’s … Continued

Do You Have Mixed Emotions about Open Enrollment? | Texas Benefits

It’s typical to have mixed feelings about the annual benefits open enrollment period. Dread for the additional administrative workload and potential benefits cost increases… Anticipation of newer, more attractive, and easier to administer plans… It makes for a fall season that causes many HR professionals and benefits brokers to drown their misery in pumpkin spice lattes. … Continued

New Federal Contract Compliance Directives | Fort Worth Employee Benefits

On August 24, 2018, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) announced the following three directives: Guidance for Contractor Compensation Practices: Directive 2018-05 clarifies the OFCCP’s approach to conducting compensation evaluations, supports compliance and compensation self-analyses by contractors, and improves compensation analysis consistency and efficiency during compliance evaluations. Contractor Recognition Programs: Directive … Continued

Ask the Experts: Gathering Race and Ethnicity Information for the EEO-1 Report | Fort Worth Employee Benefit Brokers

Question: What is the best way to get ethnicity and race information for each employee for the EEO-1 report? Answer: Self-identification is the preferred method for gathering the required information for the EEO-1 report. As an employer, you are required to ask employees to self-identify if they wish; however, employees are not required to self-identify. If … Continued

Ask the Experts: Do I need to submit an EEO-1 report for each employee location? | Texas Benefit Advisors

Question: We are a staffing firm with employees in multiple locations. Do we need to submit an EEO-1 report for each location? Answer: It depends. A company with only one physical address (single-establishment) is only required to submit one EEO-1 data report. Companies with more than one physical address (multi-establishments) are required to submit a separate … Continued

Federal Employment Law Update – February 2018 | TX Benefit Consultants

IRS Releases Publication 15 and W-4 Withholding Guidance for 2018 On January 31, 2018, the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Publication 15 — Introductory Material, which includes the following: 2018 federal income tax withholding tables. Exempt Form W-4. New information on: Withholding allowance. Withholding on supplemental wages. Backup withholding. Moving expense reimbursement. Social Security … Continued

Ask the Experts: Employee on modified assignment due to a workers’ comp claim | Fort Worth Benefit Advisors

Question: We have an employee who is on modified assignment due to a workers’ comp claim. Do we have to pay for the time spent away from work for doctor appointments or does the employee have to use PTO time? Answer: You may not necessarily have to pay for the time an employee spends at … Continued

Slight Increase to Standard Per Diem Rates for Fiscal Year 2018 | Fort Worth Benefit Advisors

Mark your calendars for October 1, 2017, when the 2018 standard per diem rates for the lower 48 Continental United States (CONUS, because everyone loves an acronym) go into effect. These rates, set by the General Services Administration (GSA, see acronym comment above), represent the maximum amount that federal employees can receive in travel reimbursements … Continued