Benefits & Compensation Questions of the Week

Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR Services, including HR Strategy, Recruitment, Training & Development, Benefits & Compensation, Communications, Employee Relations, Recordkeeping, and Health, Safety & Security

Company Holiday Party Considerations – Pay, Safety, Inclusivity

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The holiday season is just around the corner, bringing with it a variety of parties and events that celebrate this festive time. These gatherings are also opportunities to express gratitude to employees, recognize their hard work, and strengthen team bonds.
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Clark Schaefer Strategic HR's wheel of HR Services, including HR Strategy, Recruitment, Training & Development, Benefits & Compensation, Communications, Employee Relations, Recordkeeping, and Health, Safety & Security

Do I Have to Provide Employees Time Off to Vote?

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Voting is a basic right in the United States, but do employers have to provide time off to allow employees to exercise that right? As with many answers in human resources, “It depends.”
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What Role Should HR Play in Benefits Open Enrollment to Ensure Success?

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There's no doubt that employee benefits brokers play a vital role in any benefits enrollment process. They know what benefits programs are available, which vendors can provide them, and how benefits are priced.
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One Big Beautiful Bill – Potential Impacts for Payroll and Benefits


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The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA) is set to transform payroll and benefit administration, and it’s crucial for employers to be ready for these changes. At Clark Schaefer Strategic HR, we’ve created this guide to outline the key updates that will impact your organization’s operations, compliance, and employee benefits planning.
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Employee Benefits Trends 2025–2026: Attracting Top Talent

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Review of the benefit trends attracting top talent in 2026.
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How To Set Up An Employee Bonus Plan

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HR Question: I am having trouble motivating my employees to do more than just the fundamental functions of their job. Could an employee bonus plan help? And if so, how do I set this up?
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What Employers Need To Know About Michigan’s Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA)

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On February 21, 2025, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed House Bill 4002 into law, amending the state's Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA). These changes have significant implications for employers operating within Michigan as they include revisions to accrual rates, carryover rules, and compliance deadlines.
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How Can I Use Salary Benchmarking As a Recruitment Strategy?

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HR Question: Like many companies, we're struggling with recruiting right now. I've been tasked with doing salary benchmarking to see if compensation is part of the problem, but I'm not sure how to go about doing it. Can you advise me on how to tackle the benchmarking process?
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Do I Have to Give Performance Bonuses to Employees on FMLA Leave?

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HR Question: It’s almost time for bonus calculations and payments, but one of my employees has been out on approved FMLA leave for the past six weeks. I don’t want to penalize the employee for being out, but it doesn’t seem fair to my other employees if I give this individual their full bonus. How should I handle performance bonuses during FMLA leave?
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What are the Latest ACA Reporting Changes and Deadlines?

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ACA update - employers with 10+ forms will be required to report through electronic methods. Here are the ACA reporting forms and deadlines.
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Can I backdate FMLA paperwork?

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Under certain circumstances, you can backdate FMLA paperwork. The key is following the right process to be compliant. We'll explain how!
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Can We Cut a Live Check to Entice an Employee to Return Company Property?

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Is it acceptable to cut a live check to entice a terminated employee to return company property? Learn about your options and legal concerns.
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Can My Employee Take a Vacation While on FMLA Leave?

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What would you do if an employee posted vacation pictures while out on FMLA leave? Our HR expert shares what to do... and what not to do.
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How Can We Address Pay Compression?

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Pay compression occurs when the pay of newer/less-skilled workers approach the pay of more experienced workers. Here are our recommendations to tackle it.
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Employee’s Failure to Pay Premiums Under FMLA Protected Leave

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Is it safe to terminate health coverage due to an employee's failure to pay premiums while they are on FMLA protected leave?
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What Is the Difference Between FSAs and HSAs

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FSAs and HSAs are designed to help individuals and families save money for medical expenses. Here are 5 key differences between FSAs & HSAs.
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What Are Total Compensation Statements?

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Learn what to include in Total Compensation Statements and how to use them to boost your recruiting and retention efforts.
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When Do I Have to Deliver an Employee’s Final Paycheck?

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Do you know when an employee's final paycheck is due after they've quit? What if you've let them go? Don't miss these important dates!
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What is Equal Pay Day?

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Do you know how long it takes for a woman to earn as much as her male counterpart's annual salary? It changes every year!
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Could Sabbaticals Be Your Next Retention Tool?

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Sabbaticals are gaining in popularity as companies look for meaningful ways to retain employees. Here's what you should consider.
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Low Cost Benefit Ideas

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HR Question: We are a small business trying to attract and retain staff in this competitive job market.  We can only offer so much in compensation. Are there any low-cost benefit ideas you can recommend? HR Answer:      With unemployment levels at a record low, attracting and retaining talent is extremely hard regardless of […]
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Smartphone Usage After Hours

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Do we have to pay our employees for using their smartphones when they respond to emails outside of working hours?
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Paying Interns – Primary Beneficiary Test

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Review the Department of Labor's (DOL) Primary Beneficiary Test for assessing if you must pay your interns.
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FMLA Expiration and COBRA

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It is common for employee coverage eligibility to expire after 12 weeks of leave under FMLA and any other required leave.
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Are Employee Gift Cards Considered Taxable Benefits?

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If you provide gift cards as employee rewards, do you know whether they are taxable benefits? Read this HR Question of the Week to find out!
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Are Wellness Program Incentives Taxable?

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With wellness programs on the rise, there is plenty of opportunity for employees to receive various incentives – from t-shirts and event tickets to gift cards and cash.  As employers consider wellness program design and how to incentivize employees (if at all), they should keep in mind that many wellness program incentives are not excluded from income tax.
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Mental Health Concerns in the Workplace

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How can Human Resources and business leaders partner together to address rising mental health concerns in the workplace?
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Bonus Grants: A Creative Way to Retain and Reward Key Employees

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If you're struggling to retain employees, bonus grants are a flexible and simple tool to use as part of your retention strategy.
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Do I Have to Allow Employees to “Opt Out” of Pre-Tax Deductions?

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Do I have to allow employees the opportunity to "opt out" of the pre-tax deduction for their health insurance deduction?
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Handling Employee Pay when Bad Weather Hits

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How do I handle paying employees when our facilities are closed, or employees just don’t make it in because of the weather?
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Are you familiar with the Portal-to-Portal Act?

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Question: If I need to send an employee to “cover” at a worksite other than where they are regularly schedule to work, am I required to pay them for the time it takes them to get there? Answer: It depends! Luckily, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) addresses this issue specifically. Section 29 CFR § […]
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Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Divisions Email Service

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Sign up to receive periodic updates from the Office of Labor-Management Standards on timely topics important to you.
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Co-op and Intern Exemption Status

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Review the 6 criteria from the Department of Labor that help determine if interns or co-ops are covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
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Paying to Get Ready for Work

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The Portal to Portal Act requires employees to be paid, in some instances, for the time it takes to get ready for work. Learn more.
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When to Offer a Part-Time Employee Company Benefits

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Question: How quickly do we need to offer benefits once a part-time employee is working 40 or more hours per week? The employee is regularly scheduled to work 30 hours per week and is ineligible for coverage. However, the employee is currently working on a major project where the hours worked tend to often exceed […]
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Am I Required to Offer COBRA?

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Short description of how to count the number of employees you have to determine eligibility for COBRA offering.
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Voluntary Classification Settlement Program

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Description of the Voluntary Classification Settlement Program (VCSP) for employers for employee reclassification.
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Paying Exempt Employees When Missing Time Due to Inclement Weather

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Review 2 DOL opinion letters that help clarify the confusing issue of how to pay EXEMPT employees for time missed due to inclement weather.
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Volunteer Time

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Can my employee volunteer time to my non-profit organization or an event sponsored by the employer? Learn more in our question of the week.
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Exemption Status of Inside Sales / Customer Service Roles

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Link and information on how the Department of Labor classifies Inside Sales employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
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Paying Employees for Work-Related Activities

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Do I need to pay employees for their time when they volunteering to drop off paperwork on their way to lunch?
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