Compensation and benefits media

12/06/2026

Skills-based pay sounds right. Here is why most implementations fail.

Skills-based pay sounds right, but most implementations fail. Learn why taxonomies, assessment, market data and AI governance matter more than slogans.

Short-term incentive design that does not reward sandbagging

Bonus Structures

12/06/2026

Short-term incentive design that does not reward sandbagging

Your best retention lever is a benefit nobody sees in the paycheck

03/06/2026

Your best retention lever is a benefit nobody sees in the paycheck

Open enrollment that moves the needle: what the best-run plans do differently

Flexible Benefits

01/06/2026

Open enrollment that moves the needle: what the best-run plans do differently

Building a compensation philosophy that survives a CFO challenge

Multi-state pay data reporting: a compliance playbook for the 2026 filing cycle

29/05/2026

Building a compensation philosophy that survives a CFO challenge

Spotlight

Reporting Requirements

12/06/2026

Multi-state pay data reporting: a compliance playbook for the 2026 filing cycle

Practical playbook for multi-state pay data reporting compliance, focusing on California’s 2026 filing cycle, new data fields, penalties, SOC job categories and HRIS strategy.

25/05/2026

Health insurance costs outpace wages for the fifth straight quarter: the ECI signal boards are missing

Employer health insurance costs are rising faster than wages, reshaping total rewards. See how BLS, Aon and Mercer data quantify the trend, why employees do not feel the spend, and what boards and HR can do to manage costs without eroding retention.

Total rewards strategy: from buzzword to boardroom metric

05/06/2026

Total rewards strategy: from buzzword to boardroom metric

Learn how to build a board-ready total rewards strategy that integrates pay, benefits, development and wellbeing, with a practical KPI scorecard, data-backed case study and key statistics on retention and performance.

Workers produce more, keep less: what a 77-year low in labor share means for your retention strategy

Pay Equity

22/05/2026

Workers produce more, keep less: what a 77-year low in labor share means for your retention strategy

Learn how the labor share compensation impact has become a critical retention signal, how macro labor share trends shape pay equity perceptions, and how CHROs can design compensation strategies that link rewards to value created.

Virginia breaks the Mason-Dixon line on pay transparency: what the July 1 law means for multi-state employers

18/05/2026

Virginia breaks the Mason-Dixon line on pay transparency: what the July 1 law means for multi-state employers

Learn what Virginia’s 2026 pay transparency law (Va. Code § 40.1-28.7:10) requires for job postings, salary ranges, remote roles, anti-retaliation, and how compensation teams can build compliant templates and ATS checklists.

Compensation is a message: when the story your pay tells contradicts the strategy you claim

20/05/2026

Compensation is a message: when the story your pay tells contradicts the strategy you claim

Learn how to close the say–do gap between your compensation philosophy and real pay outcomes with data-backed audits, clear KPIs, and practical examples of aligning pay, benefits, and incentives.

FMLA eligibility rules: the flowchart every HR partner should have on their desk

27/05/2026

FMLA eligibility rules: the flowchart every HR partner should have on their desk

Learn how to apply FMLA eligibility rules using the three-gate test for employer coverage, employee tenure and hours, and qualifying reasons, with remote work, state leave laws, intermittent leave, and documentation best practices explained for HR and managers.

Caregiving benefits as a retention lever: the numbers behind the sentiment

Flexible Benefits

15/05/2026

Caregiving benefits as a retention lever: the numbers behind the sentiment

Reframe caregiving benefits as a retention and pay equity lever, with concrete program designs, data metrics and governance tactics for HR and people leaders.

Mid-year comp reforecast: the questions to ask before June

Market Benchmarking

11/05/2026

Mid-year comp reforecast: the questions to ask before June

Learn why a mid-year compensation reforecast belongs in May, not July, and how to use May compensation planning to manage retention risk, pay equity, reserves and finance alignment with practical templates.

AI in rewards: where algorithms help, and where they will get you sued

14/05/2026

AI in rewards: where algorithms help, and where they will get you sued

Learn how to govern AI compensation management with bias audits, explainable pay decisions, and contract safeguards so your rewards strategy stays fair, compliant, and defensible.

Pay Equity

13/05/2026

Pay equity remediation without triggering new litigation

How to turn pay equity remediation into a defensible compensation strategy, from budgeting and communication to legal privilege, monitoring and salary vs lump-sum fixes.

Five-year equity vesting is back: designing retention grants under the new proxy regime

Stock Options

08/05/2026

Five-year equity vesting is back: designing retention grants under the new proxy regime

Learn why executive equity vesting design has become a board-level issue, how to balance time-based and performance-based awards, and how vesting length affects retention, dilution, tax, and investor expectations.

Why 83% of employers still spread merit equally, and why it is a retention trap

Performance-Based Pay

Why 83% of employers still spread merit equally, and why it is a retention trap

Learn how to design a differentiated merit increase strategy that concentrates salary increases on high performers without undermining pay equity, using 60/30/10 budgeting, better calibration, and executive governance.

by Madeleine Beaumont

GLP-1 drugs on your plan: coverage rules that contain cost without revolt

Location-agnostic pay: the hidden cost of killing your geo-differentials

GLP-1 drugs on your plan: coverage rules that contain cost without revolt

Learn how to design sustainable GLP-1 employer coverage, including eligibility criteria, prior authorization, behavioral pairing, vendor strategy and three-year cost modeling for obesity and type 2 diabetes benefits.

Salary Structures

Location-agnostic pay: the hidden cost of killing your geo-differentials

Learn how geographic pay differentials, flat national pay and tiered metro models affect total compensation cost, internal equity and relocation policy, with concrete examples, math and sample geo-factor guidance for total rewards leaders.

by Quincy Larson

ISS and Glass Lewis extend pay-for-performance to 5 years: what changes for grant design

Performance-Based Pay

29/04/2026

ISS and Glass Lewis extend pay-for-performance to 5 years: what changes for grant design

Learn how ISS and Glass Lewis have shifted to a five-year pay-for-performance lens, what it means for executive compensation design, and how boards can stress test grants, improve disclosure, and manage Say-on-Pay risk.

Pay equity audits that hold up in court: a defensible methodology

Learn how to run a defensible pay equity analysis that legal counsel supports, from scoping and regression controls to remediation budgeting and disclosure choices.

401(k) plan fees benchmarking: what counts as reasonable in 2026

Learn how to benchmark 401(k) plan fees under ERISA, avoid fee litigation and document a prudent fiduciary process using credible market data, clear governance routines and transparent participant communication.

Total rewards transparency: when showing the whole pie backfires

03/05/2026

Total rewards transparency: when showing the whole pie backfires

Why most total rewards transparency efforts backfire, how the 120% trust cliff works, and how to design compensation policies and benefits that employees actually believe.

Massachusetts starts fining non-compliant job postings: the first real pay transparency stress test

Learn how Massachusetts pay transparency enforcement works in practice, from Notices to Cure and two-day response windows to escalating fines, coverage thresholds, and practical audit steps for compensation teams.

by Aya Nakamura

Understanding the Costs of UPS Retirement Health Insurance

Understanding Costco's Dental Coverage Options

03/07/2025

Understanding Costco's Dental Coverage Options

Understanding the Voluntary Separation Scheme: An In-Depth Guide

02/05/2025

Understanding the Voluntary Separation Scheme: An In-Depth Guide

Non-Monetary Rewards

Using non-monetary rewards to boost employee engagement

Understanding Paternity Leave in Massachusetts

Paid Time Off

01/07/2025

Understanding Paternity Leave in Massachusetts

Understanding Eligible Expenses for SF MRA

Wellness Programs

Understanding Eligible Expenses for SF MRA

Understanding Deutsche Bank's Pension Scheme

Retirement Plans

09/05/2025

Understanding Deutsche Bank's Pension Scheme

Adding Your Newborn to Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance: A Step-by-Step Guide

Adding Your Newborn to Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance: A Step-by-Step Guide

Understanding the Intricacies of Captive Health Insurance

Understanding Your Rights: Can You Be Fired if FMLA is Denied?

Understanding Your Rights: Can You Be Fired if FMLA is Denied?

Navigating the American Plan Administrators Provider Portal

Pay Equity

01/07/2025

Navigating the American Plan Administrators Provider Portal

Understanding Unemployment Benefits After FMLA Termination

Benefits Compliance

26/04/2025

Understanding Unemployment Benefits After FMLA Termination

Understanding the Johnson & Johnson Pension Plan

Retirement Plans

30/08/2025

Understanding the Johnson & Johnson Pension Plan

Understanding Citi's Total Compensation Online Platform

Understanding Citi's Total Compensation Online Platform

Understanding Legal Compliance in Employee Compensation

Understanding Legal Compliance in Employee Compensation

Understanding the intricacies of ADA lawsuit settlement amounts

Understanding the intricacies of ADA lawsuit settlement amounts

Compensation Strategies

Pay transparency laws do not fix pay: structure beats disclosure

Salary Structures

23/04/2026

Pay transparency laws do not fix pay: structure beats disclosure

Learn why a pay transparency strategy is not the same as a compensation strategy, how salary range disclosure exposes job architecture, and how HR leaders can use transparency laws to build defensible, equitable pay structures.

by Jackson Gonzalez

Mercer pegs 2026 US merit at 3.2%. The real story is the 83% spreading it flat.

Performance-Based Pay

20/04/2026

Mercer pegs 2026 US merit at 3.2%. The real story is the 83% spreading it flat.

Learn how to use your merit increase budget 2026 as a strategic tool for retention, pay equity and performance, with data from Mercer and WorldatWork and practical salary budget governance examples.

by Aya Nakamura

Employee Benefits Programs

US health benefit costs set to jump 6.5% in 2026: the deductible game is running out

22/04/2026

US health benefit costs set to jump 6.5% in 2026: the deductible game is running out

Employer health benefit costs are projected to rise 6.5% in 2026, pushing average spending per worker above $18,500. Learn how income-based contributions, network design, GLP-1 management and ACA coordination can control trend while protecting affordability and equity.

Thoughtful mental health gifts for employees that elevate workplace care

Learn how thoughtful mental health gifts for employees enhance total rewards, reduce stress, and strengthen workplace care through strategic, data driven benefit design.

by Quincy Larson

Incentives and Rewards

Retention without sign-on bonuses: what actually sticks

Recognition Programs

24/04/2026

Retention without sign-on bonuses: what actually sticks

How an employee recognition survey can transform compensation and benefits strategies

Recognition Programs

17/03/2026

How an employee recognition survey can transform compensation and benefits strategies

Thoughtful office valentine ideas that strengthen teams and workplace rewards

Non-Monetary Rewards

17/03/2026

Thoughtful office valentine ideas that strengthen teams and workplace rewards

Meaningful thanksgiving team building activities that strengthen culture and reward employees

Non-Monetary Rewards

15/03/2026

Meaningful thanksgiving team building activities that strengthen culture and reward employees

Legal and Compliance

Pay transparency laws by state: the 2026 compliance map

Technology in Compensation

Pay transparency laws by state: the 2026 compliance map

Learn how pay transparency laws by state affect job postings, remote roles and internal promotions, with key statutes, thresholds, penalties and practical compliance examples for compensation leaders.

ACA affordability threshold 2026: the 9.96% rule and the three safe harbors

Learn how the ACA affordability threshold of 9.86% for 2026 really affects employer health plan contributions, how the three IRS safe harbors work, and how to avoid costly Section 4980H penalties and IRS Letter 226J challenges.

by Quincy Larson

Trends and Innovations

Crafting a welcoming letter to a new employee that elevates compensation and benefits

Technology in Compensation

13/04/2026

Crafting a welcoming letter to a new employee that elevates compensation and benefits

Learn how to craft a welcoming letter to a new employee that clarifies compensation, benefits, and culture while strengthening onboarding, trust, and retention.

by Rebecca O'Donnell

How smart eNPS questions transform employee engagement and advocacy