Hrm599 Essay Example

Hrm599 Essay Week 1 1. Benefit plans Employer-sponsored benefits reflect the culture and business of the organization, and plans should be crafted and selected accordingly. Think about your current (or former) organizations benefit plan. Did it help to improve the quality of your work as well as your personal life? Why or why not? Was it a generous benefits program or were there specific benefits you felt should have been included? We want more time off Today people are looking for benefits what will help them manage their work-life life-styles better. Today, with the help of technology, employer is now starting to be more capable of offering flexible options with great results. Time off, seems to be another area that, I think, needs major improvement across the whole country. The average of two weeks’ vacation is way below the standard offered in all other countries, even third world countries have mandated better time off benefits embedded in their labor laws. I feel that we Americans work too hard, with little time to be more involved in raising our kids or even taking care of ourselves. No time for soccer practice with my kinds, no time to go to the gym so I can lose some weight, no time to cook a good health meal for the family. Our lives are hassle and hassle and hassle. To me, when it comes to benefits, time off carries a lot of weight. I rather have an additional week of vacation that 5K more in my pay. Benefit plans Our company is into sales, entertainment, sports. I think it would be kinda hard to model a plan accordingly. Our plans are more designed to the type of family you have because we have a big mixture of people. We will write a custom essay sample on Hrm599 specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Hrm599 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Hrm599 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer I personally am not covered so I cant really speak in terms of how it benefits my life. Of course I do have vacation time and such, which does allow me to take some to myself. One thing I think would help in my quality of work or personal life is a flexible schedule. What I do sometimes affect payroll, so I have to map out times off or half days. However there are times when I really could use off and not really need to be in, so I wouldnt mind working an extra hour each day to have a half day later, or coming in earlier so I can leave earlier. Mainly because I prefer working in teh morning. I feel it helps me stay more attentative. Benefit discussion Providing workers with paid vacation time is extremely common, and generally considered a low-cost benefit to offer. Two weeks paid leave is fairly standard for a small business in the U. S. Many companies start workers at two weeks and reward them with additional time off as they accrue seniority. Some companies will also pro-rate vacation time, so that new hires that start on or after July 1 are only offered a weeks vacation time in their first year. . Benefit Planning Process (graded)| As part of conducting a benefit plan needs assessment, a human resource professional must consider the organization’s business strategy as well as its compensation philosophy. What do you think is the next step that should be taken? What are some of the possible outcomes of a benefit plan needs assessment? depends of what stage of the life cycle of the organization is | Mark Lema | 4/2 5/2012 7:11:46 AM| | I guess It depends of what stage of the life cycle of the organization we are, and the industry we are. I think that if we are new start-up business in the technology industry, we might need the best talent out there; therefore our strategy should be to offer very competitive benefits to attract and retain the best. Specially if they are highly skilled and in big demand. If I were to be in the decline stage or the organization, I might have to reduce cost and offer cost effective benefits to offset the costs and minimize expenses. | | RE: depends of what stage of the life cycle of the organization is | Harpreet Sandhu | 5/4/2012 7:53:32 PM| | Modified:5/4/2012 7:54 PM | I agree with my classmates that first it all depends on what stage the organization is in. Along with this in my opinion, the immediate external environment and the changing needs of the organization are the priority too. If there is lot of external competition then the organization might need to reevaluate its benefit plans to attract, retain and reward valued employees. In order to do this, human resources should cond uct a thorough review of the current plan and gain a clear understanding of short and long term strategic and financial objectives. | What do you think is the next step that should be taken? | Catherine Flynn | 4/30/2012 11:46:54 AM| | I think they need to look at the employees themselves and what their needs are. Easier for smaller companies, but even for bigger companies you can do online surveys. Finding out what the employees want is kinda imperative because you may not have similar workers. You may have some single people who dont need child care benefits, or older people who are into saving more so would really be interested in a 401k or Pension more than an FSA account necessarily. | RE: What do you think is the next step that should be taken? | Lynn Peirce | 5/1/2012 12:34:40 AM| | Hi Catherine, thanks for your post. I think, as I have seen through my readings companies simply are not offering pension plans. I would rather have that than a 401K. I think compnies should use s urveys and interviews with kep personnale to see what employees really want after a needs assessment. I imagine the results would be surprising. Management always seems to be disconnected from the real hard working backbone employees. | | RE: What do you think is the next step that should be taken? | Aaron Jones | 5/1/2012 6:04:19 AM| | This is true but they should reconnect themselves so they can find out what is really going on with there employees, the hard backbone employees need to know that they are  notice for there hard work and when mangerment does   surveys and needs assessment this shows the employees that the organzation is concern about there hard working employees. | | Outcomes of an assessment | Catherine Flynn | 5/1/2012 11:18:52 AM| | Im not sure what the book says. However I would assume there could be many outcomes such as needs that might be too expensive to cover. Or perhaps not enough people want the same coverage or not enough people to meet the limit requirement for the insurance company. You can also find out that the benefit plan might not suit anyone at all and a serious change is needed. | | RE: Benefit Planning Process | Harpreet Sandhu | 5/6/2012 8:41:42 PM| | Most successful companies utilize business strategic planning to set priorities and goals for the organizations future; outcomes include short-term goals and long-term strategies. A clearly written, well designed strategic plan can align business units, divisions and employees so that the vision of the management team and the mission of the company can be fulfilled. As companies evolve and the environment changes it is critical for companies to maintain a disciplined execution of the strategic plan. However, if they are not aligned with the business strategy, are done independently, and are not linked to a multi-year strategy they can become a source of frustration and may create unintended outcomes. By adopting a strategic benefit planning process, companies can make decisions regarding their benefits and health care with significantly less stress. Addressing the changing environment of health care will be approached with a more thoughtful long-term perspective and will be tied to the values and philosophy of the   company. | benefit plan | Manqing Liu | 5/4/2012 10:36:41 PM| | There are several external environmental factors considered in strategic benefits planning: Industry prospects, economic conditions, and forecasts Employer costs for compensation and benefits Government regulation of employee benefits Changing demographics of the labor force| Next Step | Natasha Wylie | 5/11/2012 2:13:56 PM| | I think the next logical step would be for the company to  do an evaluation  in terms of both cost and employee need, to maintain a balance between direct wages and benefits. Wage increases and benefit changes independently can lead to excessive increases in payroll costs where the organization loses control of the situation. When benefits or one benefits costs are rising quickly, it impacts the organizations ability to raise other parts of the compensation package. | Week 2 discussion Role of Government (graded)| Other than the mandates of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and a few other ineffectual reporting and disclosure requirements, benefit programs were practically unregulated by the federal government. Before the major shift that came with the enactment of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974, which was primarily aimed at traditional defined benefit (DB) pension plans but applicable to other employer sponsored retirement and benefit programs. What is the government’s current role in regulating the administration of employee benefits? Do you think there is too little or too much government intervention? Why? Role of the government | Aaron Jones | 5/5/2012 4:23:24 AM| | 1. * Government regulates retirement plans, health benefit coverages, unemployment insurance and workers compensation benefits. Effects * Government regulation on unemployment insurance pays benefits to the unemployed. By regulating workers compensation benefits, states can control the amount an insurer pays, the kind of drug testing it requires and whether businesses with fewer employees are exempt from these laws. With the 1974 Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the federal government establishes standards for retirement and health coverage that private businesses must offer. Liability * In states like North Carolina, the government subjects new employers to a standard tax rate at first. Once it has determined their actual rate, the states Employment Security Commission notifies the business by letter of its liability to pay unemployment taxes. Significance * Not only do federal and state regulations on benefits guarantee certain types of coverage, they also establish minimum reporting standards and disclosure requirements for businesses that must document their compliance. Size * An expansive program, ERISA regulates benefits given to a companys current and discontinued employees. It also mandates compliance with the Newborns Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, to name a few. information from: Government Regulations on Employee Benefits | eHow. om http://www. ehow. com/facts_5554578_government-regulations-employee-benefits. html#ixzz1tzOVqKAW. | RE: Role of Government | Sylvia Privette | 5/6/2012 8:53:03 AM| | Lynn and Aaron I agree with both of you. I dont think the government intervenes enough. I believe they waited to long to help with this issue as they do with all issues. They wait  until they are out of control or the govern ment is tired of paying for the people because they are short on funds, so they attack. Had this issue been dealt with before the backlash would not be so drastic. As Aaron stated it took this particular president to do something. I look back at the wheel and the economy if you dont work for the big companies, then its difficult for the smaller ones to give great benefits. The Healthcare plan is a good one, but possible at an inconvenient time for companies financially. In response to Lynn I too believe the government should provide healthcare coverage but to the needy. If you are employed then your employer should offer heathcare and the employee should be covered, contributing or not. The government is now complaining that are not only giving health care to the needy and companies can help bare some of the cost. We all know healthcare is expensive | | RE: Role of Government | Manqing Liu | 5/12/2012 9:54:07 PM| | The governments role in the retirement income area has been dictated primarily by historical factors. Beginning in the late 19th century, the economy of the United States changed fairly rapidly from predominantly agricultural to predominantly industrial and service oriented. Coinciding with this change—and probably in response to it—the large, supportive extended family of the agricultural economy was largely replaced by smaller, more fragmented family units. The shift away from agriculture reduced the amount of economically useful work available to older people, and family structural changes reduced the amount of family support for the aged. | | RE: Role of Government | Aaron Jones | 5/7/2012 6:04:07 AM| | This is the way the system likes to operate, they will let an situation like this one get so far out of hand then have meeting about the matter and really get nothing done instead they fight on issues that they know should have been address   long before Barack Obama came along. Now that he is here he just wants do do the job he was put in office for taking care the American people and use all the funds in a wisely matter so all can live a more comfortable life. Healthcare is expensive and with the right program in place the cost can be handle if they   take the right action regarding this matter. | Do you think there is too little or too much government intervention? Why? | Catherine Flynn | 5/9/2012 8:26:36 PM| | All benefits are so complex it takes a lot to work plans out, so having regulations I think is helpful. However I dont feel that the government should get more involved than they already are because I feel that they are almost trying to control what I can and cannot have, and that is what I dont agree with. I mentioned before about the Individual Mandate Clause in the new healthcare plan that is being voted on and I personally do not appreciate being told what I can and cannot buy. It should be my choice to purchase health insurance if I want it or not, and this clause is taking that choice away from me. | | Do you think there is too little or too much government intervention? Why? Norma Vega | 5/9/2012 11:32:52 PM| | I think there are too little. While there are some penalties and sanctions imposed by ERISA, through the Department of Labor, these are for violations on the administration of the employee benefits programs of those who voluntarily designed employee benefits plans. How about for those who opted not to voluntarily design employee benefits plans and programs? REFERENCES:Pnd yck, Robert S. (2005). Microeconomics. Pearson Education, Inc. http://www. dol. gov/compliance/guide/erisa. htm#who | | To ensure there is fair environment for competition | Mark Lema | 5/10/2012 7:15:33 AM| In my opinion, the government’s role is to primarily set a minimum standard. As they do for the minimum wage. Then to enforce de law, and to ensure there is fair environment for competition and no monopolies are developed. Competition will drive the quality of benefits. | Government Mandates | Professor Blanco | 5/10/2012 1:12:34 PM| | Class-  Ã‚   intereesting that many of you feel that government should provide benefits. Lets take a look at that. Benefits are very expensive, we know. But why? What is driving the cost of these benefits? How do you propose the government provided benefits will be paid? | RE: Government Mandates | Crystal Johnson | 5/10/2012 4:30:08 PM| | One thing that is raising the cost of benefits is specialty drug prescriptions. Specialty drugs for   multiple sclerosis can cost $2,500 to $3,800 a month. The cost of staying alive on drugs is sky rocketing. Prescription drug companies are making a killing with their patents and over charge the public to fix erectile dysfunction or having long lashes. However, drugs that actually extend your life and true quality of life should be augmented so everyone can benefit or at least let people have reasonable access to them. I know that sex and long eye lashes are meaningful to quality of life, but not as much as asma medication or kidney cleansing  drugs for dialys patients. http://www. shrm. org/hrdisciplines/benefits/Articles/Pages/SpecialtyDrugs. aspx | | | RE: Government Mandates | Manqing Liu | 5/11/2012 11:15:52 PM| | I found something interesting about government provided benefits: A 2008 poll of 1,400 Americans by the Cornell Survey Research Institute found that when people were asked whether they had â€Å"ever used a government social program,† 57 percent said they had not. Respondents were then asked whether they had availed themselves of any of 21 different federal policies, including Social Security, unemployment insurance, the home-mortgage-interest deduction and student loans. It turned out that 94 percent of those who had denied using programs had benefited from at least one; the average respondent had used four. http://www. nytimes. com/2011/09/20/opinion/our-hidden-government-benefits. html| | | What is the government’s current role in regulating the administration of employee benefits | Natasha Wylie | 5/13/2012 5:43:14 PM| The  basis of ERISA is to provide protection of employee benefit rights. ERISA has a few major objectives, they are: To ensure that workers and beneficiaries receive adequate information about their plans To set standards od conduct for those managing employee benefits plans   and plan funds To determine that adequate funds are being set aside to pay promised pension benefits To ensure that workers receive pension benefits after they satisfied minimum requirements To safeguard pension benefits for workers whose pension plans are terminated | | | Do you think there is too little or too much government intervention? Why? | Natasha Wylie | 5/13/2012 6:05:23 PM| | Im on the fence about whether there is too much government intervention in the administering of employee benefits. Im sure  that both sides could argue where oversight is needed and where there is too much involvement. Whether the oversight is handled by the government or another agency, I do believe that someone should look out for the best interest of employees, and ensure things related to benefits are handled in a proper manner. | Government Mandated Benefits (graded)| There are certain benefits that are legislatively mandated and cannot be altered or dropped by an organization for any reason other than the organization is closing its doors for good! Social Security and Medicare, unemployment insurance, worker’s compensation, COBRA and FMLA are all federal and state mandated programs. What do you think determines the types of programs that the  government chooses to make mandatory? Do you feel these programs are efficient and effective? Why or why not? | Government Mandated Benefits | Lynn Peirce | 5/6/2012 2:55:19 AM| | My feeling is that the U. S. economy plays a large part in determining the types of programs the government makes mandatory, in order to help and protect U. S. citizens in times of need, for example, COBRA. Some of these programs go back many years in their enactment, such as the Social Security Act of 1935, when the U. S. had the foresight to help aid in retirement of older workers (and that was post-Depression and pre-WWII). Some of these programs are efficient, such unemployment insurance (even though it should last longer), and some are not, such as Medicare (seniors still have to purchase supplemental insurance or pay out-of-pocket costs). Social Security may not even be around in another 25 years. I think these programs started out well, and the intentions are good, but they became financially strapped. See http://www. socialsecurityreform. org/problem/index. cfm. | | RE: Government Mandated Benefits | Sylvia Privette | 5/6/2012 8:06:52 PM| | I agree with both of you. The government does what it feels is necessary when monies are tight for them and for companies. The state of the economy determines in which way the wheel should turn. If it too expensive for the government then they want more from employers, however they also know that employers will want something in return i. e. , tax incentives. The government should have stepped in long ago before these problems became bigger problems. Aaron you make a good point. The government should make sure that the employees they have working in these positions are educated nough to do so. The proper training and supervision is most important. Mishandling of funds is a big issue for the government and it seems as if they need the corporations help in bailing them out financially. I am grateful for the programs that the government has mandated, however, I think the government could regulate more benefits programs. | RE: Social Security ; Government Benefits | Lynn Peirce | 5/10/2012 11:03:05 PM| | Jill, as we discussed in class, Social Security was implemented in 1935, after the Depression, and was only meant to be temporary. Since the system is already broken, and the government is trying to fix it, healthcare will be regulated by the federal government but as we discussed in class, Obamacare will have to be tweaked in order to satisfy those who are opposed to it, as well as make it more feasible to implement and operate. I imagine this will be  a nightmare. I found this great article about Social Security, written from the viewpoint of a sociologist, on the origins of Social Security and how it is being reformed: http://www2. ucsc. edu/whorulesamerica/power/social_security. tml If the current social security dliemma, is not fixed, I feel that the consequences will be dire. | Do you feel these programs are efficient and effective? Why or why not? | Natasha Wylie | 5/13/2012 7:35:53 PM| | Personally speaking I think that these programs are effective. I have used FMLA, after giving birth to my daughter. T he Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gives eligible employees 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for the mselves or a relative suffering from a serious health condition, a newborn baby, recently adopted child or a new foster child. Also covered are emergencies that occur when a relative who is a member of the National Guard or Reserves is called to active duty. To qualify, employees must work for a covered employer for a minimum of 1,250 hours during the designated 12-month qualifying period. Its a relief to not worry about securing your position while out on FMLA. There were times when if an employee needed to be out of work for and extended period of time, there positions werent held. | Week 3 discussion Healthcare Cost Management (graded)| Many Americans benefit from the investments in healthcare; however, the recent cost growth, coupled with the economic downturn and rising national deficit, has placed a great strain on the financial systems used to finance healthcare, including private employer-sponsored health insurance coverage and public insurance programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid. What is the responsibility of individuals for the cost of their care? Are health savings accounts and high-deductible insurance policies an approach that should be expanded? What are the concerns for low-income individuals? Healthcare cost management | Aaron Jones | 5/12/2012 7:12:54 AM| | The Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes a provision similar to AMA policy on individual responsibility, which is scheduled to take effect in 2014. The Congressional Budget Office predicts the ACA will expand coverage to 32 million more Americans by 2016. Several of the new benefits included in the health reform law, such as an end to coverage denials based on pre-existing conditions, are only made possible by increasing the number of Americans participating in the health insurance market. Individual responsibility for health insurance allows patients to take ownership of their health care needs, decreases the number of uninsured — now estimated at 50 million nationwide — and helps make popular insurance market reforms possible. By promoting individual responsibility and increasing the number of insured individuals, we improve the health of Americans and keep hidden costs from being passed along to all of us * HSA/HDHPs are a highly tax-advantaged savings vehicle appealing to people who have high incomes and to those who are expected to have low use of health care services. For the uninsured, these approaches are less attractive since they often have low income and neither benefit significantly from the tax advantages now have the financial assets necessary to cover the large deductibles associated with the plans. * Their ability to reduce system-wide spending is very limited. * The plans have the potential to increase segmentation of health care risk in private insurance markets unless employers set premiums to offset the healthier selection into the plans or government subsidizes the higher costs associated with the remaining non-HSA market. The plans have thus far been less attractive that prononents envisioned, the authors add, so their potentially negative ramifications on populations with high medical needs have been limited. However, they say, efforts to expand enrollment in these plans through further tax incentives, for example, could place growing financial burdens on those least able to absorb them, leading to more barriers to medical care for the low-income and the sick and fewer insurance options. www. rwjf. org/pr/product. | Healthcare Cost Management | Lynn Peirce | 5/12/2012 10:39:30 PM| I think that individuals should be responsible for their own healthcare, whenever possible and affordable, but since the economy has been so bad for so long, a lot of people go without, which places a strain on the financial systems used to finance government-managed programs. I, myself, am fortunate enough to receive Medicaid, but it was not handed to me, as one must be medically-needy (an individual can make $47,500 per y ear and receive Medicaid). There are two programs within Medicaid in New Jesey, one is the Workability Program, which I am in; the other is for people who are unable to work. Health insurance is very expensive for employers ot provide, as we have been discusssing in class the past few weeks. I feel that high-deductible policies are not the way to go, but health savings accounts may be a great option to explore. The concerns for low-income individuals are that they simply do not have the means to invest in a health-savings account, and if they dont qualify for Medicaid, they are stuck in clinic care, which doesnt really do the job. More than 60 percent of nonelderly Americans receive health-insurance (HI) coverage through employers, either as policyholders or as dependents. However, rising health-care costs are leading many to question the long-term viability of the employer-based insurance system. Concerns about the economic burden of providing HI are particularly acute for small businesses, which are both less likely than larger firms to offer HI and more sensitive to price when deciding to offer insurance. Small firms may have difficulty containing costs due to their limited bargaining power and their inability to hire experts skilled in negotiating with insurance companies. Further, while few recent studies have systematically explored differences in the quality of HI plans that small and large firms offer, small firms may offer health plans of lower quality (http://www. rand. org/pubs/technical_reports/TR559. html). | Healthcare Cost Management | Norma Vega | 5/13/2012 11:20:31 PM| | I would say it depends on the institution. There are great medical facilities all over the US but many are closing down because of different law violations. I think it is a mix of both money and helping patients though. The good facilities I think concentrate on the genuinely helping people part from top down. As they hire staff, I would hope that is one requirement they look for while in the interview process. I think with a good staff and employees that truly care and provide excellent service are the ones that are successful and make more money. | The importance of becoming a smart consumer | Mark Lema | 5/15/2012 1:30:07 PM| | Becoming a smart consumer is a must when it comes to utilizing your healthcare benefits. The high cost of benefits is not under the control of employers, therefore, employer have no option but to offer all other   possible options to reduce the cost of healthcare and minimize the passing of that cost to their employees. Unfortunately, there is very little employers can do. As they cost for healthcare increases, employer have to become more creative in developing a healthcare pla that will not upset employees and   that will not place the company on bankruptcy. HSA and FSA type of accounts are some of those alternatives that employer use to help employees better manage their healthcare costs. Unfortunately, the lack of understanding how these plans work, and the fact that it requires a lot of time andn preparation to comply with the processes  and submit receipts, has pushed back many current and potential participants. In my case these option do help. My wife, who is the smart one, fully understands the procedures and requirements of HASs and FSAs and has save us   in the last years 100’s of dollars in healthcare costs, this dedication and full understanding of my family healthcare needs, has by far offset the time-burden it requires to manage them. | | What are the concerns for low-income individuals? | Catherine Flynn | 5/16/2012 5:17:20 PM| | For low income families its a big struggle to be able to afford insurance. Sometimes it can even be something that they just dont think about cause it may not be the firs thing on their mind. When youre worrying about other bills, that could take precedent over insurance. Until someone gets sick, then you realize that on top of all the bills, you need money for when you or your child is sick or needs hospital care. For my family when I was growing up, we knew insurance was important because I was a pretty sick kid, so I was always needing doctor visits and medicines, and of course ER visits since I was also clumsy. Then my mothers health started to decline as I got older. So having some sort of insurance was extremely important and I always knew that its beneficial to have some type of funds available should emergencies occur. When I was in college there were a few years I had to go without benefits. Today and even then I felt extremely lucky I didnt get sick because if I had I would have had a lot of bills. Not only because of that but because My mother and I had assistance, Im very grateful for it. However not everyone has that, and not everyone is eligible for it because they work. But their salaries may not be enough to get them health care, so they have the option of finding a job that might offer benefits, or get a second job to try and get a plan on their own. It can be very difficult, and its something you need to ask yourself. Are you going to try your hardest to protect yourself with insurance, or are you going to risk it? I think it depends alot on each persons circumstances. | What are the concerns for low-income individuals? | Michael McArdle | 5/18/2012 10:43:39 AM| | Personally I just feel that low-income people are in trouble of never being able to affo