People Knowledge - Total Rewards

Question 1

What is total rewards? Why is it it important to have an effective total rewards program?

Answer 1

Total rewards refers to all of the compensation and benefits received for performing tasks related to each position.

First, it encourages employees to join and then stay with the organization. Second, there are legal concerns associated with the minimum amount of compensation an individual can receive for a certain amount it work

Question 2

What are the two main types of rewards used to compensate employees?

Answer 2

Monetary compensation is any tangible reward provided as payment for work, including direct compensation (ie. salary and wages) or indirect (paid through a third party, ie. paid sick days, paid vacation time, retirement plans, and stock options)

Non-monetary compensation is any intangible reward provided to encourage an individual to perform work, including better assignments, employee-of-the-month awards, flexible scheduling, and special privileges

Question 3

What are the two types of total rewards philosophy?

Answer 3

An entitlement philosophy issues rewards based on the length of time a particular employee has been with the organization. It assumes an individual is entitled to certain rewards because of seniority or length of time in a specific position. This philosophy encourages individuals to stay with a company but do no necessarily encourage effective performance.

A performance-based philosophy issues rewards for good performance.

Question 4

What should be considered when developing a total rewards strategy?

Answer 4

1. Competitive environment - the effect competition has on the ability to allocate resources to the total rewards program
2. Economic environment - the effect the economy has on the cost of labor
3. Labor market - availability of skilled employees
4. Legal environment - taxes and regulations

Question 5

How do organizations go about establishing pay structures?

Answer 5

Most organizations begin the process by:

1. Conducting a job evaluation for each position and assigning a value
2. Categorizing jobs based on the value they bring
3. Gathering information from salary surveys to determine the market median for each category and wages an individual would receive at the midpoint of a similar pay category for another organization
4. Using this information as a guide, a pay range is developed for each category

Question 6

Why and how do companies further break out their compensation structures into levels or bands?

Answer 6

To maintain pay equity and stay within budget

This can be done by conducting a job analysis and grouping titles into families. Jobs may also be evaluated and ranked based upon overall responsibilities and worth to the organization.

Question 7

What is broadbanding? Why would organizations choose to use this approach?

Answer 7

Broadbanding is a type of pay structure design in which an organization creates a small number of broadly defined pay grades into which all jobs are separated, for example, general staff, management, and executives.

Organizations usually choose to use a broadbanding approach to encourage teamwork and eliminate problems arising from perceived differences in status between different pay grades. The focus is on performance rather than activities related to achieving promotions.

Question 8

Why is it important to conduct a job evaluation during the rewards planning process?

Answer 8

1. A job evaluation identifies the positions most important to success so rewards can be assigned appropriately.
2. It determines whether there should be a difference in pay between two positions.

For example, a secretary and an administrative assistant with the same skills and performing similar jobs should receive equal pay even though they have different titles.

Question 9

What is a compensable factor?

Answer 9

A compensable factor is a specific characteristic of a position used to determine the value of that position; specific job requirements that are considered important, and individuals are compensated based on their ability to meet these requirements.

ie. knowledge, skills, and abilities / experience required, level of education required, level of responsibility required, and knowledge of specific technology or processes required

Question 10

What are the two main types of job evaluation techniques used to determine the value of a particular position?

Answer 10

Non-quantitative techniques, or whole job methods, are used to evaluate the skills and abilities associated with a particular position and assign it a value based on whether it requires more or less skills than other jobs within the organization.

Quantitative techniques, or nontraditional techniques or factor-based methods, are techniques of assigning a specific value to each factor in a series of compensable factors identified as important. The organization can then evaluate each position, determine how many compensable factors are required for the position, and can assign a value to the position by using a mathematical formula

Question 11

What are the three most common non-quantitative job evaluation techniques?

Answer 11

1. Classification method - separates positions into categories based on tasks. each category is then listed in order of its importance and assigned pay based on its importance
2. Pricing method (slotting method) - assigns a value to a position equal to the value of a similar position or category that already exists.
3. Ranking method - ranks each position from lowest to highest based on how the skills and abilities required to perform the position compare with those associated with other positions

Question 12

What are the two most common quantitative job evaluation techniques?

Answer 12

1. Factor comparison method - identifies a series of compensable factors and establishes a ranking system to measure how much of a particular compensable factor, such as education, is required for a particular position. Each factor ranking is assigned a specific dollar value, and the value of the position is determined by adding the total dollar value for the rank of each factor required for each position
2. Point factor method - similar but assigns a point value to each factor instead of a dollar value, and the pay for the position is determined by comparing the total amount of points to a chart

Question 13

What is compa-ratio and how do you calculate it?

Answer 13

A compa-ratio is a mathematical formula used to compare a specific employee’s pay with the pay at the middle of the pay range (percentage). Used to compare an employee’s current pay with the pay of other employees in similar positions to determine whether the individual is receiving a fair amount considering seniority, performance, and so on.

Compa-ratio = base salary / midpoint salary for the employee’s pay range

Question 14

How do you calculate piece rate?

Answer 14

Piece rate is the amount of compensation an employee receives for conducting a specified unit of work.

Piece rate = (# of unit x rate per piece) / hours worked

A worker who produces multiple products at different rates would need overtime calculated using a combined weighted average to find the regular hourly rate.

Piece rate = [(# of unit x rate per piece) + (# of unit x rate per piece) + …] / hours worked

Question 15

What are the FSLA requirements of differential pay?

Answer 15

FSLA requires that employers pay time and a half for overtime hours in excess of a 40-hour workweek. Some regulations may impose additional overtime payments, such as overtime hours in excess of an eight-hour workday.

FSLA requires that employers compensate on-call employees if their activities are restricted, and premiums often compensate employees who are called back to work for emergency services due to the inconvenience (ie. shift differential or hazard pay)

Many organizations use some form of differential pay for performing unpleasant or less desirable work. For example, weekends or holidays might be paid at time and a half or even double time.

Question 16

What are forms of financial incentives organizations can use that are tied to productivity?

Answer 16

1. Merit pay increases - an adjustment or one-time bonus awarded to top performers following an evaluation of clearly defined objectives
2. Bonuses and commissions - must be earned each period and do not need to be tied to individual performance. Sometimes can be awarded at manager’s discretion or based upon company performance.
3. Production or piece rate plan (ie. Halsey Premium Plan) - production standards are based by past performance, and employees receive a guaranteed hourly rate plus a percentage of the rate for any time saved
4. Gainsharing - encourages the achievement of certain financial goals by offering a percentage of the money the organization earns or saves from achieving that goal
5. Profit sharing - encourages the achievement of certain goals by offering a percentage of the profit when goals are met

Question 17

How are executive compensation plans structured?

Answer 17

Executive compensation plans may be influenced by many factors but are most associated with revenue and responsibility.

Monetary - salary, bonuses/commissions, stock options, director fees, or deferred compensation

Non-monetary - company vehicle, first class travel arrangements, health club membership etc.

Executive bonuses are generally higher than mid-level managers (can be greater than 100% of base pay)

Question 18

What are rewards to consider when creating a renumeration package for expatriate employees?

Answer 18

• Europeans consider benefits/perks to be a much larger part of the total compensation package than in the US (American execs are overpaid)
• Many firms pay a cost-of-living allowance to expatriates to equalize the cost of living in both the host/home countries
• Housing allowances are often considered the single most expensive item in expatriate renumeration and must be frequently reviewed

Question 19

What is deferred compensation?

Answer 19

Any compensation that is paid out at a specified future date or during retirement is likely a form of deferred compensation. These plans may be qualifying or non-qualifying pensions, retirement plan accounts, or employee stock options plans.

401(k), 403(b), 503(c), Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA), or Savings Incentive Match Plans for Employees (SIMPLE) are qualifying plans and must adhere to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and IRS limits.

Question 20

What are non-qualifying plans?

Answer 20

Non-qualifying plans often involve funds that are withheld and may be invested to be paid out at a lter time for tax advantages and potential capital gains. Companies might choose deferred plans, such as top hat plans, restorative benefit plans, or supplemental executive retirement plans to attract and retain business officers.

Payments for nonqualifying deferred compensation plans must be scheduled for a specific future date, and funds may not be withheld in advance. Non-qualifying plans can carry concerns about company sustainability or what happens in the event of mergers and acquisitions or bankruptcy.

Question 21

What are profit sharing plans?

Answer 21

In profit sharing plans, employees receive their regular pay and a share of the company’s profits. These may be cash plans, in which payments are made after the close of a specified (quarterly or annual) period, or tax-advantageous deferred plans, in which funds are invested. If deferred, funds are a tax-deductible expense for the company for the year in which they are contributed, and employees are not taxed until their funds are received.

Question 22

What are types of gainsharing plans?

Answer 22

In gainsharing plans, employees receive bonsues based upon improved productivity as opposed to profits.

1. Scanlon Plans - most popular in union environments and combine gainsharing with an employee recommendation system. These plans establish a standard ratio of labor costs as a percentage of revenue.
2. Rucker Plans - employee gains are based upon production. Establish a ratio of labor costs as a percentage of value added or the sales value of output minus the cost of materials
3. Improshare Plans - broken down as improved productivity through sharing, provide bonuses to employees based on the amount of time saved

Question 23

What is an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)?

Answer 23

An employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) is created by establishing a trust into which the business makes contributions of cash or stock that are tax deductible. Employees are then granted with the ability to purchase stock or allocate funds into individual employee accounts. The stock is held in an employee stock ownership trust (ESOT), and the business can make regular contributions, typically up to 25% of its annual payroll

Question 24

What are some of the different factors to take into account with paid time off (PTO) policies?

Answer 24

Differentiating vs. single pool of PTO (which includes vacation, persona, sick, and holidays all in one)

Gift employees with a bank of time immediately or at a predetermined time vs. accrued

Carryover provisions and whether or not negative balances are allowed

Question 25

What should unpaid leave policies take into consideration?

Answer 25

This leave may be classified as a personal leave or a work sabbatical. Criteria to qualify and rules that govern the leave will depend on individual firm policies.

Policies will need to address items such as how to apply for the leave, length of leave allowed, benefits continuance, the employee’s right to return to the same role, the process to return from a leave, and more.

Question 26

What does a fee for service health insurance plan offer?

Answer 26

Fee-for-service plans - allows employees to decide what services they need from any providers; fees are paid by both the employee and the employee’s benefits plan through deductibles and co-insurance.

Question 27

What does a preferred provider organization health plan offer?

Answer 27

Preferred provider organization (PPO) plans - allows insurers to contract with providers of the employees choosing with lower fees and better coverage for providers within the organization; fees are paid by deductibles, co-insurance, and co-payments.

Question 28

What does a high maintenance organization health plan offer?

Answer 28

Health maintenance organization (HMO) plans - emphasize preventative care through fixed costs regardless of the number of visits, but primary care physicians (PCPs) must refer others, and no other providers are covered. Fees are paid by deductibles, co-insurance, and co-payments.

Question 29

What does a point of service health plan offer?

Answer 29

Point of service (POS) plans are similar to PPO plans with certain elements (PCP referrals) of HMO plans; fees are paid by deductibles, co-insurance, and co-payments.

Question 30

What does a consumer-directed health plan offer?

Answer 30

Consumer-directed health plans - provide tax-favored accounts, such as an FSA or HSA to pay for medical expenses, and may allow employees to see any provider of their choosing. However these plans carry high deductibles (HDHP) and may have low or no co-insurance after deductible is reached.

Question 31

What is an FSA?

Answer 31

A flexible spending account (FSA) is a special account in which an individual can put money in to pay for a certain out-of-pocket, non-covered health care costs. FSA users don’t have to pay taxes on this money, and the money is taken out tax free or as a tax deductible to pay for qualified medical expenses.

FSAs are available only with job-based health plans. FSAs are set up by the employer, but funs can be added by either the employer or employee.

Question 32

What can FSA funds be used for?

Answer 32

FSAs can be used to reimburse an enrollee’s - or his/her dependent’s - medical, dental, and vision expenses. Funds can be used to cover expenses related to prevention diagnosis and treatment of medical illnesses.

Individuals cannot use FSA funds on insurance premiums. Expenses for solely cosmetic reasons generally are not expenses for medical care and are not reimbursable (ie. liposuction or Botox)

Question 33

What is an HSA?

Answer 33

The health savings account (HSA) is an individual, tax advantaged account, and funds can be deposited by both the employee and employer. The funds added to this account are then used to pay medical expenses not covered by the HDHP, including the deductible.

The HDHP is like a traditional health plan, but its unique feature is that it has higher deductibles giving the insured a higher financial stake and financial incentive in health care decisions. Federal law says individuals can open an HSA only if they are enrolled in an HDHP and are not enrolled in other forms of low-deductible health insurance.

Question 34

What are the tax advantages of an HSA account?

Answer 34

The money is not taxed going into the account.

If the money invested and increases in value, those gains are not taxed. And, withdrawals are not taxed so long as employees use them for qualified medical expenses. In addition, an HSA does not have any use-or-lose provision, and funds may be carried over from year to year.

Question 35

What is workers compensation? And what are the types of benefits awarded to employees?

Answer 35

Worker’s compensation provides employees with coverage of medical expenses and a continuation of income for individuals who sustain work-related injuries. Each state administers its own worker’s compensation per state and federal laws.

There are three types of benefits awarded to employees: medical expenses, wage replacement payments, and death benefits. The wage replacement payments are often calculated based upon an employee’s average weekly wages and become available after a waiting period. Costs are determined by an experience ratng based upon an employer’s claim history.

Question 36

How does unemployment compensation work?

Answer 36

Unemployment compensation is a national program that is regulated by the IRS as the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) to provide workers with short-term sustenance while they are looking for new employment. Employers pay FUTA as a payroll tax at a rate of 6.2 percent. FUTA applies to all employers who either employ one or more employees or pay wages greater than $1500 in any quarter of a calendar year.

Employees typically receive about half of their former weekly wages; however each state regulates the amount and duration of benefits. Eligibility requirements require that individuals be available and readily seeking new employment opportunities, which they must record and present upon request.

Question 37

How does the IRS define a cafeteria plan?

Answer 37

IRS section 125 defines a cafeteria plan as a defined employer plan providing participants the opportunity to receive certain benefits on a pre-tax basis. Funds allocated to these benefits are included as wages for state or federal income tax purposes and are generally exempt from FICA (Federal Insurance Contribution Act) and FUTA.

Qualified benefits under these plans might include the following: medical healthcare coverage, dental coverage, dependent care, short-term disability, long-term disability, group-term life insurance and accidental death or dismemberment

Question 38

What are the types of disability income insurance? What do they cover

Answer 38

Disability income insurance plans replace a portion of employee’s wages if they are out of work due to an injury or illness. Contrary to worker’s compensation, this does not need to be work related to qualify.

Short-term disability - typically runs for 90 to 180 days, providing employees with 60 to 75% wage replacement following a short period

Long-term disability - kicks in after STD is exhausted. Depending on the plan, the LTD coverage may last 24-36 months or until employees can return to work (whether for the same company or a new one) or until they are old enough to collect retirement or they are able to collect social security disability

Question 39

What are employee wellness programs?

Answer 39

Employee wellness programs encourage employees to take preventative measures and avoid illness and accidents (ie. physical examinations to assess health and health education to teach nutrition or healthy habits; smoking cessation; almost all programs will include some component of wealth management)

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act allows employers to reward employers for participating in wellness programs, such as covering a higher percentage of premiums for employees who comply with wellness programs like having an annual physical examination and attending trainings

Question 40

What are employee assistance programs? What are some of the legal considerations?

Answer 40

Employee assistance programs (EAPs) help employees with personal problems, such as seeking guidance through substance abuse problem and obtaining counsel referrals during a marital separation. An EAP may be categorized as a welfare plan and require reports to be filed with the Department of Labor and IRS if it provides counseling for substance abuse, stress, anxiety, depression or similar health and mental problems. Moreover, these programs may be required to comply with reporting and disclosure requirements of the Employee Retirement Security Act (ERISA). EAPs must adhere to strict guidelines to avoid legal risks regarding privacy, malpractice, or coercion.

Question 41

What are traditional company-provided pension plans

Answer 41

Defined contribution benefit plans = 401(k)s, 403(b)s, Simplified Employee Pensions (SEPs), SIMPLE (saving incentive match plan for employees), and IRA.

A defined contribution benefit plan requires separate accounts for each employee participant, and funds are most often contributed by both the employee and the employer.

Question 42

Why was the Social Security Act implemented?

Answer 42

The social security act was implemented to force workers into saving a fraction of earnings for retirement and making employers obligated to match those funds (Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) payroll taxes)

The benefits have been extended to cover four types of insurance benefits:

1. Old age or disability benefits
2. Benefits for dependents of retired, disabled, or deceased workers
3. Lump-sum death benefits (paid to worker’s survivors)
4. Medicare - healthcare protection provided to individuals age 65 and older, consisting of parts A, B, and D

Question 43

What is the purpose of compensation statements?

Answer 43

Total compensation statements show employees the overall value of their compensation and benefits package. Should ensure the following are highlighted: year to date pay, paid time off, retirement, and insurance

The point of issuing the statement is to demonstrate that the employee gets much more than their base salary and that the employer is making a significant investment in their wellbeing