HRM599 Week
1 Discussion 1 & 2 Latest 2017 December
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WEEK 1: BENEFIT PLANS
1212 unread replies.6868
replies.
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) organization’s 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?
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WEEK
1: BENEFIT PLANNING PROCESS
2121 unread replies.5959 replies.
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?
HRM599 Week
2 Discussion 1 & 2 Latest 2017 December
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WEEK 2: ROLE OF GOVERNMENT
2626 unread replies.6464
replies.
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?
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WEEK
2: GOVERNMENT-MANDATED BENEFITS
2828 unread replies.7070 replies.
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?
HRM599 Week
3 Discussion 1 & 2 Latest 2017 December
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WEEK 3: HEALTHCARE COST MANAGEMENT
1010 unread replies.6565
replies.
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?
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WEEK
3: CONSUMER-DRIVEN HEALTHCARE
1111 unread replies.6464 replies.
Consumer-driven healthcare has become popular
over the past few years as employees seek tax advantages and cost savings on
healthcare. What are some of the key features of a consumer-driven healthcare
plan? Does your company currently offer any of these plans? If so, are you
taking advantage of them? Why or why not?
HRM599 Week
4 Discussion 1 & 2 Latest 2017 December
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WEEK 4: LIFE INSURANCE PLANS
88 unread replies.7070
replies.
A major concern for most employees is caring for
their families in the event of the employee’s death. Many employers provide
life insurance for employees. Does your organization offer a group insurance
policy? If so, what is the basic plan design of your organization’s life
insurance policy, and for how much are you covered? How do you value this
benefit in relation to the entire benefit package and why?
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WEEK
4: DISABILITY PLANS
1010 unread replies.6868 replies.
In addition to replacing household income when
an employee either retires or is no longer working, he or she may also carry
some type of income-replacement plan in the event they become disabled. Does
your current (or former) employer offer disability coverage for employees? What
are the specifics of your coverage? Do you feel the need to purchase
supplemental disability insurance? Why or why not? How do you value this
benefit in relation to the entire benefit package and why?
HRM599 Week
5 Discussion 1 & 2 Latest 2017 December
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WEEK 5: RULES AND REGULATIONS
2525 unread replies.6464
replies.
Discuss some of the legislation that helps to
manage retirement plans. What are some examples of laws that have been put into
place to protect employees? What are these laws purposed to do?
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WEEK 5: RETIREMENT PLANS
4848 unread replies.6161
replies.
Why should an organization consider implementing
a company-sponsored retirement plan for its employees? What would be some of
the available options in choosing the right plan? Do you think employees would
favor a specific plan? If so, which plan would they favor?
HRM599 Week
6 Discussion 1 & 2 Latest 2017 December
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WEEK 6: PAID TIME OFF
2525 unread replies.6060
replies.
Some employers combine all paid time off, such
as vacation, sick leave, holidays, and personal days, into one large bank of
time, typically called paid time off (PTO). Discuss your organization’s current
paid leave program. Does your organization have a PTO bank or several
categories of leave accrual? What do you think would be the pros and cons of a
PTO bank versus a traditional leave plan, including sick time and vacation?
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WEEK
6: WORK-LIFE BENEFITS
4040 unread replies.5959 replies.
What are some of the flexibilities your
organization allows to assist employees with achieving a good balance between
work and life responsibilities? Do you think more can be done? If so, describe
your perspective on what specific work-life benefits you would like to see
implemented and how they would be beneficial to employees and the company.
HRM599 Week
7 Discussion 1 & 2 Latest 2017 December
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WEEK
7: BENEFITS COMMUNICATION
1212 unread replies.6262 replies.
Does your current (or previous) organization
have a strategy in place to communicate its benefits plan to employees? If so,
how effective is it, and what can be done to improve it? If not, what are your
thoughts on putting a benefits communication plan in place? Would it be
beneficial?
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WEEK
7: BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION AND COST CONTROLS
4343 unread replies.6161 replies.
Insurance providers and employers alike are
searching for techniques and strategies to help control their benefits costs.
Has your organization been able to find ways to improve your benefits program
or add new benefits without adding a heavy cost burden to your department or
your employees? Will your organization’s budget for employee benefits be
growing, staying the same, or potentially shrinking over the coming year?
