hr
A few basics of safe harbor 401(k) plans
Many growing businesses and other types of employers want to offer a 401(k) plan but don’t want to deal with the stress and administrative challenges of following the IRS’s nondiscrimination testing rules for elective deferrals and matching contributions. One potential solution may be to set up a “safe harbor” 401(k). Such plans aren’t subject to nondiscrimination testing if they satisfy certain contribution, vesting and notice requirements. Here are a few basics on this intriguing retirement benefits option. Start-up requirements To immediately start a safe harbor 401(k), a new plan must have at least three months remaining in the short plan
Employee pickup of SPDs isn’t a good idea
Many organizations have employees who become eligible for benefits during their employment. At such time, the employer must provide them with a summary plan description (SPD) of any health benefits plan (or retirement plan) covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). One commonly asked question in this situation is: Can we just put a stack of SPDs in the HR office and tell employees to come pick one up instead of furnishing the SPDs by mail or electronically? Although having a supply of SPDs available in HR isn’t necessarily a bad idea, it’s not an advisable approach
How does an employee’s military leave affect 401(k) loan repayments?
When 401(k) plan participants are called to active duty, they often request to suspend their 401(k) plan loan repayments during their military leaves. Many employers may wonder whether the rules for suspending loan repayments during a military leave differ from those applicable to a regular leave of absence. Indeed, they do. Basic rules The rules for suspending loan repayments during a military leave of absence are broader and more flexible than for a regular leave of absence. For a regular leave, the maximum suspension period is one year and the entire loan must be repaid within the maximum permissible
How to outsource your nonprofit’s human resources function
Outsourcing human resources can give your not-for-profit’s staff more time to spend on core duties and mission-driven programs and it may be cost-effective. Here are some suggestions if you’re thinking about outsourcing part or all of your HR tasks. First steps First, decide which segments of the HR function to farm out. Take a look at payroll, recruiting, training, benefits planning and administration, compliance monitoring, leave management and performance reviews. These are all labor-intensive responsibilities where expertise counts. Transferring all or some of them to the right outside party can vault your organization to a higher level of professionalism
