eESI Week’s Best For Small Business for the week ending March 23, looks at the latest economic news from the Fed and Congress’s $1.3 Trillion spending bill. Plus, we have a full slate of eESI exclusive briefs covering HR, wellness, and benefits. Also, what duty do financial advisors owe to retirement plan participants? The Supreme Court may need to decide. And, finally, tips on how to handle an employee termination or disciplinary action.
Sticking to the plan, Fed raises interest rates.
The MarketWatch team of Greg Robb and Jeffry Bartash reported this week on the Federal Reserve’s decision to raise interest rates a quarter point. This was the first meeting of the Fed chaired by Jerome Powell. Read what analysts thought of the Fed’s announcement in the MarketWatch article, Fed raises interest rates, but it’s sticking to cautious strategy for 2018.
Pushing its deadline, Congress passes a $1.3 trillion spending bill.
In other economic news, Congress faced a tight deadline to pass the $1.3 trillion spending bill before a Friday midnight deadline. A final plan went to the House late Wednesday. Fox News‘ Benjamin Brown reports that the Senate approved the bill shortly after midnight Friday morning. Brown’s article, Senate passes $1.3 trillion spending bill, averting another government shutdown, is accompanied by Fox News’ latest video updates on the bill and its early morning passage.
The eESI Briefs
While Congress and the Fed manage trillions of dollars, at eESI we ‘simplify business’ for small and mid-size companies every day. To that end, here are a few briefs on HR, wellness, and benefits.
First, in eESI’s April HR Brief, discover what you need to know to ensure that your employees are properly compensated. Plus, learn about the latest phishing attacks targeting employee self-service payroll systems. Download your copy today!
(To find out how you can help your employees avoid these types of scams, check out eESI’s latest podcast, Cybersecurity Tips with eESI’s Ke Shen.)
Next, differing decisions in two U.S. Circuit Courts has left the fate of the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule unclear. In 5th Circuit Ruling Leaves DOL’s Fiduciary Rule in Limbo, SHRM’s Stephen Miller tells employers to proceed with caution until the Supreme Court weighs in with a final verdict.
Also from eESI this week, your April Wellness and Benefits Briefs.
Health and wellness play a pivotal role in achieving success. In our April edition of Live Well, Work Well we bring you tips on keeping your energy levels up, avoiding risky driving behaviors and more. Feel free to download this printable newsletter and share it with your employees and colleagues.
What’s the buzz in benefits? Our April “Tax Time” edition of Benefits Buzz has the scoop. First, it’s that time of year, so be on the lookout for tax scams targeting you and your employees. Also, the IRS is checking up on employers’ ACA compliance. This downloadable update includes advice on how to handle an ACA penalty letter.
More advice for the HR team.
Very few HR staffers would say that handling employee disciplinary actions and terminations are their favorite parts of the job. However, sometimes taking action is necessary. In 12 Tips for Handling Employee Terminations and Discipinary Actions, SHRM’s Lisa Nagele-Piazza offers advice on how to fairly and professionally handle these situations.
Enjoy your weekend!
