Searching Pondering Equity-Based Long-Term Incentive Plans on page 72

According to Julie Stich, vice president of content at the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP), employers/plan sponsors should: ;Review all new plans that were established after Dec. 29, 2022, to ensure compliance with automatic enrollment and escalation rules.; ;Update plan documents to reflect the new requirements.; ;Communicate the automatic features to employees, including opt-out options and investment choices.; Baker Donelson’s Robinson noted employers should take extra care to review their plan administration to ensure compliance with the new 2025 requirements of SECURE 2.0.

Fidelity to Offer Bitcoin Option on 401(k) Plans According to the Washington Post , Fidelity Investments will soon have a bitcoin option on its 401(k) plans, making the nation’s largest provider of such workplace retirement accounts the first to wade into the highly volatile crypto landscape.

Published in late November, data from the ninth annual report found: ;Market-based pay adjustments remained the primary approach to base compensation.; ;Annual cycles continued to be the preferred cadence for performance reviews.; ;Training focused on diversity, equity and inclusivity (DEI) dropped 20% from 2023.; The WorldatWork study, which reflects TR programs and practices for the 2025 plan year, covered 15 categories, including compensation, benefits, well-being, career development and recognition.

AI-driven prompts are helping organizations tackle long-standing challenges around bias and equity, ensuring that recognition is fair, timely and consistently applied.

Clearly distinguish between incidental absences (e.g., sick leave, vacation) and event-based leaves (e.g., short-term disability, parental leave).

The panel discussions focused on: ;Concerns that SCT totals receive disproportionate attention from the press and pay critics even though a majority of disclosed equity pay value may never be realized by executives.; ;Concerns that reconciling equity information across plan-based awards, outstanding equity and vested awards can be challenging.

Put in an incentive plan (a.k.a. pay them more ... but on a variable basis!)

tool; ;Pay Equity Planning Guide , tool; For Everyone ;Salary Budget Planning Playbook: Data, Strategy and Insights for the Year Ahead , webinar; ;Could Constructive Communication Combat Compensation Challenges?

For example, organizations have been most likely to place a broader emphasis on DEI (59% action already taken and 25% planning/considering) and increased workplace flexibility (57% action already taken and 13% planning/considering) to address labor market and inflationary pressures.

Election , Workspan Daily article;Certified Compensation Professional , course;Turn Your Compensation Spreadsheet into a Secure, Multi-User Business Application , webinar;Pay Equity Law by State — Are You in Compliance?