Faculty of Medicine University of Jaffna Sri Lanka Health & Medical Paper

Florida National UniversityHSA-6142 Health Care Human Resources Management Week 3
Critical Reflection Paper: Chapters 7 & 8
Objective: To critically reflect on your understanding of the readings and your ability to apply
them to your Health care Setting.
ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES (10%):
Students will critically analyze the readings from Chapters 7 and 8 in your textbook. This
assignment is designed to help you evaluate, analyze, and apply the readings to your Health Care
Human Resource department as well as develop the groundwork for all of your outstanding
projects.
You need to read the chapters assigned for week 3 and develop a 3-page paper reproducing your
understanding and capability to apply the readings to your Health Care Human Resource
Department. Each paper must be typewritten with a 12-point font and double-spaced with
standard margins. Follow APA style 7th edition format when referring to the selected articles and
include a reference page.
EACH PAPER SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
1. Introduction (25%) Provide a brief synopsis of the meaning (not a description) of each
Chapter and article you read, in your own words.
2. Your Critique (50%)
What is your reaction to the content of the chapters?
What did you learn about the demographic trends that are changing the nature of the health
services workforce and patient population?
What did you learn about the different approaches to developing leaders in organizations?
Describe and state how you can apply the multi-dimensional aspects of mentoring and how each
dimension may be applied in leadership development.
Did these Chapters change your thoughts about the workforce and diversity? If so, how? If not,
what remained the same?
3. Conclusion (15%)
Briefly summarize your opinions & deduction to your critique of the Chapters you read. How
did these Chapters influence your judgments on Managing a diverse health service workforce?
Evaluation will be based on how you respond to the above, in particular:
a) The clarity with which you critique the chapters.
b) The depth, scope, and organization of your paper; and,
c) Your conclusions, including a description of the impact of these Chapters on any Health Care
Setting.
The assignment is to be electronically posted in the Assignments Link on Blackboard no later
than on Saturday 11/12/2022 at 11:59 pm
ASSIGNMENT RUBRICS
Assignments Guidelines
Introduction
Your Critique
Conclusion
Total
10 Points
25 Points
50 Points
15 Points
100 points
10%
25%
50%
15%
100%
ASSIGNMENT GRADING SYSTEM
A
B+
B
C+
C
D
F
Dr. Gregory
90% – 100%
85% – 89%
80% – 84%
75% – 79%
70% – 74%
60% – 69%
50% – 59% Or less.
CHAPTER 8
Compensation
and Benefits
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com.
Compensation
▪HR strives to remain current and competitive
with compensation levels in the healthcare
industry and local labor market
▪HR expected to recommend changes in
compensation
▪Recommendations usually reviewed by board
of directors before being implemented
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Primary HR task to maintain compensation
system
Recommendations
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Often include suggestions related to the timing
of changes and the rationale for the suggested
distribution of increases
▪Usually include the basis for the changes
being proposed
▪Typically related to prevailing industry or area
compensation practices
▪Proposed wage increases applicable to all
usually called cost-of-living adjustments
▪Changes for selected persons usually called
merit adjustments
Knowing Compensation System
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Supervisors should be knowledgeable about
how pay increases are related to performance
and the general level of performance required
for receiving merit-based increases
▪Should know the differences between cost-ofliving and merit increases
▪Should know when changes including
probationary increases can be expected
▪Managers should be familiar with current pay
scales for all positions in their departments
Strategic Planning
▪ Pay regional median
▪ Higher or lower than the regional median have
consequences
▪ Organizations must make similar deliberate decisions
concerning benefits
▪ Another strategic decision reflects the nature of
benefits that will be offered
▪ Defined benefit or defined contribution?
▪ Flexible benefits plan or a cafeteria benefits plan
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪ Organizations must make decisions about the nature
and extent of the compensation and benefits to be
offered to employees
When Compensation Challenges
Arise
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Department manager often the initial target
when employees challenge the compensation
system
▪Managers should know enough about the pay
level for each person being supervised to
recognize pay inequities before they surface
▪Managers should work HR concerning pay
inequity
▪Claims of pay inequity relative to other
organizations are best referred to HR
Wage Surveys
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪ In the early 1990s the government halted direct
sharing of wage and salary information
▪ Surveys must designed, conducted, and published
without involving participating organizations
▪ Can include only historical or current pay information
▪ Cannot request actual pay rates, only ranges and
averages for specific job titles.
▪ Must have data of 10 or more organizations if current
information is involved (5 or more if the data is more
than 3 months old)
▪ No single organization data may represent more than
25% of the total
▪ No participating organizations can be identified
Managers and Salary Studies
▪The free exchange of wage information is
regarded as price-fixing under antitrust
regulations
▪Healthcare organizations are held to the same
standards as other industries
▪Department managers should take the issue
to HR and rely on HR to conduct an
investigation.
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Managers should never conduct their own
salary surveys
Interviewing Prospective
Employees
▪Must complete reference checks
▪Must pass pre-employment physical
examination
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Manager may cite a pay range for a job
during an interview
▪Department manager should
recommend starting pay
▪HR makes the official offer
▪All offers of employment are conditional:
Benefits
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Basic benefit information should be available
for employees
▪At a minimum, information in the personnel
policy and procedure manual and employee
handbook
▪Many employees remain nearly completely
ignorant until a specific benefit question or
need emerges.
▪Department managers not expected to be
benefits experts
▪Know basics then refer employees to HR
Flexible Benefits Plans
▪Give employees some control over their
benefits
▪Three benefits most preferred by employees:
▪Health insurance
▪Pension plan
▪Paid vacation
▪They are not equally important to everyone
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Flexible benefits plans commonly referred to
as cafeteria plans
Why Flexibility?
▪ Not all employees want or need the same benefits
▪ Benefits vouchers allow employees to spend an
organization’s contribution toward their benefits on
whatever is most meaningful to them
▪ Voluntary benefits allows employees to purchase
specified insurance coverage and financial products
for savings and retirement at their place of
employment
▪ Portable benefits allow benefits to follow employees
as they change jobs
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪ Plans that permit buying or selling some vacation time
by trading it off with other benefits are popular
Defined Contribution Plans
▪Common defined contribution products include
401(k) plans for investments and savings and
403(b) plans for tax-deferred annuities
▪Individuals owning either product can transfer
them to subsequent employers
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Limit liability exposure reduce so result in
savings for employers
Future of Benefits
▪ Some experts predict employers will offer no benefits
at all other than those required by law:
▪ FICA or Social Security
▪ Workers’ compensation coverage
▪ Unemployment insurance
▪ Employers will increase salaries by the value of the
benefits not paid
▪ Conflicts with the philosophy of employers assuming
greater social responsibility for their employees
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪ Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
(HIPAA) provides for coverage continuity when
workers change jobs
Statutory Benefits
▪Required by state laws:
▪Workers’ compensation:
▪ Required in all states, the District of Columbia,
American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin
Islands
▪ Include both medical benefits and compensation for
lost income
▪Billions paid to employees for workers’
compensation benefits every year
▪Some states require short-term disability
compensation
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪ Workers’ compensation
▪ Unemployment compensation in all states
Workers’ Compensation
▪ Lost wage benefit varies considerably from state to
state
▪ Most states have limits on:
▪ Maximum and minimum weekly benefits
▪ Total number of weeks benefits can be received
▪ Total dollar amount of benefit eligibility
▪ Most states also make lifetime payments for
permanent disability
▪ Some states pay additional amounts for dependents
and rehabilitation services
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪ Medical benefits generally equal actual medical
expenses
Controlling Worker
Compensation Costs
▪ Provide all documentation that may have a bearing
on a claim
▪ Provide data promptly
▪ Be clear and detailed.
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Train employees and emphasize safety
▪Counsel violators, then apply progressive
discipline
▪Department manager should assist HR in
monitoring workers’ compensation claims and
challenging those that appear to be
inappropriate:
Issues
▪After an injured employee’s personal
physician, the employee’s supervisor is
often the next most important person in
determining whether a given occurrence
legitimately falls under workers’
compensation
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Employees may report off-the-job
accidents as occurring on the job
Unemployment Compensation
▪ Experience rating is based on usage by individual
company
▪ Industry rating is based on aggregated usage by
companies in same industry
▪Many companies are self-insured
▪Such organizations pay their actual
unemployment costs as they are incurred.
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Unemployment insurance required in all
states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto
Rico
▪Premiums set by experience and industry
ratings:
Unemployment Compensation
▪ Intended for employees who are laid off through no
fault of their own or who otherwise find that their
services are no longer required
▪ In some states, striking employees can receive
unemployment compensation after a specified waiting
period, usually six or more weeks from the start of the
strike
▪ Adhering to minimum requirements in hiring,
orientation and discipline can often limit
unemployment compensation costs by reducing
turnover
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪ Not ordinarily available to people who voluntarily
resign their employment or who are discharged for
cause
Reducing Exposure and Costs
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Accurate records critical
▪Follow guidelines for progressive discipline
▪Remove sub-standard performers during the
probationary period
▪Separation for reasons related to performance
is usually easier to justify if they occur during a
probationary period
▪Because unemployment costs are related to
the length of time an employee has worked for
an organization, separation by the end of the
probationary period reduces costs
Controlling Costs
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Managers should challenge all unemployment
claims that appear inappropriate
▪Use temporary help when it will only be
needed for a short period of time
▪Any need that is less than six months long and
can be met by using temporary help will
reduce an organization’s unemployment costs
Short- Term Disability
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Short-term disability is not a universal legal
requirement
▪Premium for disability insurance linked to
usage (experience rating)
▪Organizations eventually pay the total actual
costs for all claims plus administrative
expenses
▪Self-insurance controls costs
▪Supervisors support company health, safety
and prevention policies
▪Complete and submit all necessary forms in a
timely fashion
Legal Actions
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Patience is critical
▪Supervisors must accept the normal sequence
of events
▪Managers should not be overly concerned
about the being called for deposition or trial
testimony as expert preparation and support
will be provided
▪Individuals named in a suit or summoned in a
case must appear in court
Legal Preparations
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪When completing any form, offer only what it
is necessary and always do so objectively
without personal bias
▪Complete all forms, being attentive to dates
and signatures
▪Do not discuss an open case with others in
the organization except for those few who are
actively managing the organization’s
involvement
▪Avoid the temptation to make predictions
concerning the eventual outcome
External Agency Investigations
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪HR staff spend considerable amount of time
interacting with representatives of government
agencies
▪Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
(EEOC) and State Division of Human Rights
(DHR
▪Both address allegations of employment
discrimination
▪HR gathers the requested information and
formally responds to a complaint
Occupational Safely and
Health Administration (OSHA)
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Using no particular schedule or set frequency,
routinely surveys safety practices
▪Investigates specific complaints or allegations
of unsafe practices
▪HR is often an organization’s point of contact
▪Engineering may also be involved due to
safety issues involving the physical plant
▪The manager of a department where a
potential unsafe practice is observed or
alleged can expect to become involved
State Employment Service
▪Provides information about earnings
▪Supplies the reason for termination and must
indicate whether or not the claim will be
protested
▪Protested claim usually results in a hearing
before an administrative law judge
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪HR heavily involved in every claim for
unemployment compensation
Citizenship and Immigration
Services (CIS)
▪Occasionally, CIS investigators will look
into the immigration status of specific
individuals
▪These can involve questioning a
department manager
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪CIS periodically audits personnel files for
required I-9 forms
Department of Labor (DOL)
▪Investigates compliance with child labor
laws
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪Monitors compliance with wage-andhour laws
General Advice
▪ HR must know the law as well as an agency’s guidelines and procedures
▪ First determine if complaints are valid
▪ Hr can usually able to keep a department manager’s involvement with external
agency representatives to a minimum
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪ Nothing is accomplished when HR personnel or others respond by being
defensive or uncooperative
Chapter Summary
Copyright © 2020 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC an Ascend Learning Company. www.jblearning.com
▪ Compensation and benefits are important aspects of
employment for most people
▪ Both are coordinated by HR
▪ Flexible benefit plans have evolved as organizations
try to provide meaningful and relevant benefits to
employees with a wide range of ages and interests
▪ Many individuals can make their own decisions
regarding benefits
▪ Worker’s compensation, unemployment
compensation, and insurance and disability insurance
are required by law
▪ All other benefits are offered at the discretion of an
employing organization