LER 425Employee Benefits

3 credits · Labor and Employment Relations · Penn State

The examination of employee benefits programs used by employers to meet the welfare needs of employees and their families. LER 425 Employee Benefits (3) This course is a comprehensive survey of the programs, principles and trends in planning and administering employee benefit programs for private and public employers. The objectives for this course are to provide students with an understanding of employee benefit programs and their broad implications for the workplace, the role of employee benefits in motivating and retaining employees, and the recent trends in employee benefit offerings and cost containment approaches.Topics covered include strategic and tactical planning considerations used in implementing and changing benefit programs, discretionary and mandatory benefits, Social Security, health insurance structures, disability and life insurance programs, workers' compensation, retirement programs, executive benefits, paid-time off programs and accommodation and enhancement programs.This course builds on introductory general foundation courses in human resources and labor relations. It provides students with a working knowledge of employee benefits and its important role in human resources and labor relations careers.Students must select and write a research paper on a benefits topic of special interest. Course grades will be determined from examinations and the research paper.