week 1 Forums Question: For the Forums discussion this week: after reading the texbook reading assignments for the week, how would you define employee compensation & benefits? Describe the compensation & benefits you receive at your organization and discuss which are the most important or valuable to you. Link to Rubric Questions for Discussion: Your initial post should be at least 250 words. Please respond to at least 2 other students. Responses should be a minimum of 100 words and include direct questions. Post to the Forums by midnight Thursday and respond to at least 2 members of the class by midnight, Sunday of the week. Please provide a minimum of three references or sources (not from Wikipedia or anonymous sources) to support your ideas, arguments, and opinions; correspond with at least 2 members of the class to discuss the weekly Forum subject. week 2 In understanding why employers offer benefits to employees, discuss the effects government mandated benefits have on wages and profits. Is government intervention a positive or negative issue for organizations? Employees? Employers? What might wages and benefits look like if government was taken out of the equation? Questions for Discussion: Post to the Forums by midnight Thursday and respond to at least 2 members of the class by midnight, Sunday of the week. Please provide a minimum of three references or sources (not from Wikipedia or anonymous sources) to support your ideas, arguments, and opinions; correspond with at least 2 members of the class to discuss the weekly Forum subject. week 3 Imagine that you have just started a new job with an organization and during the socialization process an HR benefits counselor has offered you two types of retirement plans to choose from; a defined benefit plan or a defined contribution plan. Which would you select? Why? Link to Rubric Questions for Discussion: Post to the Forums by midnight Thursday and respond to at least 2 members of the class by midnight, Sunday of the week. Please provide a minimum of three references or sources (not from Wikipedia or anonymous sources) to support your ideas, arguments, and opinions; correspond with at least 2 members of the class to discuss the weekly Forum subject. week 4 How important is obtaining health care insurance from your employer? Do you have access to health care insurance from your present employer? What do you suppose the future of health care insurance looks like from an employers perspective? From an employee’s perspective? Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of health care insurance? Explain. Link to Rubric Questions for Discussion: Your initial post should be at least 250 words. Please respond to at least 2 other students. Responses should be a minimum of 100 words and include direct questions.Post to the Forums by midnight Thursday and respond to at least 2 members of the class by midnight, Sunday of the week. Please provide a minimum of three references or sources (not from Wikipedia or anonymous sources) to support your ideas, arguments, and opinions; correspond with at least 2 members of the class to discuss the weekly Forum subject. week 5 From your readings and research this week it should be apparent that many feel the future of Social Security is at risk. What are your thoughts about the future of Social Security? Should it be saved? Should future participants be allowed to invest SSN payments into the equities markets? Should the age to receive benefits be raised? Explain your answers. Link to Rubric Questions for Discussion: Your initial post should be at least 250 words. Please respond to at least 2 other students. Responses should be a minimum of 100 words and include direct questions.Post to the Forums by midnight Thursday and respond to at least 2 members of the class by midnight, Sunday of the week. Please provide a minimum of three references or sources (not from Wikipedia or anonymous sources) to support your ideas, arguments, and opinions; correspond with at least 2 members of the class to discuss the weekly Forum subject. week 6 Many organizations award sick time and vacation based upon seniority with the company. Would you support these allocations of time off based on performance rather than time served with the organization? Explain and support your answer. Link to Rubric Questions for Discussion: Your initial post should be at least 250 words. Please respond to at least 2 other students. Responses should be a minimum of 100 words and include direct questions.Post to the Forums by midnight Thursday and respond to at least 2 members of the class by midnight, Sunday of the week. Please provide a minimum of three references or sources (not from Wikipedia or anonymous sources) to support your ideas, arguments, and opinions; correspond with at least 2 members of the class to discuss the weekly Forum subject. week 7 Based upon your research what are your thoughts about how employee benefits, vacation, sick leave, and other compensation & benefits might differ around the world? What is the basis for your answers? Questions for Discussion:Your initial post should be at least 250 words. Responses should be a minimum of 100 words and include direct questions.Post to the Forums by midnight Thursday and respond to at least 2 members of the class by midnight, Sunday of the week. Please provide a minimum of three references or sources (not from Wikipedia or anonymous sources) to support your ideas, arguments, and opinions week 8 Assume your organization is expanding and wants to open a sales office overseas. What factors would affect compensation & benefits. What issues might be of specific concern? Questions for Discussion:Your initial post should be at least 250 words. Responses should be a minimum of 100 words and include direct questions. Please provide a minimum of three references or sources (not from Wikipedia or anonymous sources) to support your ideas, arguments, and opinions. quizes quizes Question 1 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points Examples of specific employee benefits include: A.Paid vacation and medical insurance coverage. B.Tuition reimbursement C.Both of the above Feedback: ! Question 2 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points Core compensation refers to? A.Bonuses B.Incentive pay C.Base pay Feedback: ! Good work! Question 3 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points The Social Security laws were enacted when? A.1964 B.1935 C.1950 Feedback: ! Good work! Question 4 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points The term “Distributive Justice” is percieved fairness of… A….processes B….the interpersonal treatment people receive from others. C….how rewards are distributed. Feedback: ! Great job! Question 5 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points Why might employers offer benefits in their compensation packages? A.To recruit certain types of workers. B.To incur excess costs to the organization. C.To increase employer satisfaction. Feedback: ! Good work! Question 6 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points The Family and Medical Leave Act requires that eligible employers provide certain employees with up to how many weeks of leave? A.8 weeks or two months B.12 Weeks C.18 weeks Feedback: ! Question 7 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points Congress enacted the National Labor Relations Act in what year? A.1935 B.1956 C.1964 Feedback: ! Good work! Question 8 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act generally requires that management give at least how many days advance notice of a plant closing or mass layoff? A.Thirty days (30) B.Ninety days (90) C.Sixty days (60) Feedback: ! Question 9 of 10 0.0/ 10.0 Points The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) was established to regulate the establishment and implementation of… In A.Retirement defined benefit plans. B.Discretionary benefits practices. C.Direct backfill rtirement programs. Feedback: See page 75 from the text. Question 10 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points What protects against the loss of vested pension benefits when plans fail? A.Termination insurance B.Pension plan insurance C.Social security insurance Question 1 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points The first pension plan in the United States was established in what year? A. 1865 B. 1759 C. 1964 D. 1776 Feedback: Correct! Question 2 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points According to the text what percent of workers employed in the private sector participated in at least one company-sponsored retirement plan in 2006? A.55% B.19% C.50% D.75% Feedback: Correct! Good work. Question 3 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points In accordance with the text, the second reason for changes away from participation in defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans is? A.The decline of qualified workers. B.Technology and computer based operations. C.Defined contribution plans are quite costly to employers compared to defined benefit plans. D.Defined benefit plans are quite costly to employers compared to defined contribution plans Feedback: Best answer! Question 4 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points Pay, health-care benefits and other benefits such as 401(k) plans can all make up what type of package? A.A total compensation package. B.A retention package C.A recruiting package. D.A bonus package. Feedback: Correct! Question 5 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points The term Vesting refers to? A.A Union classification system. B.An employee’s nonforfeitable rights to pension benefits. C.The rate at which participants accumulate (or earn) benefits. D.All of the above. Feedback: Correct! Good answer. Question 6 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points What type of retirement plan provides benefits usually expressed in terms of a monthly sum equal to a percentage of a participant’s preretirement pay multiplied by the number of years he or she has worked for the employer? A.A dedicated retirement plan. B.A defined contribution plan. C.An employee’s 401k retirement plan. D.A defined benefit plan. Feedback: Correct! Question 7 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points What type of plan allows employers and employees to make annual contributions to separate accounts established for each articipating employee, based on a formula contained in the plan document? A.A defined contribution plan. B.A defined benefit plan. C.Individual retirement account (IRA) plan. D.Roth IRA plans. Feedback: Correct! Question 8 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points When the government regulates the health care system and uses taxpayer dollars to fund health care this system is known as? A.Multi payer system of health care. Correct B.Single payer system of health care. C.Government sponsored health care system. D.Universal health care system. Feedback: Correct! Question 9 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points Congress enacted the Employee Retirement Income Security Act in what year? A.1964 B.1865 C.1935 Correct D.1974 Feedback: Correct! Question 10 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points What type of tables are created by actuaries to express annual probabilities of the ccurrence of health problems? A.Macro tables. B.Mortality tables. C.Morbidity tables. D.Maintenance tables. Question 1 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points What is disability insurance? A.Insurance that replaces income for employees who become unable to work on a regular basis because of an illness or injury. B.Insurance that pays for helth care resultant from an injury. C.Insurance that pays the beneficiary a death benefit. D.Insurance that covers an employee against job loss. Question 2 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points Short-term disability insurance, provides benefits for limited periods of time, usually less than how many months? A.Nine months. B.12 months. C.Six months. D.Eighteen months. Feedback: ! Question 3 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points Long-term disability insurance, provides benefits for extended periods of time anywhere between six months and life. A. True B. False Feedback: ! Question 4 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) was passed in the early 1870s. A. True B. False Feedback: ! Question 5 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points What is the name of the 1990 amendment to the ADEA that generally bans the termination of an employee’s long-term disability benefits for active employees based on age? A.The Privacy Act of 1974. B.The FICA Act of 1964. C.The EEOC Act of 1990. D.The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA). Feedback: ! Question 6 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points Employer-sponsored life insurance protects family members by paying a specified amount to an employee’s beneficiaries upon the employee’s death. A. True B. False Feedback: ! Question 7 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points The Social Security Act was passed in what year? A.1935 B.1965 C.1870 D.1964 Feedback: ! Question 8 of 10 0.0/ 10.0 Points Unemployment Insurance provides annual income to individuals who become unemployed through no fault of their own. In A. True B. False Feedback: In. See page 212 from the text Question 9 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points Most states impose a waiting period of how long before paying unemployment benefits? A.Usually one month following submission of a claim. B.Usually two weeks following submission of a claim. C.Usually one week following submission of a claim. D.Usually 90 days following submission of a claim. Feedback: ! Question 10 of 10 10.0/ 10.0 Points How are unemployment benefits financed? A.Unemployment insurance benefits are financed by employee income taxes. B.Unemployment insurance benefits are financed by so called “sin” taxes by individuals. C.Unemployment insurance benefits are financed by federal and, sometimes, state taxes levied on employers. D.Unemployment insurance benefits are financed by a national unemployment tax. assignments Assignment Instructions Instructions:Consider all of the information both internal and external an organization must consider when developing and planning an employee benefits plan. What information is the most important to this planning process? Which might be the least important consideration? Conduct research into this problem and cite your reasoning. Submission Instructions: IMPORTANT!! Submit your work as an MS WORD ATTACHMENT in either a .doc, .docx, or .rtf format. Please support your ideas, arguments, and opinions with independent research, include at least three (3) supporting references or sources (NOT Wikipedia, unknown, or anonymous sources), format your work in proper APA format, include a cover page, minimum of 3 FULL pages of written content, double space all work, include a reference section, and cite all listed references properly in text in accordance with the 6th edition of the APA manual, chapters 6 & 7. Reminder: Late submissions will be reduced by one full letter grade for each day the assignment is submitted late. Assignments submitted after the 3rd day late without an approved extension before the assignment due date will receive a zero assnm 2 Assignment Instructions Instructions:This week you are required to conduct research into the different types of insurance programs that might be available in an organizations compensation & benefits package. Please define and discuss the advantages of term life insurance, universal whole life insurance, accidental death & dismemberment, and long and short term disability insurance. Submission Instructions: IMPORTANT!! Submit your work as an MS WORD ATTACHMENT in either a .doc, .docx, or .rtf format. Please support your ideas, arguments, and opinions with independent research, include at least three (3) supporting references or sources (NOT Wikipedia, unknown, or anonymous sources), format your work in proper APA format, include a cover page, minimum of 3 FULL pages of written content, double space all work, include a reference section, and cite all listed references properly in text in accordance with the 6th edition of the APA manual, chapters 6 & 7. Reminder: Late submissions will be reduced by one full letter grade for each day the assignment is submitted late. Assignments submitted after the 3rd day late without an approved extension before the assignment due date will receive a zero final Assignment Instructions Instructions:A Compensation package can include salary, bonuses, health care plans, and a variety of other types of compensation. Envision an organization of your choice and develop a mission statement that defines what type of organization you choose (manufacturing, retail, sales, etc.) Based on research you conduct into the type of organization you have selected, create a compensation package for three classes of employees found below. 1. Initial entry employees 2. Middle management 3. Senior management Your compensation package should include at a minimum, salary, bonuses, health care, retirement plans (defined benefit – defined contribution, etc.), and paid time off (PTO), (Vacation, sick leave, holidays, etc.) Submission Instructions: IMPORTANT!! Submit your work as an MS WORD ATTACHMENT in either a .doc, .docx, or .rtf format. Please support your ideas, arguments, and opinions with independent research, include at least three (3) supporting references or sources (NOT Wikipedia, unknown, or anonymous sources), format your work in proper APA format, include a cover page, minimum of 5 FULL pages of written content, double space all work, include a reference section, and cite all listed references properly in text in accordance with the 6th edition of the APA manual, chapters 6 & 7. Reminder: Late submissions will be reduced by one full letter grade for each day the assignment is submitted late. Assignments submitted after the 3rd day late without an approved extension before the assignment due date will receive a zero Provide any additional submission directions as well.

Unit 1: Beginning Principles – Discussion Throughout this course, many discussion opportunities come up where you need to respond to other people’s opinions and comments. Please take this opportunity to introduce yourself and to learn something about each other. Then address the Discussion topic after you have completed your Reading. The Wealth of Nations Topics Total (#unread) The Wealth of Nations 124 responses (116 unread) Think of the last two major things you bought.Why did you buy them? What were your opportunity costs in making the purchase? What would have been the opportunity cost, if you had NOT made the purchase? (Not all opportunity costs are measured in money.) Did those selling them to you provide the goods because they cared about your needs? What was their REAL motivation? When you go to work, why do you “sell” your labor to that organization? Do you really care what the owner of the organization really wants? How do questions b. and c. relate to Adam Smith’s statement from The Wealth of Nations: “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that you expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest? We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages.” Unit 2: Scarce Resources and Trade – Discussion Throughout this course, many discussion opportunities come up where you need to respond to other people’s opinions and comments. Then respond to your Discussion topic after you have completed your Reading. Topics Total (#unread) Scarcity Solutions 77 responses (69 unread)Do some research on the country of Ethiopia and discuss: Who in the Ethiopian society has the most difficult time dealing with scarcity? What do they need most? How can their society provide for their wants and needs? Why are they so impoverished? What can their governments do to help, or hinder their country’s development? Could not Ethiopia become a world class producer and exporter of goods? How would Ethiopia compare with Japan? Japan is a country relatively POOR in natural resources, yet it is an economic world powerhouse. What are the differences between the two countries? Unit 3: Supply and Demand – Discussion Throughout this course, many discussion opportunities come up where you need to respond to other people’s opinions and comments. Then respond to your Discussion topic after you have completed your Reading. Topics Total (#unread) Marijuana Legalization 86 responses (80 unread)There is much discussion in the press about several states moving to legalizing marijuana, either for only medical purposes, or more extremely, for recreational purposes. Looking only at the economic impact (not moral implications) of such changes in the laws, discuss how the existing system of supply and demand for illegal marijuana will be changed with the new legalization. What will happen to existing supply avenues? Will legalization significantly change demand? How? Would one expect prices to change significantly? How? What would be the costs and benefits to governments, both in changes in enforcement requirements and in potential tax revenue? UNIT 4 Unit 4: Consumer Choice and Utility Maximization – Discussion Throughout this course, many discussion opportunities come up where you need to respond to other people’s opinions and comments. Then respond to your Discussion topic after you have completed your Reading. Topics Total (#unread) Diminishing Marginal Utility 81 responses (76 unread) Pretend that you have just been surprised with a genuine e-mail that says you have just been selected by your favorite pizza delivery company that every day for the next month you will receive your favorite pizza for lunch and another of that same favorite pizza for dinner, delivered to your home and ready to eat. Using the concept of diminishing marginal utility, discuss how excited you will be on the first day of your winning. What about your excitement on the 10th day? What about your excitement on the 30th day? Now, pretend that your favorite national brand gasoline company informs you that you have won as much as you want free gasoline, as much as you want, from any of their gas stations, anywhere in the country every day for a year. Using the concept of diminishing marginal utility, discuss how excited you will be on the first day of your winning. What about your excitement on the 10th day? What about your excitement on the 30th day? Again, considering the concept of utility, what makes these two scenarios different? Unit 5: Surplus – Discussion Throughout this course, many discussion opportunities come up where you need to respond to other people’s opinions and comments. Then respond to your Discussion topic after you have completed your Reading. Topics Total (#unread) Tailored Clothes 82 responses (72 unread) Assume that you were ready to buy a custom tailored Dress (or men’s suit) and you are prepared to pay up to $200 for it. Also assume that the tailor is prepared to sell that item of clothing for as little as $100.When you arrive at the tailor shop, the posted price for the item is $150. Discuss how this scenario relates to producer and consumer surplus and how such surpluses, if any, affect buying and manufacturing decisions Discuss any recent purchases you have made and for which you feel that a similar rational seemed to be at work. Unit 6: Governmental Price Controls – Discussion Throughout this course, many discussion opportunities come up where you need to respond to other people’s opinions and comments. Then respond to your Discussion topic after you have completed your Reading. Topics Total (#unread) Discussion 73 responses (61 unread)Critically analyze the pros and cons of putting a price ceiling on prescription medicine. Make sure to use concepts from both chapters seen this unit such as government intervention, inefficiencies, price elasticity, etc. in your answer. In the first case, assume the medication is for a life threatening illness for which your child has been diagnosed. In a second case, assume the medication is for an improved quality of life issue, such as achieving a healthy weight. What are the impacts that the pharmaceutical company that makes the medications in question will experience? How will that affect the pharmaceutical company’s production decisions? What about its decisions to conduct further research into new drugs?   Unit 7: Fixed Costs and Variable Costs – Discussion Throughout this course, many discussion opportunities come up where you need to respond to other people’s opinions and comments. Then respond to your Discussion topic after you have completed your Reading. Topics Total (#unread) Increase in Fixed Costs 64 responses (55 unread) Suppose a business experiences a sudden increase in its fixed costs. For example, suppose property taxes increase dramatically. What impact, if any, will this have on the following: the firm’s AFC (average fixed cost); the firm’s AVC (average variable cost); the firm’s ATC (average total cost); and, the firm’s MC (marginal cost)? What changes, if any, is there likely to be in these same cost CURVES? Unit 8: Cost Analysis and The Perfectly Competitive Market – Discussion Throughout this course, many discussion opportunities come up where you need to respond to other people’s opinions and comments. Then respond to your Discussion topic after you have completed your Reading. Topics Total (#unread) Your Own Business 65 responses (56 unread)Assume that you are going to start a small business of your own. Describe the business and, utilizing the concepts of this unit and the earlier units, discuss: what costs you would incur; what competition you might experience; how you would determine the price you would sell your product; and, how much product you would produce? Unit 9: Monopolies – Discussion Throughout this course, many discussion opportunities come up where you need to respond to other people’s opinions and comments. Then respond to your Discussion topic after you have completed your Reading. Topics Total (#unread) Real World Monopolies 61 responses (50 unread)Describe an example of a real-world industry or market that would be considered by economists to be a natural monopoly. What characteristics of the industry make it a monopoly? What is the impact of the monopoly power on its customers? Why might government want to regulate natural monopolies? How might such regulation be structured?