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CCH® HR MANAGEMENT — 6/19/06

Organizations take action to help employees deal with high fuel costs

It appears as though high fuel prices are here to stay, at least for the near future. As a result, more and more employers are implementing programs to assist their employees in dealing with the increasing price of fuel.

The Society for Human Resource Management conducted a study of 380 HR professionals in April of 2006 and compared the results to a similar study conducted in 2005. The results show that the number of employers seeking to help their employees handle the increased financial burden is on the rise. In 2005, 81 percent of participants reported that their organization had no plans to assist employees. That number dropped nearly 10 percent in 2006 to 72 percent.

In 2005, seven percent of employers offered their employees public transportation discounts and in 2006, eight percent of employers made a similar offer. Similarly, in 2005, only four percent of participating organizations offered telecommuting, but that number jumped to seven percent in 2006. Five percent of employers organized carpools for their employees in 2005, while seven percent did so in 2006.

Perhaps the most common action employers are taking to assist their employees with the rising fuel costs is raising their mileage reimbursement to meet the IRS cap. In 2005, only eight percent of employers did so, but in 2006, 21 percent made the increase.

For additional information on this and other HR topics, consult CCH Human Resources Management or Personnel Practices/Communications.

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