Most employers may not yet get the connection, but the shocking penalties just levied by the NFL on the New Orleans Saints for operating a “bounty system” that rewarded Saints players for “knock-out” and “cart-off” hits on opposing players are a wake-up call to examine your own bonus programs to make sure you don’t experience your own fall from grace. Unlike the Saints’ “bounty system,” there’s nothing sinister about the typical workplace performance bonus program, unless you’re using it to reward employees for sabotaging your competition, but there are still plenty of potential pitfalls for you to navigate to stay within the law and out of hot water. Continue reading >