There are numerous acronyms used in human resources. Here is a list of common ones in HR and their meanings.
A
AA – Affirmative Action or Adverse Action
AAP – Affirmative Action Plan
ACA – Affordable Care Act
AD&D – Accidental Death & Dismemberment
ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act
ADAAA – Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act
ADEA – Age Discrimination in Employment Act
ADR – Alternative Dispute Resolution
AFL-CIO – American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organization
ASTD – American Society for Training and Development
ATS – Applicant Tracking System
B
BFOQ or BOQ – Bona Fide Occupational Qualification
BIW – Bi-Weekly
BLR – Business and Legal Resources
BLS – Bureau of Labor Statistics
BNA – Bureau of National Affairs
BOD – Board of Directors
BU – Bargaining Unit
BWC – Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
BYOD – Bring Your Own Device
C
C & B – Compensation and Benefits
CCP – Certified Compensation Professional
CD PPO HDHP – Consumer Driven Preferred Provider Organization High Deductible Health Plan
CEBS – Certified Employee Benefits Specialist
CHRO – Chief Human Resources Officer
CO – Compliance Officer
COBRA – Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
COLA – Cost of Living Adjustment
CPE – Continuing Professional Education
CTO – Compensatory Time Off
D
DOL – Department of Labor
E
EAP – Employee Assistance Program
EBRI – Employee Benefits Research Institute
EBS – Employee Benefits Security
EDP – Employee Development Plan
EE – Employee
EEO – Equal Employment Opportunity
EEOC – Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
EO – Executive Order
EOB – Explanation of Benefits
EPA – Equal Pay Act
EPPA – Employee Polygraph Protection Act
ERISA – Employee Retirement Income Security Act
ESO – Employee Stock Option
ESOP – Employee Stock Option Plan
EVP – Employment Value Proposition
F
FCRA – Fair Credit Reporting Act
FLSA – Fair Labor Standards Act
FMLA – Family and Medical Leave Act
FR – Federal Register
FSA – Flexible Spending Account
FT – Full-Time
FTE – Full-Time Equivalent
FY – Fiscal Year
G
GINA – Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
GPHR – Global Professional in Human Resources Certification
H
HCE – Highly Compensated Employee
HCO – Health Care Organization
HCM – Human Capital Management
HCS – Hazard Communication Standard
HDHP – High Deductible Health Plan
HHS – Department of Health & Human Services
HIPAA – Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
HIRE – Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act
HMO – Health Maintenance Organization
HR – Human Resources
HRA – Health Reimbursement Arrangement
HRCI – Human Resource Certification Institute
HRD – Human Resources Development
HRIS – Human Resources Information System
HRM – Human Resources Management
HRMS – Human Resources Management System
HRLY – Hourly
HROD – Human Resources and Organizational Development
HSA – Health Savings Account
I
I-9 – I-9 Form
IDP – Individual Development Plan
IHRIM – International Association of Human Resource Information Management
IRA – Individual Retirement Account
IRCA – Immigration Reform and Control Act
IRS – Internal Revenue Service
J
JD – Job Description
K
KPI – Key Performance Indicator
KPM – Key Performance Measures
KSA’s – Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
L
LMRA – Labor Management Relations Act
LMRDA – Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act
LOA – Leave of Absence
LOS – Length of Service
LMS – Learning Management System
LR – Labor Relations
LTC – Long-Term Care
LTD – Long-Term Insurance
LTIP – Long-Term Incentive Plan
LWOP – Leave Without Pay
LWP – Leave With Pay
M
M&A – Merger & Acquisition
MBO – Management by Objectives
MBTI – Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
MHPA – Mental Health Parity Act
MQs – Minimum Qualifications
N
NE – Non-Exempt
NIOSH – National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
NLRA – National Labor Relations Act
NLRB – National Labor Relations Board
O
OB – Organizational Behavior
OD – Organizational Development
OFCCP – Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
OJT – On-the-Job Training
ONET – Occupational Information Network
OSHA – Occupational Safety & Health Administration
OT – Overtime
P
PDA – Pregnancy Discrimination Act
PDQ – Position Description Questionnaire
PHR – Professional in Human Resources Certification
PIP – Performance Improvement Plan
PM – Performance Management
POS – Point of Service Plan
PPA – Pension Protection Act of 1987
PPACA – Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
PPE – Personal Protective Equipment
PPO – Preferred Provider Organization
PT – Part Time
PTO – Paid Time Off
Q
QR – Quarterly Review
QWI – Quarterly Workforce Indicators
R
RIF – Reduction in Force
RTW – Return to Work
S
SE – Salaried Exempt
SEC – Securities and Exchange Commission
SHRM – Society for Human Resource Management
SMART – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely
SME – Subject Matter Expert
SNE – Salaried Non-Exempt
SOX – Sarbanes-Oxley Act
SPHR – Senior Professional in Human Resources Certification
SSA – Social Security Administration
SSD – Social Security Disability
STD – Short-Term Disability
SUTA – State Unemployment Tax Act
T
T & D – Training and Development
TNA – Training Needs Assessment
TPA – Third Party Administrator
TSP – Thrift Savings Plan
U
USCIS – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
UCI – Unemployment Compensation Insurance
USERRA – Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act
V
VETS – Veterans Employment and Training Service
VEVRA – Vietnam-Era Veterans Readjustment Act
W
WARN – Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act
WC – Workers’ Compensation
WIA – Workforce Investment Act
WRAEA – Workforce Reinvestment and Adult Education Act
WTW – Welfare-to-Work
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