Question 1
There are many challenges that Ellie will face as she creates a new benefits package for the employees. One of these challenges is ensuring compliance with the labor laws in the specific country. Basing the benefits on the American system may not lead to the company complying with the laws of the specific country. The other challenge will occur in Canada where the health care insurance initiatives are universal, which is different from the one in the USA. Ellie will have to ensure that the health benefits offered by the company in the specific country are in line with the regulations set up in the specific country. The issue of the minimum wage is another problem that Ellie and the company will have to deal with. This will distort the benefits program offered, as it will differ from the one in America. Each country has specific requirements for the payments of the employees, which implies that Ellie will need to be vigilant in ensuring compliance with the laws to avoid any possible lawsuits related to labor laws in both Canada and the UK.
Question 2
Ellie should seek guidance from an HR practitioner operating in the specific country. The HR professional should be able to enable Ellie to understand the labor laws and plan compensation and benefits for the employees. The HR professional should have experience operating in the country to understand some of the benefit packages offered. The aim is to ensure that Suds Microbrewery not only offers programs that are competitive but ones that comply with the laws of the land. Ellie should also seek information on the benefits offered by the competitors in the industry. The information acquired from the rival companies should be able to provide Ellie with an idea of what to offer based on the experience that those companies have in the specific markets.