The human resources (HR) industry uses countless abbreviations and acronyms. Whether you’re new to the HR category, you’re part of an HRIS implementation team, you’re onboarding with a new job, or you just want to get into the field, it’s imperative to know what each of these means and what they define. We put together some of the most commonly used HR acronyms and abbreviations along with their meanings. Scroll or search below.
| Acronym | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ACA | Affordable Care Act |
| AD&D | Accidental Death and Dismemberment |
| ADA | Americans with Disabilities Act |
| ADEA | Age Discrimination in Employment Act |
| ATS | Applicant Tracking System |
| BLR | Business and Legal Resources |
| BLS | Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| BU | Bargaining Unit |
| C&B | Compensation and Benefits |
| CEO | Chief Executive Officer |
| CFO | Chief Financial Officer |
| CISO | Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) |
| C-Suite | C-level Suite (so named for the gathering of executive-level offices gathered in one place) |
| COO | Chief Operating Officer (COO) |
| CO | Compliance Officer |
| COBRA | Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (Medical Insurance) |
| COLA | Cost of Living Adjustment |
| CPE | Continuing Professional Education |
| DOL | Department of Labor |
| EAP | Employee Assistance Program |
| EBS | Employee Benefits Security |
| EDP | Employee Development Plan |
| EE | Employee |
| EEO | Equal Employment Opportunity |
| EEOC | Equal Employment Opportunity Commission |
| EO | Executive Officer |
| EOB | Explanation of Benefits |
| EPA | Equal Pay Act |
| FCRA | Fair Credit Reporting Act |
| FLSA | Fair Labor Standards Act |
| FMLA | Family and Medical Leave Act |
| FSA | Flexible Spending Account |
| FT | Full-Time |
| FTE | Full-Time Equivalent |
| FY | Fiscal Year |
| HIPAA | HIPAA |
| HMO | Health Maintenance Organization |
| HSA | Health Savings Account |
| I-9 | I-9 Employment Eligibility Documentation Form |
| IRA | Individual Retirement Account |
| JD | Job Description |
| KPI | Key Performance Indicators |
| KPM | Key Performance Measures |
| KSA’s | Knowledge, Skills, Abilities |
| L&D | Learning and Development |
| LMS | Learning Management System |
| LOA | Leave of Absence |
| LOS | Length of Service |
| LR | Labor Relations |
| LTC | Long-Term Care |
| LTD | Long-Term Disability |
| LTE | Limited Term Employee |
| LWOP | Leave Without Pay |
| LWP | Leave With Pay |
| OSHA | OSHA |
| OT | Overtime |
| PD | Position Description |
| PPO | Preferred Provider Organization |
| PT | Part-time |
| PTO | Paid Time Off |
| QR | Quarterly Review |
| SHRM | Society for Human Resource Management |
| STD | Short-Term Disability |
| T&D | Training and Development |
| WC | Worker’s Compensation |
Further Reading
We break down the best HR systems for businesses | TechnologyAdvice
Reviews and free trials of top HR systems | SoftwarePundit
Check out emerging HRIS trends for the upcoming year | CIO Insight
