The many abbreviations and acronyms used by HR professionals can make it hard for people to understand and navigate HR conversations and challenges. This comprehensive list of the most common HR acronyms and human resources abbreviations can help you find your way.
A
AA: Affirmative Action or Adverse Action
AAP: Affirmative Action Plan
AAR: After Action Review
AARP: American Association of Retired Persons
AASCU: American Association of State Colleges and Universities
ABM: Activities-Based Management
ACA: The Affordable Care Act
AD&D: Accidental Death and Dismemberment
ADA: The Americans with Disabilities Act
ADAAA: Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act
ADEA: Age Discrimination in Employment Act
ADL: Activities of Daily Living
ADR: Alternative Dispute Resolution
AE: Account Executive
AFL-CIO: American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations
AFSCME: American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
AJB: America’s Job Bank
ALE: Applicable Large Employer
ANSI: American National Standards Institute
AP: Accounts Payable
APR: Annual Percentage Rate
AR: Accounts Receivable
AR: Annual Review
ASO: Administrative Service Outsourcing
ATD: Association for Talent Development (formerly ASTD: American Society for Training and Development)
ATS: Applicant Tracking System
AWOL: Absent Without Leave
B
B2B: Business to Business
B2C: Business to Consumer
BA: Bachelor of Arts
BAT: Breath Alcohol Testing, or Breath Alcohol Technician
BBB: Better Business Bureau
BCP: Business Continuity Plan
BC/R: Benefits Cost/Ratio
BFOQ: Bona Fide Occupational Qualification
BIW: Bi-Weekly
BLR: Business and Legal Resources
BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics
BOD: Board of Directors
BS: Bachelor of Science
BU: Bargaining Unit
BWC: Bureau of Worker’s Compensation
BYOD: Bring Your Own Device
C
CAI: Computer-Assisted Instruction
CBO: Chief Business Officer
CBT: Computer-Based Testing
CCL: Center for Creative Leadership
CCP: Certified Compensation Professional
CD PPO HDHP: Consumer Driver Preferred Provider Organization High Deductible Health Plan
CDR: Central Data Requests
CEBS: Certified Employee Benefits Specialist
CEO: Chief Executive Officer
CEU: Continuing Education Unit
CFO: Chief Financial Officer
CHIP: Children’s Health Insurance Program
CHIPRA: Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act
CHRO: Chief Human Resources Officer
CIO: Chief Investment Officer, or Chief Information Officer
CMO: Chief Marketing Officer
CMS: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
CO: Compliance Officer
COLA: Cost of Living Adjustment
COO: Chief Operating Officer
C&B: Compensation and Benefits
COB: Close of Business
COBRA: Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985
COLA: Cost of Living Adjustment
CPE: Continuing Professional Education
CPI: Consumer Price Index
CPO: Chief Product Officer
CSO: Chief Security Officer
CV: Curriculum Vitae
D
D&O: Directors and Officers
DB: Defined Benefit
DBA: Doing Business As
DBPP: Defined Benefit Pension Plan
DCPP: Defined Contribution Pension Plan
DE&I: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
DEI&B: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
DINKS: Dual Income No Kids
DOA: Date of Accident, or Department of Administration
DOB: Date of Birth
DOH: Date of Hire
DOI: Date of Injury
DOJ: Department of Justice
DOL: Department of Labor
DOT: Department of Transportation, or Dictionary of Occupational Titles
DRP: Disaster Recovery Plan
DSF: Division of State Facilities
DW: Dislocated Worker
E
EAP: Employee Assistance Program
EBO: Employee Buyout
EBS: Employee Benefits Security
EBSA: Employee Benefits Security Administration
EBT: Earnings Before Taxes
EDP: Electronic Data Processing
EDP: Employee Development Plan
EE: Employee
EEO: Equal Employment Opportunity
EEOC: (US) Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
EI: Emotional Intelligence, or Employee Involvement
EIN: Employer Identification Number
EL: Extended Learning, formerly Continuing Education and Extension
EO: Executive Officer
EOB: Explanation of Benefits
EOD: End of Day
EOE: Equal Opportunity Employer
EOY: End of Year
EPA: Equal Pay Act, or Environmental Protection Agency
EPLI: Employment Practices Liability Insurance
EPPA: Employee Polygraph Protection Act
ER: Employer
ERISA: Employee Retirement Income Security Act
ESBA: Employee Benefits Security Administration
ESO: Employee Stock Option
ESOP: Employee Stock Option Plan
ETF: Employee Trust Funds
F
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
FCRA: Fair Credit Reporting Act
FEIN: Federal Employment Identification Number
FEP: Fair Employment Practice
FLSA: Fair Labor Standards Act
FMLA: Family and Medical Leave Act
FR: Federal Register
FSA: Flexible Spending Account (Healthcare)
FT: Full Time
FTE: Full-Time Equivalent
FTE Count: Full-Time Equivalent Count for the Employer Mandate of the Affordable Care Act
FUTA: Federal Unemployment Tax Act
FY: Fiscal Year
G
GA: Graduate Assistant
GATB: General Aptitude Test Battery
GED: General Equivalency Diploma
GHP: Group Health Plan
GPHR: Global Professional in Human Resources
GTL: Group Term Life Insurance
H
HCE: Highly Compensated Employee
HDHP: High Deductible Health Plan
HF: Human Factors
HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
HMO: Health Maintenance Organization
HPT: Human Performance Technology
HR: Human Resources
HRA: Health Reimbursement Account
HRCI: HR Certification Institute
HRD: Human Resource(s) Development, or Human Resources Director
HRG: Human Resources Generalist
HRIS: Human Resources Information System
HRLY: Hourly
HRM: Human Resources Manager
HRMS: Human Resources Management System
HRO: Human Resources Outsourcing
HRVP: Human Resources Vice President
HSA: Health Savings Account
I
IRA: Individual Retirement Account
IRCA: Immigration Reform and Control Act
IRS: Internal Revenue Service
IW: Injured Worker
J
JD: Job Description
JOA: Joint Operating Agreement
JSSA: Jury Selection and Service Act
JTPA: Job Training Partnership Act (now the Workforce Investment Act of 1998)
K
KPI: Key Performance Indicator
KPM: Key Performance Measures
KSA: Knowledge, Skills, or Abilities
L
LI: Life Insurance
LDW: Last Day Worked
LMS: Learning Management System
LOA: Leave of Absence
LOS: Length of Service
LR: Labor Relations
LTC: Long-Term Care
LTD: Long-Term Disability
LWOP: Leave Without Pay
LWP: Leave with Pay
M
M&A: Merger and Acquisition
MBO: Management by Objectives
MBTI: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
MEP 401(k): Multiple Employer Plan 401(k)
MERP: Medical Expense Reimbursement Plan
MHPA: Mental Health Parity Act
MOP: Measure of Performance
MQ(s): Minimum Qualification(s)
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
OCF: Operating Cash Flow
OCR: (US) Office of Civil Rights
OD: Organization Development
OE: Open Enrollment (for health benefits), or Operating Expense
OFCCP: Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
OGC: Office of General Counsel
OI: Operating Income
OJT: On-the-Job-Training
OMB: Office of Management and Budget
ONET: Occupational Information Network
OOH: Occupational Outlook Handbook
OPM: Office of Personnel Management
OSER: Office of State Employment Relations
OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OT: Overtime
P
P&L: Profit and Loss
PA: Performance Assessment
PD: Position Description
PDA: Pregnancy Discrimination Act
PEO: Professional Employer Organization
PERT: Project Evaluation and Review Technique
PHR: Professional in Human Resources
PIP: Performance Improvement Plan
PM: Project Management
PPA: Pension Protection Act
PPACA: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
PPM: Policy and Procedures Manual
PPO: Preferred Provider Organization
PT: Part Time
PTO: Paid Time Off
Q
QR: Quarterly Review
QWI: Quarterly Workforce Indicators
R
RIF: Reduction in Force
RPA: Retirement Plan Alternative
RRF: Recruitment Request Form
RTW: Return to Work
S
SAR: Summary Annual Report
SBA: Small Business Administration
SBC: Summary of Benefits and Coverage
SE: Salaried Exempt
SEC: Securities and Exchange Commission
SHRM: The Society for Human Resource Management
SHRM-CP: SHRM Certified Professional
SHRM-SCP: SHRM Senior Certified Professional
SMART: Smart, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely
SME: Subject Matter Expert
SMM: Summary of Material Modification
SNE: Salaried Non-Exempt
SPD: Summary Plan Description
SPHR: Senior Professional in Human Resources
SSA: Social Security Administration
SSN or SS #: Social Security Number
STD: Short-Term Disability
SWOT: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
T
T&D: Training and Development
TAP: Tuition Assistance Plan (Program)
TBD: To Be Determined
TDA: Tax Deferred Annuity
TDB: Temporary Disability Benefits
TNA: Training Needs Assessment
TPA: Third-Party Administrator
TESSA: Tax-Exempt Special Savings Account
TEUC: Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation
TIN: Tax Identification Number
TL: Time and Labor
TLM: Time and Labor Management
TNCP: Temporary Notice of Compensation Payable
TPA: Third-Party Administrator
TPD: Temporary Partial Disability
TSA: Tax-Sheltered Annuity
TSP: Thrift Savings Plan
TTD: Temporary Total Disability
U
UAW: United Auto Workers
UCI: Unemployment Compensation Insurance
UFW: United Farm Workers
UGMA: Uniform Gifts to Minors Act
UIC: Unemployment Insurance Commission
UN: United Nations
USC: United States Code
USCIS: US Citizenship and Immigration Services
US DOJ: United States Department of Justice
US DOL: United States Department of Labor
USERRA: Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act
V
VA: Veterans Administration/Affairs
VETS: Veterans Employment and Training Service
VEVRA: Vietnam-Era Veterans Readjustment Act
VOC-REHAB: Vocational Rehabilitation
VP: Vice President
VPN: Virtual Private Network
VSA: Voluntary System of Accountability
W
W-2: Income tax form issued by employers
W-4: Federal income tax withholding form
WARN: Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act
WC: Worker’s Compensation
WFA: Work from Anywhere
WFH: Work from Home
WFO: Work from Office
WIA: Workforce Investment Act of 1998
WIP: Work in Progress
WPS: Work Performance Standards
WRAEA: Workforce Reinvestment and Adult Education Act
WTO: World Trade Organization
WTW: Welfare to Work
X
XML: Extensible Markup Language (Code)
XRA: Expected Retirement Age
Recommended For Further Reading
Y
YTD: Year to Date
Z
ZBB: Zero-Based Budgeting
