Careers Succeeding at Work Understanding HR and Management Acronyms and Abbreviations Get to know the abbreviations that are used in HR and management Share PINTEREST Email Print Dimitri Otis/Getty Images Succeeding at Work Human Resources Glossary Job Search Resources Hiring Best Practices Employment Law Employee Motivation Employee Management Management Careers Management & Leadership Employee Benefits By Susan M. Heathfield Susan M. Heathfield Susan Heathfield is an HR and management consultant with an MS degree. She has decades of experience writing about human resources. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on 01/31/21 Have you ever spoken to a Human Resources practitioner and had trouble understanding various portions of the conversation? Learning and understanding Human Resources and management acronyms and abbreviations is a challenge. As in any other occupation, people familiar with the field start talking in abbreviations because it's easy and familiar—they do it out of habit, unaware the other person doesn't know what they're saying. It can sound as if they're speaking in a foreign language. If you work in manufacturing, you know what this means. You'll toss about the term QC (Quality Control) as though it's in the dictionary. If you're working in payroll, you think nothing about giving your AP (Accounts Payable) or AR (Accounts Receivable) an invoice. And, how many people even think of Human Resources when they tell you to go see HR about your problem. With this in mind, the following acronyms are common HR and management lingo. A AAP: Affirmative Action PlanAARP: American Association of Retired PersonsABM: Activities Based ManagementADA: The Americans With Disabilities ActAD&D: Accidental Death & DismembermentADEA: Age Discrimination in Employment ActADL: Activities of Daily LivingAE: Account ExecutiveAFL-CIO: American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial OrganizationsAFSCME: American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees AJB: Americas Job BankANSI: American National Standards InstituteAP: Accounts PayableAPR: Annual Percentage RateAR: Accounts ReceivableATD: Association for Talent Development (formerly ASTD: American Society for Training and Development)AWOL: Absent Without Leave B B2B: Business to BusinessB2C: Business to ConsumerBA: Bachelor of ArtsBBB: Better Business BureauBCP: Business Continuity PlanBS: Bachelor of ScienceBC/R: Benefits Cost/RatioBLS: Bureau of Labor StatisticsBOD: Board of DirectorsBU: Bargaining Unit C CCL: Center for Creative Leadership CCP: Certified Compensation Professional CEBS: Certified Employee Benefits Specialist CEO: Chief Executive Officer CFO: Chief Financial Officer CHRO: Chief Human Resources Officer CIO: Chief Investment Officer, Chief Information Officer CMO: Chief Marketing Officer COO: Chief Operating Officer CSO: Chief Security Officer COB: Close of Business CEU: Continuing Education Unit CAI: Computer Assisted Instruction CBT: Computer-Based Testing COBRA: Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act CTO: Compensatory Time Off CPE: Continuing Professional Education COLA: Cost of Living Adjustment CV: Curriculum Vitae D DOB: Date of BirthDOI: Date of InjuryD&O: Directors and OfficersDB: Defined BenefitDBPP: Defined Benefit Pension Plan DCPP: Defined Contribution Pension PlanDOL: Department of LaborDOJ: Department of JusticeDOT: Dictionary of Occupational Titles, Department of TransportationDW: Dislocated Worker DBA: Doing Business AsDINKS: Dual Income No KidsDRP: Disaster Recovery Plan E EBT: Earnings Before Taxes EAP: Employee Assistance Program EBSA: Employee Benefits Security Administration EBO: Employee Buyout EDT: Electronic Data Processing, Employee Development Plan EE: Employee EIN: Employer Identification Number EI: Employee Involvement EI: Emotional Intelligence EPLI: Employment Practices Liability Insurance ERISA: Employee Retirement Income Security Act ESO: Employee Stock Option ESOP: Employee Stock Option Plan EOD: End of Day EOY: End of Year EEO: Equal Employment Opportunity EEOC: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission EPA: Equal Pay Act, Environmental Protection Agency F FCRA: Fair Credit Reporting ActFEP: Fair Employment PracticeFLSA: Fair Labor Standards ActFMLA: Family Medical Leave ActFEIN: Federal Employment Identification NumberFUTA: Federal Unemployment Tax ActFSA: Flexible Spending Account (Healthcare)FAQ: Frequently Asked QuestionsFT: Full TimeFTE: Full-Time Equivalent G GATB: General Aptitude Test BatteryGED: General Equivalency DiplomaGPHR: Global Professional in Human ResourcesGTL: Group Term Life Insurance H HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 HMO: Health Maintenance Organization HCE: Highly Compensated Employee HCM: Human Capital Management HPT: Human Performance Technology HR: Human Resources, Human Resource HRCI: HR Certification Institute HRD: Human Resources Development, Human Resource Development HRIS: Human Resources Information System HRM: Human Resources Management, Human Resource Management HRMS: Human Resources Management System HSA: Health Savings Account I IRCA: Immigration Reform and Control ActIRS: Internal Revenue Service J JD: Job Description, Juris DoctorateJTPA: Job Training Partnership Act (Now the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.)OA: Joint Operating AgreementJSSA: Jury Selection and Service Act K KPI: Key Performance IndicatorKPM: Key Performance MeasuresKSA: Knowledge, Skills, or Abilities L LOA: Leave of AbsenceLOS: Length of ServiceLMS: Learning Management SystemLR: Labor RelationsLTC: Long-Term CareLTD: Long-Term DisabilityLWOP: Leave Without PayLWP: Leave with Pay M M&A: Merger & AcquisitionMBO: Management by ObjectivesMBTI: Myers-Briggs Type IndicatorMHPA: Mental Health Parity ActMOP: Measure of PerformanceMQ: Minimum Qualifications N NE: Non-ExemptNLRB: National Labor Relations BoardNEO: New Employee Orientation O OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health AdministrationOOH: Occupational Outlook HandbookOPM: Office of Personnel Management OMB: Office of Management and BudgetOJT: On-The-Job-TrainingOE: Open Enrollment for BenefitsOCF: Operating Cash FlowOE: Operating ExpenseOI: Operating IncomeOD: Organization DevelopmentOT: Overtime P PA: Performance AssessmentPERT: Project Evaluation and Review TechniquePIP: Performance Improvement PlanP&L: Profit and LossPM: Performance Management, Project ManagementPPO: Preferred Provider OrganizationPHR: Professional in Human ResourcesPT: Part-TimePTO: Paid Time Off Q QR: Quarterly ReviewQWI: Quarterly Workforce Indicators R RIF: Reduction in ForceRPA: Retirement Plan AlternativeRTW: Return to Work S SBA: Small Business Administration SE: Salaried Exempt SNE: Salaried Non-exempt SME: Subject Matter Expert SHRM: Society for Human Resources Management 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 TM: Talent ManagementT&D: Training and DevelopmentTBD: To Be DeterminedTDA: Tax Deferred AnnuityTDB: Temporary Disability Benefits TESSA: Tax-Exempt Special Savings AccountTEUC: Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation TL: Time and LaborTPA: Third Party AdministratorTPD: Temporary Partial DisabilityTTD: Temporary Total DisabilityTSA: Tax-sheltered Annuity U UAW: United Auto WorkersUCI: Unemployment compensation insuranceUFW: United Farm WorkersUGMA: Uniform Gifts to Minors ActUIC: Unemployment Insurance CommissionUN: United NationsUSC: United States CodeUSCIS: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration ServicesU. S. DOJ: United States Department of JusticeU.S. DOL: United States Department of LaborUSERRA: Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act V VA: Veterans Administration/Affairs VETS: Veterans Employment and Training ServiceVP: Vice PresidentVPN: Virtual Private NetworkVOC-REHAB: Vocational Rehabilitation W WARN: Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification ActWC: Worker's CompensationWIA: Workforce Investment ActWIP: Work in ProgressWTO: World Trade OrganizationWTW: Welfare to WorkW-2: Income tax form issued by employersW-4: Federal income tax withholding formWPS: Work Performance Standards X XRA: Expected Retirement AgeXML: Extensible Markup Language (Code) Y YTD: Year to Date Z ZBB: Zero Based Budgeting Featured Video