Posted on Thu, Jul 26, 2012
A certain amount of absenteeism should be expected in the workplace. Families have health issues, parents need time off to deal with children in school, and family emergencies never come at convenient times. They are part of the ordinary bumps in the road that happen with every business.
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Posted on Wed, Apr 11, 2012
Disposable earnings, also known as disposable income, is a measure of a person’s ability to manage essential household costs after mandatory taxes have been deducted from gross earnings. It indicates how much money the employee has left over to spend or invest.
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Posted on Thu, Aug 25, 2011
If you're a private employer with more than 100 employees or a federal contractor with at least 50 employees, you must file an annual EEO-1 Report with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The 2011 deadline is September 30.
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Posted on Fri, Aug 19, 2011
Looking for ways to inspire the people on your payroll? Open Forum shared some basic but fundamental tips to help improve employee morale -- and boost productivity.
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Posted on Fri, Jul 29, 2011
The unemployment rate may be high right now for many Americans in general, but for one segment of the population, it has remained stubbornly high.
In a 2011 survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities was 15%, slightly higher the previous year. (These individuals surveyed were not currently working, were available for work, and actively seeking employment in the previous month.) A large proportion of disabled individuals (8 in 10) are not in the labor force at all.Tax credits and other incentives can offer help to businesses interested in hiring people with disabilities. Here are a few other points you should know:1. Read the Guide to Disability Rights Laws and the Americans with Disabilities Act: A Primer for Small Business, which describes the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as it applies to small businesses. The ADA is a federal civil rights law designed to prevent discrimination and enable individuals with disabilities to participate fully in all aspects of society, and applies to businesses with 15 or more employees.2. Understand what the Americans for Disabilities Act requires of you as an employer. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, employers covered by the ADA must ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to:
- apply for and work in jobs for which they are qualified,
- be promoted once they are working,
- benefits and privileges of employment offered to other employees, and
- not be harassed because of the disability.
3. Employers need to know the do’s and don’ts in the hiring process as they apply to people with disabilities. For example, during an interview, you can’t ask questions about a disability, how a person became disabled, or the use of medication, among other questions. 4. You must respect the confidentiality of an applicant or an employee. This can include requests for reasonable accommodations, as well as storage of medical information separate from the person’s regular personnel file.For more information on adding employees with disabilities to your payroll, check out the Disability.gov website.
This content has been provided by Patriot Software, Inc., developer of online software for small businesses, including payroll software, applicant tracking software, human resources sofotware, and employee self-serve software. For more information, visit www.PatriotSoftware.com. Read More
Posted on Wed, Jul 06, 2011
Connecticut is now the first state to require paid sick leave for some businesses, according to the Wall Street Journal.Signed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, the new law requires businesses in the service industry that have 50 or more hourly employees to offer one hour of sick time for every 40 hours worked. Workers can use this time for themselves or to care for an ill child or spouse, and for other matters including cases of family violence. The law caps the paid sick time at five days annually.Backers of the cause in Connecticut compare this legislation with the passage of other historic workplace measures such as occupational safety and health standards. The Connecticut governor campaigned on the idea, saying that paid sick leave is a matter of public health. The new law will affect between 200,000 and 300,000 service workers in businesses such as restaurants, nursing homes, and hair salons.Opponents of the bill say that paid sick leave will hurt Connecticut businesses, making them less competitive and forcing them to cut back other benefits. Some businesses also see government as encroaching on their right to decide what benefits they offer to employees on their payroll.Paid sick leave bills have been introduced in 20 states and cities, according to the article. San Francisco and Washington D.C. also mandate sick leave.What do you think of Connecticut’s new law? Should paid sick leave be required? Please share your thoughts!Read More
Posted on Mon, Jun 20, 2011
Texas is big in plenty of ways, especially in terms of job creation.
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Posted on Wed, Jun 08, 2011
You may have taken steps to protect your personal belongings in case of disaster, but have you ever thought about your business?
The IRS has a short video about safeguarding your tax and other business records in case of disaster, such as a major storm. Here are the key points: Create an electronic backup of your important records, and store them away from your originals. Scan or download important records, such as bank statements, tax returns, and insurance policies, and download them on an external drive or burn them to a CD. Document your valuables before disaster strikes. The IRS has a workbook for documenting the belongings in each area of your home. If you have a loss, and you use part of your home for business, you can use worksheet A in the workbook to calculate your business losses. Update your emergency plans. Anytime you add an employee to your payroll or make changes to your personnel, revisit your disaster action plan and make sure employees understand it. Find out whether your payroll provider has a fiduciary bond in place to protect you (in case your payroll provider is impacted by a disaster!)
If Disaster Strikes Your Business
If a natural disaster such as a tornado, hurricane or other major storm strikes your area, the IRS may offer you tax relief in the form of more time to make payroll tax deposits or extended deadlines for payroll tax and income tax returns. If you're a victim of a recent storm, check Tax Relief in Disaster Situations to see what relief is offered to your area, or call 1-866-562-5227 for more information. The IRS can also help you recover lost tax documents (for a fee.) File Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return. Read More
Posted on Tue, Jun 07, 2011
U.S. employers worried about unprepared younger workers are putting pressure on schools to improve math and science scores, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The United States trails behind China, Singapore, Japan, Korea, Australia, Germany, and the U.K. when comparing average math and science scores for 15-year-olds in 2009.
Employers are also concerned about the number of experienced employees who are poised to retire from company payrolls. Approximately a quarter of U.S. manufacturing employees are 55 and older.
Some businesses and organizations hope to turn the tide. Here’s a look:
- The National Association of Manufacturers seeks to standardize curricula at community colleges, certifying students in industrial skills and moving toward competency-based education.
- More companies, such as BMW AG in South Carolina, are requesting customized training at technical colleges to train qualified workers for their payroll. In Ohio, the Lorain County Community College's Nord Advanced Technology Center offered 41 tailored courses for individual employers this year.
- The Math and Science Initiative, funded by companies such as Exxon Mobil, foundations, and the federal government, seeks to train teachers in science and math and extend college-level coursework to high school students.
- The Dyson vacuum cleaner company is sponsoring after-school engineering clubs at 20 Chicago public middle schools.
Jack Jennings, chief executive officer of the Center on Education Policy, said in the article that employers are right to worry that the U.S. is falling behind. However, employers should be patient with the political process, as U.S. education policy is mostly decided at the local level, compared to countries that can make quick nationwide changes. The problem doesn't lie entirely with educators either; students and parents should take school more seriously, he said.
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Posted on Tue, May 31, 2011
If you’re a small business owner, and you provide health insurance for employees on your payroll, you may qualify for the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit. Now there’s an easy way to find out.The IRS website features a worksheet called “3 Simple Steps” to help small employers quickly determine their eligibility for the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit. It’s well worth your time to see if you qualify: Qualified nonexempt employers can take up to 35% credit, and tax-exempt employers can take up to 25%.The tax credit is a part of the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act signed into law in 2010. If you employ fewer than 25 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) for a tax year, pay less than $50,000 on average for each FTE, and pay not less than 50% of the cost of health premiums in a “qualifying arrangement,” you may be eligible for the credit. If you qualify, you can include the amount of the credit as part of the general business credit on your business income tax return. Use Form 8941, Credit for Small Employer Health Insurance Premiums.For more background on the tax credit, read the training article “IRS Explains New Healthcare Tax Credit for Small Businesses.” Read More