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Is a Dependent Care FSA (DCAP Flexible Spending Account) Right for Your Employees and Business?

No doubt about it, expenses always seem to be going up. Employers know that their employees are tightening belts and are looking for ways to help even if significant pay raises aren’t in the current budget. For employees with families and dependent care expenses, there is a benefit some employers can offer, at least for the moment, and that is the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA). (more…)

Posted in: Benefits and Health Care, Employee Benefits, HR Rules, Regulations and Laws, Human Resources, Operating a Small Business, Payroll, Payroll Processing, Rules, Regulations and Laws

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Labor Law Poster Changes

Employers in all states must make sure that their state labor law posters are up-to-date on a regular basis.  Here are a few state changes and their effective dates:

  • Minimum wage increases effective 1/1/18, for Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri,​Montana, New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Washington.
  • Minimum wage increase effective 12/31/17 for New York.
  • Transgender rights and discrimination laws in California effective 1/1/18.
  • OSHA laws effective 1/1/18, and wage and hour laws effective 7/10/17, in Hawaii.
  • Rules to be Observed by Employers in Nevada effective 7/1/17.
  • Wage and Hour Notice to Employees in North Carolina, effective 12/31/17.
  • Reasonable Accommodations for Pregnancy in Vermont, effective 1/1/18.

All employers in these states should check their state employment law posters to make sure that they are up-to-date with the new laws effective immediately.  For additional information on these new updates, please contact us at www.newfocushr.com

Posted in: HR Rules, Regulations and Laws

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Have You Ever Heard of the Economic Realities Test?

Most small business owners are at least aware that there is a difference between an employee and an independent contractor. Some don’t realize how very important it is that employers be crystal clear about the difference and how they employ people in their business. Here at The Payroll Department, we believe that it is such a critical decision when talking about payroll that employers need to know, and understand the terms used by the government – like the Economic Realities Test.

(more…)

Posted in: HR Rules, Regulations and Laws, Operating a Small Business, Payroll

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How Long Should You Keep Your Business Tax Records?

Every year, as your small business files its taxes, your company is left with stacks of paperwork. You may shove it into a filing cabinet or a storage box. However, eventually, you may wonder: How long do I need to keep these tax records?   (more…)

Posted in: Bookkeeping and Accounting, HR Rules, Regulations and Laws, IRS and Tax forms, Operating a Small Business, Payroll Taxes, Rules, Regulations and Laws

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New Employer Legislation on Health Benefits and Reimbursement

As a firm who works closely with small business owners, The Payroll Department hears that although many small business cannot afford to provide health insurance benefits to employees, many do want to help. For those owners who want to provide a benefit without it being health insurance coverage, legislation is coming that you need to know about. (more…)

Posted in: HR Rules, Regulations and Laws, Operating a Small Business, Rules, Regulations and Laws

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New Form I-9 has January 21, 2017 Deadline

It’s that time of year, isn’t it? I’m not talking about holidays and festivities, I’m talking about getting ready to close out the year and get ready for the new one. (more…)

Posted in: HR Rules, Regulations and Laws, Human Resources, IRS and Tax forms, Payroll, Policies and Procedures, Rules, Regulations and Laws

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Some States Try Auto-IRAs to Encourage Savings

Experts have been sounding alarm bells for years about the number of individuals who are not saving enough for retirement.  But many workers continue to put off preparing for the future.  Now some states are taking matters into their own hands.  Several states either have passed legislation or are considering legislation which would create a so-called “auto-IRA.”  States are hoping that these mandatory IRAs will spur savings among employees. (more…)

Posted in: HR Rules, Regulations and Laws, Human Resources, Operating a Small Business, Retirement plans, Rules, Regulations and Laws

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The Importance of Labor Law Posters

Why is it so important to post labor law posters? Labor law posters define those federal and state employment-related laws that all employers must comply with in their place of business. In addition, employers are responsible for making sure that the posters are posted in an area where all employees have access to read them. So, while this may seem like a simple task, it is one that employers often fail to do in their place of business, or businesses.

Within the past six years, there have been over 260 mandatory labor law poster changes across the United States. To be compliant, every time the federal or state labor laws change, employers must take down the old posters and replace them with a new, up-to-date poster with the updated laws. Failure to do this may result in fines, lawsuits, or citations that could easily have been prevented. Complete failure to comply with the federal and state labor law posting requirements may result in combined fines up to $17,000 and potentially more depending on the number of business locations.

Labor law posters are designed to protect both the employee and the business. Below is a list of the mandatory federal posters that must be displayed along with some information about the law, who must post them and who enforces them:

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Poster: Informs applicants and employees of Equal Employment Opportunity laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) and the Equal Pay Act (EPA).

Who must post: Employers with 15 or more employees.

Who enforces: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Poster: Describes in detail the federal law regarding minimum wage, overtime pay, equal pay for equal work and child labor.

Who must post: Every private, federal, state and local government, company or business with employees who are subject to the FLSA

Who enforces: U.S. Department of Labor – Employment Standards Administration
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Poster: Summarizes the major provisions of the FMLA and tells applicants and employees how to file a complaint.

Who must post: Public agencies (including federal, state and local employers), public and private elementary and secondary schools, and private employers with 50 or more employees.

Who enforces: U.S. Department of Labor – Employment Standards Administration
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Poster: Explains that employees are entitled to a workplace free from recognized hazards under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, with guidance on how to report workplace hazards.

Who must post: Private employers engaged in a business affecting commerce.

Who enforces: U.S. Department of Labor – Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster: Informs applicants and employees that employers are prohibited from requesting or requiring lie detector tests for employment purposes and from retaliating against them if they refuse to take lie detector tests.

Who must post: Any employer engaged in or affecting commerce, or in the production of goods for commerce

Who enforces: U.S. Department of Labor – Employment Standards Administration
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Right Act (USERRA) Notice: Summarizes the rights and benefits under USERRA, the federal law pertaining to uniformed service members and their civilian employers.

Who must post: All employers.

Who enforces: U.S. Department of Labor – Veterans’ Employment and Training Service

Along with the federal labor law posters that must be displayed there may be state labor law posters that employers are required to post, as well. State employment-related laws typically include information about: teen work hours, workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, state minimum wages, Equal Employment Opportunity, individual State Family and Medical Leave benefits (FMLA), and individual State whistleblower laws. There may be cases where both the federal and state labor law posters address the same topic. States may pass laws that are stricter than what federal laws state, which is why both posters, regardless of conflicting information, must be posted. Employers must abide by the law that is most favorable to the employee.

Staying up-to-date with federal and state employment law updates is time-consuming and may pose a risk to employers. So, there are organizations that provide subscription services to employers to assist them with remaining compliant. An employer is able to choose their respective state, and they will automatically provide the employer with updated posters every time that there is a change in either federal or state employment-related laws. The costs vary from vendor to vendor and for most businesses participation is a no-brainer, as the potential penalties for not having compliant posters is much greater than what the subscription service costs.

For additional information on federal and state labor law posting requirements, please contact us at www.NewFocusHR.com.

Written By: Patrick McKenna, SHRM-CP
HR Coordinator
09/02/2016

Posted in: HR Rules, Regulations and Laws, Policies and Procedures

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What Does FMLA Mean to Small Business Owners?

For those that may not be familiar with FMLA, it is the Family Medical Leave Act. In summary it allows employees to take a leave of absence for medically related purposes and family related medical incidents or procedures. There are several considerations to be made on whether an employer must honor the Family Medical Leave Act. The Family Medical Leave Act, according to the Department of Labor website, consists of the following: (more…)

Posted in: Benefits and Health Care, HR Rules, Regulations and Laws, Human Resources

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