Compensation & Benefits

Health premiums steady, out-of-pocket costs spiral

10/05/2015

Single and family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose an average of 4% this year, continuing a decade-long period of moderate growth, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation/Health Research & Educational Trust 2015 Employer Health Benefits Survey released Sept. 10.

Due dates changing for business tax returns

10/02/2015

Changing the due dates for C corps, S corps and partnerships to file business tax returns is included as a revenue-raising measure in the Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015.

Raises hold steady, but not for top performers

10/01/2015

After pulling back the reins on pay raises during the recession, employers have returned to handing out steady, but not spectacular, salary increases. But the one-raise-fits-all approach is dying off as more employers embrace pay for performance.

Two key ACA questions: Let the headaches begin

10/01/2015

Are health deductions required deductions for garnishment? And must we tax employees who are paid to forgo health benefits?

October 2015: Employer’s business tax calendar

09/30/2015

Here’s your monthly guide to critical payroll due dates.

No more automatic filing extensions for W-2 forms

09/27/2015

Under proposed, temporary and final regulations, you no longer will be able to request an initial automatic 30-day extension of time to file Forms W-2/W-3 with the Social Security Administration or an additional for-cause 30-day extension, for a total of 60 days.

Information return penalties set to increase next year

09/24/2015

Information return penalties are going up. Way up. Included as part of the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 is a provision that increases penalties for failing to file Forms W-2, 1099 or 1095-C, or to provide forms to payees. Beginning with forms required to be filed next year, penalties increase as follows

What do employees want now?

09/24/2015

You offer them health care, dental care, vision care and retirement benefits. Well, so does everyone else. If you want your company to really shine, HR needs to get creative.

Am I allowed to institute a tip pool?

09/21/2015

Q. Bartenders and servers at my bar make hundreds of dollars in tips each night while our hosts, bussers and managers walk away with much less. I instituted a pooling policy to correct the injustice, but now my bartenders and servers are threatening to sue for taking their tips. Are they right?

How should I handle meal breaks and downtime when we work on a split-shift basis?