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Compensation & Benefits

Payroll 2014: You’ll withhold something, but what, exactly, we don’t know

11/22/2013
The shutdown of the federal government earlier this autumn meant that the IRS was very late in releasing the 2014 personal exemption amount, which doubles as the annual withholding allowance amount. Also late, but now in the bag: the 2014 amounts for qualified transportation fringes.

Ex-worker didn’t return property: Can we tap his PTO?

11/22/2013
Q. After an employee quit, he failed to return certain company property (badge, access card, etc.). Can we legally withhold his PTO balance because of this? 

Debt threatens employees’ readiness to retire

11/20/2013
In a recent survey of participants in employer-sponsored defined-contribution retirement plans, more than 60% of households reported that they are accumulating debt faster than they are saving for retirement. The culprit: credit card debt.

Bypass Healthcare.gov: Small employers can buy health insurance through brokers

11/19/2013

The Healthcare.gov website may be broken, but that doesn’t mean small business owners who want to buy health insurance for their employees have to wait. They can learn about coverage options, costs and available tax credits by working with an insurance broker who has registered with CMS to facilitate SHOP policy sales.

Unclear rules could warrant unemployment benefits

11/19/2013
Someone who is fired for breaking a workplace rule isn’t entitled to unemployment benefits. That’s because rule-breaking is misconduct. But if the rule is unclear, all bets are off.

No unemployment if jail prevents coming to work

11/19/2013
You can terminate an employee for missing work because he had to spend the night in jail. He won’t be eligible for unemployment benefits because the firing was for misconduct related to regular attendance.

DHR posts same-sex marriage guidance for employers

11/19/2013
The Minnesota Department of Human Rights website has posted a list of frequently asked questions to help employers understand their obligations now that same-sex marriage has been legal in Minnesota since August.

Found misclassification problem? Fix it fast

11/19/2013
Avoid costly litigation by reviewing how you classify your em­­ployees as exempt or nonexempt. If you discover you have made a mistake, fix it right away. You’ll cut your misclassification liability.

72 AEP employees use $3,000 adoption benefit

11/19/2013

American Electric Power employees who adopt children get a little help from their employer: 30 hours of paid leave and $3,000 per child. One of the largest utilities in the country, American Electric Power has helped 72 of its employees with adoptions.

Holiday bonuses: Pass the bucks

11/18/2013
Good, bad or sluggish economy, there are valid reasons—mostly sustaining employee morale—to pay holiday bonuses. If your company will be doing so, now’s the time for Payroll to plan for them.