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Compensation & Benefits

New York loosens limits on payroll deductions

11/11/2012
The New York General Assembly has amended Section 193 of the New York Labor Law to allow ­employers to make payroll deductions for a wider variety of items. The amendment lets employers deduct the cost of an array of employee benefits previously barred by the state code.

State-by-State Chart on 2012 W-2 Mag Media/E-Filing Requirements

11/09/2012
States have their own W-2 e-filing thresholds and specifications. Note: To date, some states haven’t released their W-2 e-filing information. In addition, states can change their e-filing requirements at any time. To get the full story, contact your state tax department.

El Nacho Grande chain faces wage-and-hour lawsuit

11/09/2012
The El Nacho Grande chain, with restaurants in Cincinnati and Dayton, faces a U.S. Department of Labor lawsuit after investigators found evidence that the company’s pay policies violate the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Court shoots down S corp’s low salary/high dividend ploy

11/09/2012
An S corp couldn’t get away with paying its sole shareholder-employee $24,000 a year in FICA-taxable salary, while also paying him large FICA-free dividends. According to a recent federal appeals court ruling, such an arrangement isn’t reasonable.

Gift-giving guidelines for managers

11/09/2012
The holiday season is the perfect time for managers to express their appreciation for the hard work their employees have done. If you don’t have a policy on managers handing out holiday gifts, follow these guidelines to keep morale intact and legal complaints away.

Holiday scheduling: What employers are planning in 2013

11/07/2012
According to a new Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) survey, a great majority of employers (more than 90%) will observe six big holidays in 2013 by closing for the day. Here’s a breakdown of what percentage of employers are planning to observe 25 different days in 2013:

Turn your recognition program on its head with peer-to-peer initiatives

11/07/2012

Is your recognition program a top-down affair, with execs deciding how to sprinkle around the praise and prizes? Actually, studies show peer-to-peer recognition can boost employee morale and productivity more than traditional reward programs. Some examples:

With Obama re-elected, kick ACA compliance into high gear

11/06/2012
If you were waiting until after last week’s presidential election to begin implementing health benefit changes mandated by the Affordable Care Act, it’s time to kick your planning into high gear. With President Obama’s re-election, the ACA is sure to be fully implemented come 2014. Already, critical compliance deadlines are looming.

IRS asks court to rehear U.S. v. Quality Stores

11/06/2012
The IRS has asked the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals to rehear U.S. v. Quality Stores, Inc., a case that addresses the question of whether severance pay is FICA taxable.

Is your wellness program breaking the law? Give it a legal checkup

11/06/2012
If your organization doesn’t have a wellness program in place yet, you may feel as if you’re behind the curve. Yet it’s unfortunate that many employers (and the consultants who encourage them) aren’t doing a good job of managing the legal risk and cost associated with wellness programs that ignore the law.