IRS: ‘We’ll give you a break on pay violations’
Check with Payroll and HR. If any workers have been mistakenly classified as independent contractors, you can avoid a big hit by signing up for an IRS program. The program is called the Voluntary...
View ArticleWatch out for this mistake with employees on commission
If you have employees who get commissions, make sure your Payroll people understand the rules when overtime hours are involved. One of the traps in the Fair Labor Standards Act involves how employers...
View ArticleNew tax rules on employer-issued cell phones
If you provide cell phones to your employees or are considering it, first make sure your admin people are up to speed on the latest applicable Internal Revenue Service rules. Generally, the news is...
View ArticleHiring in these fields? Expect to pay more
A nationwide salary survey by Robert Half International shows which jobs will command higher salaries in 2012. The placement firm polled its clients to determine whether white-collar workers can expect...
View ArticleThe 7 dumbest holiday workplace gifts
A fruitcake looks great compared to these. When CBS MoneyWatch asked people to write in and describe their worst workplace gift-receiving experiences, the responses were memorable. Well, he did put...
View ArticleThe Finance cost saver employees are finally ready for
Now’s the time to check with your CFO to see what your company’s direct deposit rate. If you don’t hear 100%, encourage Finance to make a major push ASAP. The tide is turning! Once-wary employees are...
View ArticleWhy now’s the time to push for raises
There may be good news on the horizon for managers who’ve spent the past 2 to 3 years tiding employees over, despite no bumps in comp or salary. A recent Robert Half study asked CFOs nationwide,...
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3 surefire ways to kill employee motivation
Trying to figure out the best ways to incentivize employees? Here are three that’ll have the opposite effect. Watch out if you hear someone in your company suggest one of these ideas. And expect bad...
View ArticleBenefits workers want — and you can actually give them
Research shows that the most workers stay with the same company for just two to three years on average. But savvy employers are able to buck this trend by offering a number of creative benefits options...
View ArticleCongress looks at limiting OT pay for IT staffs
There’s a lot of confusion over which IT workers are eligible for overtime pay and which aren’t. A bill in Congress would eliminate some of the conusion and in he process limit OT pay. A Democrat (yes,...
View ArticleThe surprise incentive 1/3 of top companies use to crush competitors
Best-in-class companies have zeroed in on a common recipe for success in today’s economy. More than a third of companies that are bouncing back from the recession quicker than others are doing so by...
View ArticleHave to lay off? Don’t miss this major ‘to-do’
Overseeing a layoff can be stressful and hectic. Plus, you’re dealing with angry workers who are more prone to sue. There’s one step you’ll want to take to make sure you’re protected. Take a look at...
View ArticleOffering education assistance: How to get your money’s worth
If you decide to pay employees to learn more about and become better at their jobs, you’ll also want to make sure you don’t overlook a key factor in making sure the investment is worthwhile. Maybe, in...
View Article3 proven ways to absolutely shatter sales goals
The percentage of salespeople who met or exceeded quota last year jumped 9%. Here are the proven tactics which drove that remarkable spike: 1. Tying rewards to company goals. More than a third of...
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Retirement-plan fee disclosures: Are you getting the benefits?
Many employers can’t wait to distribute retirement plan fee disclosure statements to workers – and be done with the whole mess. But that strategy can really come back to hurt your company. Instead of...
View ArticleBeware of leave buy-back programs
Here’s one you’ll want to mention to your CFO and the people in Payroll. If your company tries a leave buy-back – in which employees “sell” unused sick time to the company – you could end up with a...
View ArticleBest and worst states for getting workers off comp
Which states have the best record for getting injured workers back to work — and off workers comp — and which states are the worst? Ten-year studies conducted by the Work Loss Data Institute, using...
View ArticleMistakes that cost other companies
This regular feature shows how other companies have run afoul of IRS regulations, sales and use taxes or other laws. You can see how others got off track, and avoid similar problems. Today’s problem:...
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How a firm increased output 6.8% by making one change
The goal of performance reviews is supposed to be improved performance, right? Here’s how one company made that goal a reality — at no cost to the employer. As shown in a study — “Tournaments Without...
View ArticleNew approach to 401(k) match: Will it catch on?
The method of employers’ paying out 401(k) matches has been pretty much the same for years — every paycheck contains the match. At least one employer is trying a different approach, one that could...
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