Growth Hacker’s Blog

A business owner’s guide to effective, compliant workforce management

Notice of Exchanges and Subsidies: Delayed

According to the original Health Care Reform Acts, effective March 1, 2013, employers of all sizes were required to provide each newly hired employee with a written notice of the existence of health insurance exchanges and potential subsidies available (Notice of...

COBRA and the Affordable Care Act

It seems there is something in the news daily regarding the many changes that will take place in January 2014 as a result of implementation of the Affordable Care Act.  We think you may find it ‘refreshing’ to know about something that will not change…. ...

Employer Shared Responsibility and the Affordable Care Act

Our series of posts on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its effect on employers of all sizes begins with an overview of how penalties will be determined for employers who do not offer “affordable coverage”.  This is referred to as Employer Shared Responsibility...

To Pay or Not to Pay Overtime: How Should My Employee Be Classified?

It is important to ensure that jobs are appropriately categorized as either Exempt Status positions or Non-Exempt Status positions. The Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) Exempt Status applies to employees who meet specific exemption criteria delineated in the Act....

Notice of Exchanges and Subsidies: Delayed

A health insurance exchange is basically a virtual health insurance marketplace that is intended to create a more organized and competitive market for buying health insurance. Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), states are encouraged, but not...

Unemployment Hearings: Telephone Hearing Tips

We speak with many employers who are shocked after they experience their first unemployment telephone hearing. In general, they report feeling unprepared for the formality of the proceeding, and overwhelmed by the legal procedures to which they were required to...

IRS Extends Filing And Payment Deadlines due to Hurricane Sandy

The Internal Revenue Service has extended until February 1, 2013 the deadlines for most income tax returns, income tax payments and other time-sensitive actions otherwise due from the time of the storm through the end of January 2013 for taxpayers affected by...

State Exchange Update

Under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the deadline for states committed to setting up a State-Based Exchange for submission of an “exchange blueprint” to the federal government was December 14, 2012. The deadline for states planning to...

HRAs are Impacted by the Affordable Care Act

On January 24, 2013, the Department of Labor released a document containing guidance about the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.  Formatted as a series of frequently asked questions, the document included items relating to Health Reimbursement...

The 2012 W-2 Form: Most Commonly Asked Questions and Their Answers

W-2s are now in most employees’ hands and the questions are beginning!  We thought it would be helpful to give you a handy reference with simple answers of what we have found to be the most commonly asked questions about the W-2.  Remember:  this is an...

Unemployment Claims – What’s the Process?

The labor market fluctuates, and for a multitude of possible reasons, we have turnover.  Most all employers will have to deal with employment separation at some point.  In general, an employee is eligible for unemployment benefits if he/she; 1) worked for an...

Health Premiums and the W-2

Lately, there has been lots of discussion and confusion about the rules surrounding employer-sponsored health premiums and the W-2 (a new requirement stemming from The Affordable Care Act). Let’s break it down to the most commonly misunderstood elements of the law as...

New Year’s Tips from Your Human Resources Professionals

The beginning of a new year is a great time to internally audit some of your HR-related practices. The following are a few tips to get you started:Employee Handbook – It is not a bad idea to have an HR Professional review your handbook annually for compliance issues....

$2,500 Limit on Health FSA Annual Pre-Tax Contribution

Effective January 1, 2013, employee pre-tax contributions to Health Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) will be limited to $2,500 per calendar year. For subsequent years, this amount will be indexed to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Employers with non-calendar year...

W-2 Report for 2012

The W-2 Form for 2012 reporting must provide tax information from January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012. The actual form must be distributed to employees by January 31st, 2013. In addition, employers issuing 250 or more W-2 forms must include the cost of health coverage...

OASDI Tax Rates

The Social Security's Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program limits the amount of earnings subject to taxation within a given year. This limit is updated each year with changes in the national average wage index. For earnings in 2013, the Social...

IRS Standard Mileage Rates for 2013

The Internal Revenue Service issued the 2013 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. Effective January 1, 2013, the standard mileage rates for the use of a...

IRS Extends Filing And Payment Deadlines

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has extended until February 1, 2013 the deadlines for most income tax returns, income tax payments and other time-sensitive actions for taxpayers affected by Hurricane Sandy in federally declared disaster areas in Connecticut, New...

Additional Medicare Tax

Effective January 1, 2013, an additional Medicare tax will impact employers and payroll service providers. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) increases the Medicare tax rate on wages by 0.9% (from the current rate of 1.45% to 2.35%) for...

What is the FUTA Credit Reduction…and Does It Apply to Me?

Depending on the states in which you do business, you may have received an unhappy surprise at the end of December.  It’s possible you will have to pay an additional amount of Federal Unemployment taxes for 2012 if your state was unable to pay all the...

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