President Joe Biden signed a new $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) into effect on March 11, 2021. This expansion of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) still applies to employers with fewer than 500 employees. Several significant provisions of the act affect both small and large companies, including: A 100%… Read More »
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics received 2.8 million reports of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2019. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), an average of 15 workplace deaths occurred daily. These sobering statistics speak to the importance of developing a safety program in order to protect both your employees and… Read More »
As we approach the one-year mark since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses across the country have a lot to consider. Will they transition employees back to the office? Will they stay remote? Will they take a hybrid approach? While we look to the future, we know the workplace will certainly look different. It… Read More »
Does your business have team members on the road? Pump the brakes on those driving deductions and reimbursements! As of January 1, 2021, the IRS lowered standard mileage rates by 1.5 cents, largely due to the pandemic and decreased driving costs. Why does this matter to employers? If you, like many other businesses, use this… Read More »
If you have owned a business with employees for any length of time, chances are at least one of those employees has made a mistake. After all, you work with humans, it’s bound to happen. What kind of mistakes are we talking about? Cash or cash register shortages Acceptance of bad checks Lost, damaged, or… Read More »
You enjoy treating employees with the occasional gift, office snack, or meal compensation. These little things help boost employee morale and productivity and can be great for showing them your appreciation. But you may also be wondering about the de minimis rule. Are those employee gifts taxable? How will you know, and how do you… Read More »
Suppose you own a young business or recently introduced a retirement plan to your employee benefits package. In that case, you might have heard about something called 401(k) nondiscrimination testing—and wondering what the heck it is. Also known as 401(k) coverage testing, this is an annual IRS review used to prove a company does not… Read More »
Have you recently introduced a new retirement plan at your company? Perhaps you’re new to the process and filing a Form 5500. How does it work? Do you need an audit? We answer these questions and more below, giving you the complete breakdown of: Form 5500 Basics Form 5500 audit requirements Quick tips to ensure… Read More »
As an employer, you likely heard when the IRS released the new W-4 form in 2020—for the first time in 30 years. Now called the Employee’s Withholding Certificate, the previous version was formerly known as the Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate. The most significant change on the form was the removal of withholding allowances. The new… Read More »
There are many benefits for remote employees and the companies that employ them. Workers enjoy things like more flexibility, comfort, and reduced or no commute time. According to the stats, working from home can also increase employee productivity—sometimes by as much as 25%! It’s becoming increasingly difficult for employers to argue that employees are not… Read More »
BlueLion is an HR Consulting company servicing New England.
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