Vision Payroll

Under the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (HIRE Act), employers who hire certain unemployed workers are allowed not to pay certain employment taxes. In order to qualify under the HIRE Act, the wages must be paid by a qualified employer “with respect to employment” in the period beginning March 19, 2010 and ending December 31, 2010. Additionally, the wages must be “for services performed…in a trade or business of such qualified employer” or for exempt employers, “in furtherance of the activities related to the purpose or function constituting the basis of the employer’s exemption under section 501.” Contact Vision Payroll if you have further questions on the HIRE Act.

This week’s question comes from Sean, an HR director. We are in the process of hiring some employees who would allow us to claim exemption from paying the employer’s share of social security taxes because of the HIRE Act. Some employees are hesitant due to the impact on their future social security benefits. How does the HIRE Act affect employees’ future social security benefits? Answer: Under the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (HIRE Act), employers who hire certain unemployed workers are allowed not to pay certain employment taxes. Although employers may be exempt from paying the taxes, there is no impact on any employee’s future social security benefits. Contact Vision Payroll if you have further questions on the HIRE Act.

According to the US Department of Labor, in the week ending March 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 442,000, a decrease of 14,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 456,000. The 4-week moving average was 453,750, a decrease of 11,000 from the previous week’s revised average of 464,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.6% for the week ending March 13, unchanged from the prior week’s revised rate of 3.6%.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 13 was 4,648,000, a decrease of 54,000 from the preceding week’s revised level of 4,702,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,689,000, a decrease of 36,500 from the preceding week’s revised average of 4,725,500.

The fiscal year-to-date average of seasonally adjusted weekly insured unemployment, which corresponds to the appropriated AWIU trigger, was 5.140 million.

Under the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (HIRE Act), employers who hire certain unemployed workers are allowed not to pay certain employment taxes. Employers who claim the exemption under the HIRE Act may not claim the Work Opportunity Tax Credit with respect to wages paid for which the HIRE Act exemption is claimed. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is authorized under the HIRE Act to prescribe the manner for making an election to have this section of the HIRE Act not apply. Employers who would receive greater benefit under the Work Opportunity Tax Credit should consider making the election. Vision Payroll strongly recommends that employers consult their income tax advisor before claiming the exemption or electing not to claim the exemption under the HIRE Act.

Under the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (HIRE Act), employers who hire certain unemployed workers are allowed not to pay certain employment taxes. Exempt wages are those paid “with respect to employment during the period beginning [March 19, 2010] and ending on December 31, 2010.” The “with respect to employment” phrase seems to indicate that employers will be able to claim exemption for wages paid at any time as long as the employment period for which the wages were earned is before January 1, 2011. Therefore, wages paid during 2011 may also qualify if paid “with respect to employment” during 2010. Contact Vision Payroll if you have further questions on the HIRE Act.

Under the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (HIRE Act), employers who hire certain unemployed workers are allowed not to pay certain employment taxes. Most employers are eligible for this exemption. According to the HIRE Act, a “qualified employer” is any employer other than the United States, any State, or any political subdivision thereof, or any instrumentality of the foregoing, although “a public institution of higher education (as defined in section 101(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965)” also is a qualified employer, even if a public institution. Contact Vision Payroll if you have further questions on the HIRE Act.

Under the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (HIRE Act), employers who hire certain unemployed workers are allowed not to pay certain employment taxes. Employees are not eligible under the HIRE Act if the employee is “employed by the qualified employer to replace another employee of such employer unless such other employee separated from employment voluntarily or for cause.” Therefore, employers may not simply terminate employees and replace them with otherwise qualified individuals and qualify for the exemption. Contact Vision Payroll if you have further questions on the HIRE Act.

Under the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (HIRE Act), employers who hire certain unemployed workers are allowed not to pay certain employment taxes. Under the HIRE Act, certain related individuals as described in §51(i)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (IRC), do not qualify as eligible workers. Therefore, most family members will not qualify under the HIRE Act based on the IRC §51(i)(1). Contact Vision Payroll if you have further questions on the HIRE Act.

This week’s question comes from Donna, an HR Director. I read how we can get a payroll tax credit for hiring unemployed workers. How do we know if an employee qualifies us for the new payroll tax credit for hiring unemployed workers? Answer: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released IR-2010-033, Two New Tax Benefits Aid Employers Who Hire and Retain Unemployed Workers. In it, the IRS explains that under the HIRE Act, employers will be required to “get a statement from each eligible new hire certifying that he or she was unemployed during the 60 days before beginning work or, alternatively, worked fewer than a total of 40 hours for someone else during the 60-day period.” The IRS will provide a form that employers may use to obtain the certification from employees. Contact Vision Payroll if you have any questions on the new credits.

According to the US Department of Labor, in the week ending March 13, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 457,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week’s unrevised figure of 462,000. The 4-week moving average was 471,250, a decrease of 4,250 from the previous week’s unrevised average of 475,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5% for the week ending March 6, unchanged from the prior week’s unrevised rate of 3.5%.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 6 was 4,579,000, an increase of 12,000 from the preceding week’s revised level of 4,567,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,575,250, a decrease of 8,000 from the preceding week’s revised average of 4,583,250.

The fiscal year-to-date average of seasonally adjusted weekly insured unemployment, which corresponds to the appropriated AWIU trigger, was 5.166 million.