An I-9 audit can be an intimidating event. If you haven’t properly completed or maintained your I-9s, it can also be a costly one. This interactive webinar will help prepare you so you are confident your organization is in compliance. We’ll also focus on general federal record-keeping compliance, including required retention times for hiring documents, payroll and tax information, and other important employee files.
Your employees are your best assets. Healthy employee relations often translate into happy employees and a productive work environment. But challenges can arise when dealing with employee attendance, leaves of absence, disciplinary matters, personality conflicts, and other day-to-day employee relationship concerns. This webinar will help your managers and supervisors implement best practices, policies, and procedures to foster a harmonious and productive workplace.
The webinar will be held on Thursday, September 17 at 1:00 PM EDT. Click below to register today.
Earned Sick Time Regulations Published
The office of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey today published final regulations on the Earned Sick Time law today giving employers seven full business days to implement the regulations. The Earned Sick Time law, Question 4 on the November 2014 ballot, takes effect July 1, 2015.
All private employers, including not-for-profit organizations, maintaining an employee with a primary place of work in Massachusetts are required to allow almost all Massachusetts employees to accrue and use up to forty hours of earned sick time per benefit year. Employers who maintain an average of eleven or more employees are required to provide earned paid sick time.
All existing sick leave and paid time off policies should be reviewed and many will need to be amended to comply with the new law. As the Massachusetts Earned Sick Time law is complex and penalties for non-compliance can be severe, Vision Payroll strongly recommends employers consult with an attorney specializing in labor law to help ensure compliance with the law and related regulations.
Vision Payroll will be providing a webinar on Friday June 26, 2015 at 11 am to provide further information on the Massachusetts Earned Sick Time law. Although the webinar is free, space is limited and advance registration is required. Click here for further information and to register for this important webinar.
Social Media can be a powerful tool to grow your business. But it can also be a big distraction in the workplace and a forum for embarrassing or other harmful messages that undermine your brand. Through this session you will learn best pratices for regulating the use of social media in the workplace. We will also help you navigate the current social media legal land
scape, including the recent National Labor Relations Board rulings and tips for implementing a social media policy in your organization.
Click Here to Register Today for this free webinar on June 18, 2015, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM EDT!
In November 2014, Question 4, Earned Sick Time for Employees, was passed by Massachusetts voters. Barring a late change, the law will take effect on July 1, 2015. Final regulations are expected to be released in late June, giving employers less than two weeks to implement them.
The Massachusetts Earned Sick Time law applies to all employers who have employees in Massachusetts, except the federal government and cities and towns. Employers with fewer than eleven employees are not required to provide paid sick leave, but must comply with other aspects of the law.
All existing sick leave and paid time off policies should be reviewed and many will need to be amended to comply with the new law. As the Massachusetts Earned Sick Time law is complex and penalties for non-compliance can be severe, Vision Payroll strongly recommends employers consult with an attorney specializing in labor law to help ensure compliance with the law and related regulations.
During the month of June, we suggest that you visit VisionPayroll.com regularly for updates and clarifications on different areas of the law. Additionally, join us for a free webinar about the Massachusetts Earned Sick Time law on Friday, June 26 at 11 am. You can register for the webinar here. Space is limited, so be sure to reserve your spot today.
An employee handbooks is a powerful tool to communicate your organization’s values, culture, and vision, and it can form the first line of defense in an employment investigation or lawsuit. If your organization doesn’t have a handbook, your handbook hasn’t been reviewed by an HR professional in the last year, or you are interested in exposure to an additional point of view, you should sign up for Vision Payroll’s upcoming employee handbook webinar.
Discover these topics:
Click Here to Register Today for this free webinar on April 23, 2015, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM EDT!
Thursday, November 27, 2014 will be Thanksgiving Day, a federal holiday. The offices of Vision Payroll will close Thanksgiving Eve, November 26 at 3 pm EST and re-open Friday November 28. Most banks will also be closed in observance of the holiday. Payroll changes and hours must be submitted before the processing deadlines listed below:
| Normal Payroll Date | Process Deadline |
| 11/27/2014 | 11/24/2014 |
| 11/28/2014 | 11/25/2014 |
| 12/01/2014 | 11/26/2014 |
Payroll Dates May Be Affected by Thanksgiving Day
Payrolls dated November 27 will be paid November 26 unless a previous change in schedule has been submitted. Payrolls submitted after these processing deadlines will be pushed back until the next available processing day. No changes are required for payrolls dated December 2.
Bank Withdrawal Dates Will Change for Some Payrolls
For payrolls dated November 26, including those normally paid on Thursdays, ACH withdrawals from clients’ accounts will occur on Tuesday, November 25. For payrolls dated November 28, ACH withdrawals from clients’ accounts will occur on Wednesday, November 26. This is necessary to ensure timely crediting of employees’ accounts on the proper day.
Christmas Day Is Next Federal Holiday
There will be no UPS ground delivery on November 27 so we strongly recommend submitting payrolls during this time as early as practicable. The next federal holiday will be Thursday, December 25, 2014, Christmas Day. Contact Vision Payroll as soon as possible to make changes to or for questions on your processing schedule.
The Social Security Administration announced today that the Maximum Taxable Earnings or Social Security Wage Base would increase from $117,000 in 2014 to $118,500 in 2015.
Social Security Increases Based on CPI Change
Since there was a 1.7% increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) from the third quarter of 2013 to the third quarter of 2014, the Social Security Administration announced a 1.7% cost-of-living adjustment for 2014. This compares to a 1.5% increase in 2014. The wage base increase is based on an increase in the national average wage index. Wages are taxed at 6.2%, so the maximum tax to be paid by each employee at that rate would be $7,347.00. About 6% of workers who pay Social Security Tax are expected to reach the maximum in 2015.
Retirement Earnings Test Exempt Amounts Increase for 2015
For workers under full retirement age who are receiving Social Security benefits, $1 in benefits is withheld for every $2 above the Retirement Earnings Test Exempt Amount of $15,480 per year or $1,290 per month in 2014. This will increase to $15,720 per year or $1,310 per month for 2015. The year an individual reaches full retirement age, $1 in benefits is withheld for every $3 above the Retirement Earnings Test Exempt Amount of $41,400 per year or $3,450 per month in 2014. This will increase to $41,880 per year or $3,490 per month for 2015. The month an individual reaches full retirement age there is no limit on earnings.
Quarter of Coverage Amounts Increases to $1,160
Also increasing for 2015 is that amount needed to earn a Social Security credit, formerly known as a quarter of coverage. In 2014, a credit is earned for every $1,200 of earnings, up to a maximum of four credits. That amount will increase to $1,220 for 2015.
Social Security Monthly Benefits to Increase in January 2014
The maximum benefit for a worker retiring at full retirement age is also increasing from $2,642 to $2,663. See the table below for other changes in Social Security benefits for 2015.
| 2014 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Benefit: | ||
| Worker Retiring at Full Retirement Age | $2,642 per month | $2,663 per month |
| SSI Federal Payment Standard: | ||
| Individual | $721 per month | $733 per month |
| Couple | $1,082 per month | $1,100 per month |
| SSI Resources Limit: | ||
| Individual | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| Couple | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| SSI Student Exclusion: | ||
| Monthly Limit | $1,750 | $1,780 |
| Annual Limit | $7,060 | $7,180 |
Contact Vision Payroll Today
Contact Vision Payroll if you have any questions on the Social Security changes for 2015 or get further information at Important Facts and Figures.
Certified HR Pro Jenny Arthur will present five key topics every small to mid-sized business needs to know in order to comply with the ACA:
Jenny Arthur has 15 years of HR experience and holds an SPHR from the HR Certification Institute. She is regularly asked to speak about Health Care Reform at Industry Conferences.
Click Here to Register Today for this free webinar on October 23, 2014, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM EDT!
Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez
According to the US Department of Labor, in the week ending April 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 344,000, an increase of 14,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised up by 1,000 from 329,000 to 330,000. The 4-week moving average was 320,000, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised up by 250 from 316,750 to 317,000.
Special Factors Impacting This Week’s Initial Claims
There were no special factors impacting this week’s initial claims.
Advance Seasonally Adjusted Insured Unemployment Increases
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent for the week ending April 19, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the previous week’s unrevised rate of 2.0 percent. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 19 was 2,771,000, an increase of 97,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised down by 6,000 from 2,680,000 to 2,674,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,734,000, a decrease of 16,750 from the previous week’s revised average. This is the lowest level for this average since December 29, 2007 when it was 2,730,250. The previous week’s average was revised down by 1,500 from 2,752,250 to 2,750,750.
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