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It the not so distant past, this sounded like science fiction:  use your fingerprint or retina to gain access to the super computer that rules the world!  But over the last decade or so, biometrics has become the must-have technology of employers wanting better workforce management. From adoption t...

In Part 1, we reviewed the far reaching affects the ACA has had on numerous laws, requiring changes to procedures and compliance programs.  Here we will review the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). FLSA The FLSA law was passed in 1938 to protect both a worker’s pay and working hours.  There are thr...

Part 1 It is no secret that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is burdensome and complex.  Employers, insurance brokers, vendors and anyone else who provides or services any insurance product, funds an insurance product or needs one has been effected either positively or negatively by this law.  It’s be...

High HCM demand Employers that utilize cloud-based human capital management (HCM) solutions quickly experience faster processing and reduced support demands while benefiting from anywhere, anytime accessibility through desktop, laptop or mobile devices.  Comprehensive HCM solutions are rapidly repl...

In Does Your Time and Attendance Add up, we reviewed the difference between hard and soft dollars and their effect on ROI.  In conclusion, we’ll review the time and attendance benefits and savings a system can produce.     Playing favorites Using a manual time system increases the risk of favoritis...

To ROI or not ROI?  That is the question. Although return on investment (ROI) is frequently quoted and even the deciding factor in some issues, ROI is poorly understood and often misused.  Most ROI calculators ignore the difference between hard and soft dollars and almost none provide a Net Present...

Every workday finds us with questions, many of which can be answered automatically, without wondering if we are correct.  There are others, however, that do require more research to uncover that answer.  Whatever our question, we can rest assured someone else needs to know the same thing.&...

What seems right one day, may be wrong the next.  If you answered a question early last week regarding employer payment plans or whether a legal same-sex spouse is recognized under FMLA, your answer could be different today. On February 18, 2015, the IRS released Notice 2015-17 that addressed five...

New benefit plans for 2015.  Check.  Open enrollment.  Check.  Updating payroll deductions.  Check.  Plan for ACA compliance and reporting.  Check.  Updating plan documents.  Che … wait, what? In the frenzy of open enrollment and year-end, it’s easy to overlook the plan documents that make your pla...

Prior to the year 2000, the average number of Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) lawsuits hovered near 1,500 cases annually.  Since that time, we have seen a fairly dramatic increase to over 7,000 lawsuits in 2012 alone.  The millions of dollars in penalties continue to pile up, and the list of...

“Because I said so!”  Who hasn’t heard that in their lifetime?  When we’re kids, it may work, but for people in HR, Payroll and Benefit roles, it’s a dangerous way to manage a workforce and may cause issues with FLSA and ACA Compliance. In October 2013 when the Marketplace Notice became due, there...

In order to reduce the burden on employers to file and report on the retroactive increased exclusion for 2014 transit benefits ($130 to $250), the IRS released Notice 2015-2 that explains how employers can correct FICA tax overpayments and report proper amounts on Forms 941 and the W-2.  Althou...

Resolutions abound on January 1 each year only to be broken or forgotten in a matter of weeks or months.  Since March 23, 2010, employers have continually resolved to keep up with the changes and stay in compliance. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) resolutions for 2015 will be harmful for the weary emp...

Biometrics has been all the rage for the past few years. From time clocks to sophisticated security systems, some type of biometric device is often involved.  In time and attendance systems, utilizing biometrics helps reduce fraud, frequently referred to as buddy punching.  You might be ab...

Despite a controversial past and an uncertain future, the national health care law referred to as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) demands immediate attention and action by most businesses, especially those of specific sizes and structures.  Employers cannot afford to risk waiting to see what potential...

Many of us ring in the New Year with resolutions to change or improve our life.  Although it’s not a personal resolution,  many states are raising the 2015 minimum wage as a result of either inflation or legislative action, affecting workers nationwide. New York’s minimum wage will increase to $8.7...

The US DOL found that employees with at least one year experience receive an average of eight paid sick days per year.  That number jumps to eleven days for employees with over 25 years of service.  While providing paid sick days for employees might seem costly to employers, not having sick leave av...

HIPAA certificates of creditable coverage have served workers well to prove they have had health coverage and may be exempt from exclusions when changing health coverage.  But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) proposed eliminating these certifica...

Not to be outdone by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Health and Human Service (HHS), the IRS also released guidance over the Thanksgiving weekend.  Final rules for minimum essential coverage and other employer shared responsibility requirements joined the Federal Register family...

Nucleus Research, a company that evaluates technology ROI, recently published some interesting results about HCM technology implementation. The 42 case studies included companies from a wide range of industries and organization sizes. Some findings: For each $1.00 spent, HCM technology returns an...

If you want to be a coach, you have a lot of options – life coach, business coach, project coach and sports coach to name a few.  Even if your goal is not coaching, you may have already filled the position.  If you’ve ever helped an employee identify and solve a problem or develop their skills, you’...

Some of us make lists for everything – spring cleaning, errands, groceries and daily tasks. There's one list that HR, payroll and benefit professionals should definitely have – their year-end requirements.   Here are some items that should be on that list:   General...

During the Supreme Court’s conference November 7, 2014, they decided to hear the King vs. Burwell case.  In this case, the Fourth Circuit upheld allowing subsidies to individuals in an exchange other than one that is state run.  Interesting decision by the Supreme Court, considering the Fourth Circu...

We found a Loophole!  That was the cry from certain brokers, TPAs or employers when they investigated two separate pieces of the health care law in 2014.  But as the cautionary warning states, buyer beware!  Sometimes loopholes can turn into slipknots and bind you in a noncompliant way. Plans that...

Prior to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) entering the picture, an employer generally considered a full-time employee as one that worked 40 hours a week and received health benefits, paid time off and perhaps even retirement contributions.  The ACA has required applying a new meaning not only to full-t...