Compensation & Benefits

Behind-the-scenes: DOL investigator pulls back curtain

09/06/2012

Whatever you do, don’t call a U.S. Department of Labor investigator an auditor. Auditors look for nickels and dimes. DOL investigators look for compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Unauthorized overtime is your problem! Take steps to stop it–and punish rule-breakers

09/04/2012

According to the FLSA, even if you don’t know someone is working overtime, you can be sued if you underpay. The good news is you can crack down on unauthorized overtime by punishing an employee for failing to follow your clearly articulated no-unauthorized-overtime rule.

Employers’ child support collection efforts pay off

09/04/2012

According to recent statistics, 70% of child support is collected through wage withholding. Even so, some deadbeat parents slip through the cracks. To catch them, the Office of Child Support Enforcement has formed an alliance with employers to implement its newest program—the Passport Denial Program.

Payroll’s high stakes: What margin for error?

09/03/2012

Payroll has no margin for error. Get employees’ pay wrong and you’ll hear from them. Get your tax deposits wrong and you’ll hear from the IRS. Get it right and what do you hear? Silence. But don’t think you toil in anonymity.

Two 401(k) plans, two Section 415 limitations?

09/01/2012

Question: Several employees want to participate in two multi-employer 401(k) plans, but their combined contributions would exceed the Section 415 limitations on overall contributions. Can the employees legally participate in both plans during the same year?

No unemployment if employee quits during investigation

09/01/2012

An employee who quits during a suspension and pending investigation isn’t eligible for unemployment benefits.

Payback’s a b&+%#! How to handle 401(k) plan loans

08/31/2012

401(k) plans don’t have to allow employees to borrow from their vested account balances. But if they do, the news is grim. According to a recent survey, about 10% of employees who borrow from their 401(k) plans default. The default percentage skyrockets to 80% if employees terminate with outstanding loans.

Are payments excludable from our nurses’ incomes?

08/30/2012

Question: We run a rural health clinic. We know that payments made under certain programs that encourage health care professionals to work in underserved areas are tax-free. Do these payments fall into that category?

When must I-9 forms be updated?

08/30/2012

Question: What should an employer do if a client requires the employer to obtain new I-9 forms from all employees who will be working on the client’s premises?

Honest! You don’t have to sweat a tax audit anymore

08/29/2012

Ignoring the IRS won’t make a tax audit go away, advises a senior policy analyst at the IRS. In fact, the opposite is true—ignoring a notification of a payroll audit means that you give up your chance to tell your side of the story and set the record straight.