Business Payroll and HR Blog
Non-Compete Agreements: Should Your Company Have One?
A recent news story discussed a sandwich restaurant chain requiring its workers to sign non-compete agreements, which essentially state that if a worker leaves, they cannot get a new job at another sandwich restaurant chain within 3 miles of the restaurant for two...
Social Security Benefit Increase for 2015
The Social Security Administration announced today a 1.7% Social Security benefit increase for 2015. From the Social Security Administration’s press release: Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for nearly 64 million Americans will...
Affordable Care Act Upcoming Deadlines
Just around the corner is an immediate Affordable Care Act upcoming deadline - November 5, 2014. Fortunately that is not a difficult one to fulfill. The requirement is to get a "health plan identifier number," or HPID. Small plans -- those through which less than $5...
Suitable Seating at Work
As an employer, employee workstations and seating don’t often receive adequate attention unless a workplace injury has been reported. Additionally, adequate, suitable seating at work for active duties is a reasonable accommodation that an employee covered under the...
ADA Definition of Disability
What does it mean when an employee is "regarded as" having an injury that limits his or her abilities on the job? The EEOC issued a notice giving its views on this and other aspects of employee protection under the ADA. Here is an excerpt from that notice. When does a...
Additional Compensation for Exempt Employees
Is it permissible to pay additional compensation for exempt employees without jeopardizing an employee’s exemption status? The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) allows employers to compensate exempt employees with additional compensation (beyond the employee’s regular...
Workplace Disaster Plan: Are You Prepared?
Many organizations dedicate minimal time, if any, to evacuation and workplace safety, unless they are engaged in a high risk industry. The mindset of "it will never happen to me," or "that could never possibly happen here!" is a common reason for an inadequate...
Employer Mandate Penalty: How to Avoid it
The Employer Mandate (also known as the Employer Shared Responsibility Payment) is the Health Care Reform provision that requires all employers with 50 or more full time equivalent employees to offer a certain level of health insurance coverage at an affordable rate...