![\"2017](\"https:\/\/gtm.com\/business\/wp-content\/uploads\/calendar-1820424_1280.png\")
With a new year just around the corner, there are many trending topics that will impact employers, particularly those in New York, including the 2017 mileage rate\u00a0and minimum wage, plus\u00a0other payroll and HR issues that your business should be aware of.<\/p>\n
Mileage Rate<\/strong> Minimum Wage<\/strong> New Form I-9<\/strong> New W-2 Filing Deadline<\/strong> EEOC Reports Must Include Pay Data<\/strong> New York Pay Card & Direct Deposit Regulations<\/strong> New York Unemployment Insurance Rate Increase<\/strong> Affordable Care Act Reporting<\/strong> New York Paid Family Leave<\/strong>
\nBeginning on Jan. 1, 2017, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (plus vans, pickups, and\u00a0panel trucks) will be:<\/p>\n\n
\nNew York’s minimum wage is set to rise again<\/a> on December 31, 2016. In New York City it will rise to $11, while most of the state will see it rise to $9.70. There are special rates for tipped employees and workers in the fast food industry.<\/p>\n
\nThe U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced that the new Form I-9<\/a> is available. Employers can continue to use the current form until January 21, 2017. After that date, the current form will no longer be valid and all employers must be using the new form. The new form will include a \u201csmart\u201d version of the form that can be completed online.<\/p>\n
\nEmployers will need to file their employees\u2019 W-2 forms much earlier next year<\/a> than in previous years. The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015 includes a new W-2 filing deadline for 2016 forms. That deadline for submitting forms to the Social Security Administration (SSA) is January 31, 2017. It should be noted that this applies regardless of whether an employer submits paper forms or electronic ones.<\/p>\n
\nThe Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has announced that large employers must include pay data on EEO-1 reports<\/a>. Employers with 100 or more employees are required to submit summary pay data and total hours worked for the year as part of the annual EEO-1 report.<\/p>\n
\nThe New York State Department of Labor adopted final regulations governing permissible methods of wage payment, including payment through direct deposit and payroll debit cards. Effective March 7, 2017, the regulations require employers who use a form of payment other than cash or check, such as direct deposit and payroll debit cards, to obtain the employee\u2019s informed consent to use such a method of payment.<\/p>\n
\nThe 2017 New York State taxable wage base per employee for Unemployment Insurance (UI) will increase from $10,700 to $10,900. For 2016, the lowest total UI Rate for NY is 2.1% and the highest UI Rate is 9.9% (2017 not currently published).<\/p>\n
\n2017 is the first year that employers with 50-99 full time equivalent employees are required to implement the ACA reporting requirements (those with 100+ employees were required to report last year). Penalties for non-compliance with the ACA reporting requirements will be assessed in 2017 based on 2016 data.<\/p>\n
\nAlthough not effective until January 1, 2018, employers should make note of any administrative and financial adjustments to their business practices and internal policies in order to comply with the new law<\/a>. The family leave program will be funded by a payroll deduction of between $0.45 and $1 per week from each employee\u2019s paycheck. It will become part of the deduction for New York State\u2019s Temporary Disability Insurance, and it will not require a contribution from employers.<\/p>\n