Author: Margaret Miller

California Laws Clamp Down on Wage and Hour Violators; Misclassifiers Could Lose Business Licenses

Two new California state laws, signed by Gov. Jerry Brown Oct. 9, raise the stakes for companies that violate the state’s wage and hour laws. Assembly Bill No. 459, among the latest move by feds and the states to crack down on independent contractor abuse, prohibits willful misclassification of employees as independent contractors. The law […]

IRS Increases Tax Breaks for Adoption Assistance, LTC Insurance

Plan administrators and employers that offer adoption assistance and long-term care (LTC) insurance need to adjust their plans for 2012 to account for increased amounts that can be excluded from taxable income. The IRS issued the rates for use in 2012 in Revenue Procedure (Rev. Proc.) 2011-52. Adoption Tax Credit The tax credit under Code […]

Remember the Titans to Build a Cohesive Team

Recently, at a company luncheon, I was asked about my favorite movie. Ask about the business and I’m quick with an answer. But the question about my favorite movie was nearly a stumper. I scrambled to come up with something and ultimately came up with a reply, but really wasn’t satisfied with my response. Well, […]

Premium Subsidy Extension Becomes Law

Trade legislation that also extends premium subsidies for health coverage under the Health Care Tax Credit (HCTC) program was signed into law by President Obama Oct. 21. The HCTC was enacted as part of the Trade Act of 2002. As originally enacted, it provided a 65-percent tax credit for qualifying health coverage (including COBRA continuation […]

Remember the Titans to Build a Cohesive Team

How does the movie Remember the Titans help managers deal with mergers, integration, and other challenges? In today’s epinion, BLR CEO Dan Oswald shows how it’s helping at his recently-merged company. Recently, at a company luncheon, I was asked about my favorite movie. Ask about the business and I’m quick with an answer. But the […]

Early communication about data mishaps saves employers’ cash and reputations

As the public grows somewhat used to data breaches, simply having to acknowledge one might no longer be devastating to customer relationships, but how and when to communicate remains critical to damage control, a data security expert said in a recent webinar. In 2005 or 2006, when customers would be notified of a breach, “many would […]

Social Security Taxable Wage Base Increases for First Time Since 2009

For the first time since 2009, the Social Security taxable wage base has increased: For 2012, it will be $110,100, up from $106,800. The Social Security Administration attributes this to the increase in average wages. In 2012, employers must withhold Social Security taxes on each employee’s first $110,100 of compensation. This means that the employer […]

The #1 Mistake in Writing Job Descriptions

Goodkin who is a partner in the Los Angeles office of law firm Rutter Hobbs & Davidoff, gave her tips at a recent webinar hosted by BLR. Most Common Mistake Regarding the worst and most common mistakes in job descriptions, Goodkin pointed to calling people exempt when they’re not. Citing a new client who has […]

Planned Merit and General Increases by Size and Industry: Survey Results

In yesterday’s Advisor, we saw survey results for planned increases by company location and employee level. Today, increases by company size and industry, plus an introduction to BLR’s popular Job Descriptions Encyclopedia. BLR’s 2012 Pay Budget Survey was conducted in June 2011. A total of 1637 organizations participated. Here are the rest of the results: […]